By Cort Reynolds

CONVOY__The Bluffton High School boys basketball team rallied from a big early deficit to pull off a crucial 53-52 comeback win at Crestview in a Northwest Conference barnburner Friday night, January 12.

Wade Ginther scored the game-winning basket with just 2.8 seconds left to lift the Pirates to a one-point road victory. The win kept the Pirates tied atop the league standings with Spencerville.

The victory was also Bluffton’s seventh in a row since a 45-40 loss to Ottawa-Glandorf on December 8.

Crestview raced to a 20-7 lead after the first quarter on 10 two-point field goals. Bluffton pulled within 26-21 at intermission by limiting the Knights to just six points and two baskets in the second period.

The Pirates trailed 35-32 leading to the final stanza. Bluftton outscored the Knights 21-17 in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback.

Bluffton improved to 9-1 overall and stayed in a first-place tie at 3-0 in the NWC after the big win. The Knights fell to 8-5 and 1-2 in NWC play with the defeat.

Ginther scored six of his nine points in the final stanza. Blake Sommers and Terron Boblitt each hit a deuce and a trey in the fourth quarter.

Sommers led the Pirates with a game-high 16 points. Ginther and Boblitt added nine markers apiece.

Senior Jaret Harting topped three Knights in double figures with 13 points. Wren Sheets scored a dozen points, and Connor Sheets added 11.

Bluffton canned 17 two-pointers and drained five triples. The Pirates converted four of nine from the free throw line (44 percent).

Crestview connected on 20 two-point goals but sank just one triple.

The Knights converted nine of 15 tries from the charity stripe (60 percent). 

Bluffton travels to Ft. Jennings (3-7) Saturday for a non-league contest.

Bluffton 53 (9-1, 3-0 NWC)

Donaldson DNP, B. Ginther 2 0-0 5, W. Ginther 4 1-1 9, Blk. Sommers 7 0-0 16, Bro. Sommers 1 0-0 2, Boblitt 4 0-0 9, Hilty 0, Worcester 1 1-2 4, Ker. Wright 1 0-2 2, Ka. Wright 0, Yoder 2 2-4 6.

Totals: 17-5/4-9/53. 3-pointers: Blk. Sommers 2, Boblitt 1, Worcester 1, B. Ginther 1. 

C’view 52 (8-5, 1-2 NWC)

Perrott 1 3-3 6, K. Putman 4 0-0 8, Heffner 1 0-0 2, Harting 6 1-4 13, W, Sheets 4 4-6 12, C. Sheets 5 1-2 11.

Totals: 20-1/9-15/52. 3-pointers: Perrott 1.   

1 2 3 4 F

Cvw 20 6 9 17 52

Bluf 7 14 11 21 53