By Cort Reynolds

McCOMB__The visiting Bluffton High School boys basketball team used a huge third quarter to pull away and beat McComb 67-44 in a non-conference contest Saturday night, January 27.

Bluffton improved to 14-1 with the blowout win that extended their win streak to 12 games. The Panthers fell to 2-12 after the defeat. 

The Pirates raced to a 16-6 lead after the first period. But McComb rallied with an 18-7 second stanza to take a 24-23 edge at intermission. 

Yet Bluffton seized control with a dominating 25-4 third quarter. Blake Sommers poured in 14 points in what proved to be the decisive period. Bluffton canned four triples in the third quarter.

Sommers netted 21 of his game-high 24 points in the second half. The Pirates won the final period 19-16 to outscore the Panthers 44-20 after halftime. Sommers tallied seven more markers in the final stanza.

Sommers nailed four of the seven Pirate trifectas.

Wade Ginther joined him in double figures with 11 points. Kerry Wright tallied 10 markers, and Landen Worcester added eight.

The Pirates outscored McComb by a 41-10 combined score in the first and third quarters.

Bluffton connected on 19 two-point goals and splashed seven triples in the win. The Pirates converted eight of 12 shots from the free throw line (67 percent).

McComb canned 13 two-pointers, and drained four triples. The Panthers converted six of 10 tries from the charity stripe (60 percent). 

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

Spencerville is second in the Northwest Conference standings, followed by Allen East (3-1) and Crestview (3-2). The Bearcats lost 65-60 to visiting power Delphos St. John’s (14-2) Saturday night.

Bluffton is 6-1 at home this season, and 8-0 on the road.

Bluffton 67 (14-1)
Donaldson DNP,
B. Ginther 2 0-0 5,
W. Ginther 3 5-8 11,
Blk. Sommers 10 0-0 24,
Bro. Sommers 0,
Boblitt 1 0-0 3,
Hilty 0 0-0 0,
Worcester 2 3-4 8,
Ker. Wright 5 0-0 10,
Yoder 3 0-0 6,
Hohenbrink 0 0-0 0,
Ka. Wright 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 19-7/8-12/67. 3-pointers: Blk. Sommers 4, Boblitt 1, Worcester 1, B. Ginther 1. 

McComb 44 (2-12)
Enright 2 1-2 6,
Downing 5 0-0 12,
Wittenmeyer 3 2-2 8,
Foster 1 0-1 2,
Stutzman 1 1-2 3,
Holman 2 0-0 5,
Amador 3 2-3 8.

Totals: 13-4/6-10/44. 3-pointers:  Downing 2, Enright 1, Holman 1.

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