By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON–The Bluffton High School girls basketball team lost a 49-45 battle to visiting Ottoville in a non-league contest on Saturday, December 6.

Playing their first game in 12 days, the Pirate girls trailed 23-19 at halftime. Bluffton inched within 34-33 after fashioning a 14-11 third quarter.

But the Big Green won the final stanza 15-12 to hold on for the four-point victory.

The Pirates fell to 3-1 after suffering their first defeat. Traditional power Ottoville improved to 5-0 with the win.

Brooklyn Koester scored 14 of her 22 points in the second half. She hit two triples and scored eight points in the clinching fourth stanza. Kendall Schnipke added 16 markers.

Koester nailed two triples and canned two foul shots in the final period. Schnipke also netted five points in the fourth quarter.

Junior guard Maelee Miller led the Pirates with 14 points. She hit a trey and scored five points in the Bluffton third period comeback.  

Junior Greta Meyers tallied 11 of her 13 points in the second half. 

Lauren Dearth and Gracie Warren each netted five markers. Senior Blair Utendorf and Macy Schaadt each scored four points.

Bluffton connected on 13 two-point goals and drained four triples. The Pirate girls converted seven of 14 free throws (50 percent).

The Big Green girls sank 13 two-pointers and drilled three trifectas. Ottoville canned 14 of 20 foul shots (70 percent).

The Pirates (0-0 NWC) host Delphos Jefferson (3-1, 0-1 NWC) in their Northwest Conference opener on Thursday, Dec. 11.

SCOREBOARD

◾️