By Cort Reynolds

VAN WERT__The visiting Bluffton High School boys basketball team rode a big fourth quarter to defeat pesky Lincolnview 75-59 in a Northwest Conference contest on January 26, extending their win streak to 11 games.

Bluffton also maintained its hold on first place in the league with the victory as they improved to 13-1 overall and 4-0 in the NWC. 

The Lancers fell to 4-10 overall and 0-4 in NWC play after the defeat. 

The Pirates led 16-10 after the first period and 38-26 at the half. 

Yet Lincolnview hung within striking distance at 48-40 heading to the final quarter. Chayse Overholt hit two triples and scored eight points for the Lancers in the stanza. 

But a 27-point fourth period outburst by the Pirates allowed Bluffton to pull away and win by 16.

Four Pirates scored in double figures, and two others added nine and eight points as Bluffton displayed good offensive balance.

Pirates Wade Ginther and Landen Worcester each poured in nine points in the final stanza to pace the visitors to victory.

Ginther led the Pirates with 20 points. Worcester tossed in 13 points, while Blake Sommers scored 11. John-Paul Yoder tallied 10 points, seven of which came in the second quarter. 

Kerry Wright contributed nine markers, and Terron Boblitt added eight points.  

Max Hammons led the Lancers with 13 points. Overholt added 10 points.

The Pirates outscored the Lancers by a combined total of 49-35 in the second and fourth quarters.

Bluffton connected on 25 two-pointers and splashed four triples in the win. The Pirates converted 13 of 19 shots from the free throw line (68 percent).

Lincolnview canned 17 two-point goals, and drained five triples. The Lancers converted 10 of 13 tries from the charity stripe (77 percent). 

The first-place Pirates (5-0 NWC) host second-place Spencerville (11-3, 4-0 NWC) Friday, February 2 in a potential NWC title showdown.  

Spencerville is second in the Northwest Conference standings, followed by Allen East (3-1) and Crestview (3-2). 

Bluffton is 6-1 at home this season, and 7-0 on the road.

Bluffton 75 (13-1, 5-0 NWC)

Donaldson DNP,
B. Ginther 2 0-0 4,
W. Ginther 8 4-6 20,
Blk. Sommers 4 2-2 11,
Bro. Sommers 0,
Boblitt 3 0-0 8,
Hilty 0 0-0 0,
Worcester 5 2-4 13,
Ker. Wright 4 1-1 9,
Yoder 3 4-6 10,
Hohenbrink 0 0-0 0,
Ka. Wright 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 25-4/13-19/75. 3-pointers: Boblitt 2, Blk. Sommers 1, Worcester 1. 

L’view 59 (4-10, 0-4 NWC)

Tow 2 0-0 4, C.
Evans 3 1-2 7,
Jackson 1 0-0 3,
G. Evans 0 1-2 1,
Overholt 4 0-0 10,
Hammons 4 3-3 13,
Price 3 2-2 8, Kill 1 3-4 5,
Jessee 2 0-0 4,
Smith 2 0-0 4.

Totals: 17-5/10-13/59. 3-pointers: Hammons 2, Overholt 2, Jackson 1. 

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