By Cort Reynolds

VAN BUREN – The visiting Bluffton High School boys basketball team methodically whipped non-league foe Van Buren 58-40 on January 4.

The Pirates improved to 8-1 with the convincing road win. Van Buren fell to 4-5 after their second tough defeat in as many nights.

Pirate Blake Sommers scored 17 points to lead three Pirates in double figures. He canned five two-point goals and one triple, and sank four of six foul shots.

Terron Boblitt contributed 13 points with two triples. 

Kain Wright tallied 10 markers, and guard Marek Donaldson added nine points.

Bluffton led 17-10 after the first period, and maintained a 34-22 margin at halftime. The Pirates captured the third quarter 16-10 to seize a 50-32 cushion heading to the final stanza.

Both teams scored eight points in the fourth quarter.  

Senior forward Alec Busey led VB with 13 points. Junior guard Cole Bishop added eight markers.

Bluffton canned 16 deuces and splashed five triples. The Pirates converted 11 of their 14 free throws (79 percent).Van Buren connected on a dozen two-point goals and drained five treys. The Black Knights canned just one of their mere two foul shots (50 percent). Bluffton outscored VB 11-1 at the charity stripe.

The Pirates (1-0 NWC) resume league play Friday, Jan. 10 at rival Crestview (8-3, 1-1 NWC). The JV game will tip off at 5 p.m. 

The Knights dominated Antwerp 71-35 Saturday as Hayden Perrott scored 28 points.

Bluffton was ranked 14th in the Div. VI MaxPreps state poll prior to the two-win weekend.