By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - Host Bluffton outscored Spencerville 32-14 in the second period and went on to post a convincing 71-52 Northwest Conference boys basketball win Friday evening.

The Pirates improved to 12-3 overall and 4-1 in NWC play with the win. Meanwhile, the Bearcats fell to 2-12 and 0-4 in the NWC with the loss.

Bluffton led 16-11 after the first period. Seniors Luke Denecker and Mason Soper then scored 13 points apiece in the second period as the hosts built a commanding 48-25 intermission advantage.

The 32-point outburst marked the highest scoring quarter of the Bluffton season thus far, helping the Pirates snap a two-game losing skid. 

Denecker netted a game-high 27 points with the aid of five trifectas. Soper tallied 23 points and also nailed five treys. Fellow senior Jared Piercefield added 11 markers.

The Pirates connected on 27 shots from the field. Bluffton canned 16 two-point goals and drained 11 three-pointers. Bluffton converted six of 12 from the charity stripe (50 percent). 

The Bearcats canned 18 two-pointers and hit two shots from three-point territory. The visitors converted 10 of their 14 attempts from the charity stripe (71 percent).

Keegan Goecke led the Bearcats with 14 points, while Tyler Koenig scored 10 and Josh Henline added nine.

Bluffton 71 (12-3, 4-1 NWC)
Deardorff 1 0-0 3, Schriner 0, Garmatter 0 1-2 1, Shutler 0 1-2 1, Soper 9 0-0 23, Piercefield 5 1-2 11, Denecker 10 2-3 27, Essinger 2 0-0 4, Schaadt 0 0-1 0, Ault 0 1-2 1, Hohenbrink 0. 
Totals: 27/6-12/71. 3-pointers: Denecker 5, Soper 5, Deardorff 1.

S'ville 52 (2-12, 0-4 NWC)
Henline 3 2-3 9, Brown 1 1-2 3, J. Goecke 3 1-1 7, K. Goecke 5 3-3 14, Koenig 4 2-2 10, Prichard 2 1-1 5, Harter 2 0-2 4.
Totals: 20/10-14/52. 3-pointers: Henline 1, K. Goecke 1.

    1    2    3    4    F
Bluf     16     32     13     10     71
Svl    11    14    16    11    52