By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON – The Bluffton High School boys basketball team lost a 56-53 nailbiter to visiting Northwest Conference rival Lima Central Catholic on January 17.

The Pirates dropped to 9-3 overall and 1-2 in the NWC with the defeat. LCC improved to 7-6 overall and 2-2 in NWC play after the win.

Bluffton trailed 19-15 after the first period as Blake Sommers scored eight points.  LCC held a 29-23 margin at halftime. 

Kain Wright tallied eight of his points in the third period, but the Thunderbirds spurted ahead 44-33 heading to the fourth period.

The Pirates won the final quarter 20-12 as Donaldson and Sommers each scored six points. But the rally came up short by three.

Wright scored 18 points on nine baskets to tie for team scoring honors. Blake Sommers also netted 18 markers on seven baskets and three foul shots.

Guard Marek Donaldson added 11 points. 

LCC was led by junior guard Jordan Priddy, who scored 12 of his game-high 24 points in the first period. Priddy also tallied nine in the final stanza, including hitting all four of his free throws, to help keep the Pirates at bay.

Bluffton connected on 16 two-point goals and drained four triples. The Pirates converted just nine of their 16 free throws (56 percent).

LCC also canned deuces 16 and splashed four trifectas. The Thunderbirds canned 12 of 15 foul shots (80 percent) to spell the small difference in the outcome at the charity stripe, 12-9. 

The Pirates host tall and talented Liberty-Benton (12-1) Saturday, Jan. 18. L-B smothered an 11-2 Arlington squad 51-27 Friday to take sole possession of first place in the BVC at 6-0.