Ayla Grandey scores 24

By Cort Reynolds

VAN WERT - The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team edged Northwest Conference foe Lincolnview 62-57 Thursday night, January 23.

Bluffton improved to 10-8 overall and 2-2 NWC with the hard-fought road win.

Lincolnview also fell to 10-8 overall, and is 2-3 in NWC play after the defeat.

Pirate senior post Ayla Grandey led Bluffton with 24 points. 

Macy Schaadt tallied 14 points behind three triples. Blair Utendorf netted 10 markers, and Gracie Warren added six.

The Pirates led 10-7 after the opening quarter, and maintained that three-point edge into halftime at 26-23. Schaadt splashed two triples and scored eight in the second stanza.

Bluffton outscored the Lancers 20-15 in the third stanza to build a 46-38 lead heading to the fourth period. Grandey netted 13 of the 20 Pirate points in the third period.

Lincolnview outscored the Pirates 19-16 in the fourth, but lost by five.

Junior Keira Breese led the Lancers with 24 points on four treys, four foul shots and four deuces. Senior Emerson Walker netted 22 points as she nailed four triples.

Bluffton connected on 15 deuces and drilled five treys. The Pirates converted 17 of 24 free throws (71 percent).

The Lancers canned 11 two-point goals and drained eight triples. They canned 11 of 19 foul shots (58 percent). 
 

Bluffton hosts local league rival Allen East (14-3, 2-2 NWC) Tuesday, Jan. 28. AE crushed last-place LCC 71-23 Thursday as Evelyn Lehman scored a career-high 25 points on seven triples.