By Cort Reynolds

MT. BLANCHARD__The visiting Bluffton High School boys basketball team raced to a big early lead and trounced non-league foe Riverdale 55-32 on Friday, December 19.

The Pirates shot to a 20-3 lead after the first period and were never threatened. Bluffton led 26-11 at halftime, and outscored the Falcons 29-21 after intermission.

The Pirates improved to 1-4 overall after recording their first win of the season. Riverdale dropped to 3-2 after the home blowout loss. 

On the same day he signed a collegiate letter of intent to run track at Ashland, senior Kain Wright poured in 19 points to pace the Pirates. He nailed a trey and scored seven points in the opening stanza, then netted 10 in the second half.

Pirate freshman guard Brody Donley scored 11 points with one triple. Lane Ginther scored six and hit a first-period trifecta, and six other players scored two to five points apiece.

Donley and Bean Ginther each scored four points in the decisive first quarter, while Lane Ginther added a three-pointer to support Wright. Five Bluffton players scored in the 20-point outburst. 

The Pirates connected on 16 two-point goals and drained five triples. Bluffton converted eight of 11 at the charity stripe (73 percent). 

Riverdale sank 14 deuces, drilled just one trifecta and canned a meager one of five from the charity stripe (20 percent).

Bluffton stays on the road to play at winless WBL foe Kenton (0-4) on Saturday, Dec. 20. The Wildcats lost to 5-0 Ottawa-Glandorf Friday, 71-43. O-G beat the Pirates 40-30 Dec. 5.
 

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