By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON – The Bluffton High School girls basketball team used a big second quarter to upset visiting Northwest Conference rival Allen East 49-44 on Tuesday, January 28.

The Pirates outscored the Mustang girls 31-17 over the middle quarters to pave the way to the victory. Bluffton won the second stanza 16-5 to seize control.

Bluffton improved to 11-8 overall and 3-2 in the NWC after the victory.  

Meanwhile, AE fell to 15-4 overall and 2-3 in the NWC with the defeat. 

The Mustangs led the Pirates 9-8 after the first quarter. But the big second period boosted the hosts to a 24-14 halftime lead. 

Bluffton consolidated the lead with a 15-12 third quarter that extended the margin to 39-26 heading to the final period.  

AE made a desperation comeback bid by scoring 18 fourth quarter points, but came up five points short. 

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Pirate senior post Ayla Grandey led the victors with 20 points. She sank seven field goals and made all six of her free throw attempts. She hit four foul shots in the final period.

Grandey tallied 14 of her points in the second half, including eight in the third stanza.

Maelee Miller contributed eight markers. Gracie Warren added six points, all in the first half.

Sophomore Brooklynn Crumrine led AE with 13 points and three triples. The Pirates held Mustang senior guard Rilynn Jones to 10 points, including just five in the first three periods. She came into the contest averaging 21.8 ppg.

Bluffton canned 15 two-point goals and hit a pair of trifectas. The Pirates sank 13 of 20 foul shots (65 percent).

AE connected on 12 two-pointers and drained four triples. The Mustangs converted eight of 14 shots (57 percent) at the charity stripe.

AE previously won at Bluffton 40-28 in the season-opening holiday tournament finals November 23. The Pirate victory snapped a four-game losing skid to their local league rival.

Bluffton hosts solid league foe Spencerville (10-8, 2-3 NWC) Thursday, Jan. 30.