By Cort Reynolds

PAULDING__The Bluffton High School girls basketball team fell behind early and lost 46-33 at former Northwest Conference foe Paulding Saturday afternoon.

The Pirates dropped to 5-7 with the defeat, while the Panthers improved to 5-5 after the double-digit win. 

It was the second straight game the Pirates could only muster 33 points in a loss.

Paulding led 11-6 after the first period, and extended their lead slightly to 21-15 at halftime. Bluffton stayed within striking distance, down 29-21 heading to the final stanza.

But Panther sophomore Addi Pease hit seven of her eight foul shots in a 17-12 fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.

Junior Ayla Grandey led the Pirates with a game-high total of 19 points. The soft-shooting post splashed nine of her 10 foul shots and canned two triples.

Grandey scored nine points in the final stanza. She hit both of her treys, one deuce and a foul shot in a valiant but futile attempt to keep the Pirates in contention.

“Their pressure and physicality bothered us, and we couldn’t handle it,” said first-year Bluffton head coach Adam Burris. “They came out and punched us in the face, and we could never recover.”

Blair Utendorf added seven markers for the Pirates.

Pease led up Paulding with 17 points.

Panther junior Brooklyn Schlatter supported Pease with 11 points on the strength of three triples.

The Pirates sank just six two-point goals and a pair of treys. They hit on 15 of 24 free throws (63 percent).

Paulding canned 10 deuces and three trifectas. The Panthers converted 17 of 28 foul shots (61 percent).

Bluffton hosts struggling WBL foe Elida (3-10) Tuesday. The Pirates (1-2 NWC) return to league play Thursday at Leipsic (6-7, 0-4 NWC).  

“Hopefully we can bounce back Tuesday against Elida,” said Burris.

Paulding (5-5)

Bluffton 33 (5-7)

END