Win streak extended to 8

By Cort Reynolds

FT. JENNINGS__The visiting Bluffton High School boys basketball team outscored Ft. Jennings by 14 in the second half to pull away for a 75-58 win Saturday night, January 13, giving the team their eighth consecutive victory.

The Pirates led 21-16 after the first quarter, and held a 35-32 edge at intermission over the upset-minded Musketeers.

A 14-8 third period run extended the margin to 49-40 heading to the final stanza. Bluffton rolled up 26 big points in the fourth quarter to win by 17.

Bluffton improved to 10-1 after the non-conference road win. The Musketeers fell to 3-9 with the defeat.

The lone Pirate loss was a 45-40 defeat to WBL powerhouse Ottawa-Glandorf back on December 8.

Blake Sommers and Wade Ginther each netted six points in the final frame. Terron Boblitt and Landen Worcester both nailed a triple in the fourth quarter as well, as eight Pirates scored in the decisive stanza.

Ginther led all scorers with 21 points, while Sommers tallied 19 markers. Ginther netted 13 first half points, while Sommers scored 11 before the halftime break.

Bluffton outscored FJ in the second half, 40-26.

Boblitt was the fourth Pirate in double figures with 11 points, while Brody Sommers added 10.

Junior Jarron Swick led FJ with 18 points. Junior Owen Calvelage netted 16 with three triples, and sophomore Calvin Menke added 10 markers.

Bluffton canned 20 two-pointers and drained nine triples. The Pirates converted eight of 13 from the free throw line (62 percent).

Blake Sommers canned three of the nine Bluffton trifectas. Boblitt also knocked down three treys.

FJ connected on 11 two-point goals, and the hosts also sank nine triples.

The Musketeeers converted nine of their 14 tries from the charity stripe (64 percent). 

The Pirate nine-basket edge in two-point field goals resulted in a plus-18 deuce edge that spelled the statistical difference in a 17-point win.

Bluffton committed 11 turnovers, compared to five miscues by the Musketeers.

Northwest Conference co-leader Bluffton (3-0 NWC) hosts Leipsic (6-5, 2-1 NWC) next Friday, January 19 in a league encounter. T

The Pirates then visit Liberty-Benton (7-4) in a non-league bout Saturday, Jan. 20.

Bluffton 75 (10-1)

Donaldson DNP, B. Ginther 0 2-4 2, W. Ginther 9 2-3 21, Blk. Sommers 7 2-4 19, Bro. Sommers 4 2-2 10, Boblitt 4 0-0 11, Hilty DNP, Worcester 1 0-0 3, Ker. Wright 3 0-0 7, Yoder 1 0-0 2.

Totals: 20-9/8-13/75. 3-pointers: Blk. Sommers 3, Boblitt 3, Worcester 1. Ke. Wright 1. W. Ginther 1. 

Ft. J 58 (3-9)

Calvelage 6 1-1 16, Menke 4 0-0 10, Dube 0, Bryce Gasser  1 0-2 3, Swick 5 6-9 18,  Hoersten 3 0-0 7.

Totals: 11-9/9-14/58. 3-pointers: Calvelage 3, Menke 2, Swick 2, Gasser 1, Hoersten 1.

1 2 3 4 F

Bluf 21 14 14 26 75

Ft J 16 16 8 18 58