Story by Cort Reynolds
Photos by Marvin Foster
BLUFFTON - The balanced Bluffton girls basketball team rode a huge second period to a 64-28 victory over visiting local rival Ada in Northwest Conference action Thursday night.
The Lady Bulldogs trailed just 10-7 after the first period. But then the Lady Pirates blew it open with a 23-8 second stanza as seven players scored.
Bluffton then extended its lead to 31 points at 53-22 with a 20-7 third quarter.
Icon sports writer Cort Reynolds has one of his NBA stories posted on the Basketball Intelligence national website.
His article recounting the second NBA 1 on 1 tournament in 1973 and its epic, Marathon championship game between an all-star and a career backup from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - The host Bluffton boys basketball team raced to a big halftime lead and held off Liberty-Benton 79-67 to win their home opener Saturday night.
The Pirates led a high-scoring first half 49-33 at intermission as Carson Soper poured in 19 points on the strength of four three-pointers.
Trenton Donley also knocked down two triples in the opening stanza as the hot-shooting Pirates built a 27-11 lead. Donley added another triple in the second period, while Trey Boblitt also drained three trifectas before intermission.
By Cort Reynolds
OTTOVILLE - The visiting Bluffton girls basketball team battled hard but lost 44-36 at undefeated Ottoville Saturday afternoon in non-league play.
The Lady Pirates dropped to 2-3 after the defeat, while Ottoville improved to 3-0 with the win.
Lady Pirate Laykin Garmatter led Bluffton with 20 points on the strength of four trifectas. Nicole Knippen of Ottoville matched her with 20 points and four treys as well.
Ottoville jumped out to a 13-4 lead after the first period as Knippen canned two triples and scored eight points.
By Cort Reynolds
DELPHOS - Following a close first half, the visiting Bluffton girls basketball team was held to just eight more points and lost 54-33 at Delphos Jefferson in the Northwest Conference girls basketball opener Thursday evening.
The Lady Pirates dropped to 2-2 (0-1 NWC) after the defeat, while DJ improved to 3-1 (1-0 NWC) with the win.
Lady Pirate Kylie Monday gave Bluffton a 12-11 first quarter lead on a stickback shot. But freshman Lauren French scored inside to give Jefferson the advantage back for good.
By Cort Reynolds
LEIPSIC - The visiting Bluffton boys basketball team rallied late but lost to Leipsic 74-69 in their regular season opener Friday night.
The Pirates trailed by 19 points heading to the fourth quarter, but pulled within 62-58 on the strength of a 17-2 start to the final stanza.
Bluffton inched closer to within 69-66, but Leipsic held on for the five-point non-league win with a 5-3 closing finish. The late-charging visitors outscored the Vikings 28-14 in the fourth period.
