By Cort Reynolds
MIDDLE POINT - Visiting Bluffton dominated the final three quarters to beat Lincolnview 53-38 in a Northwest Conference girls basketball contest Thursday night.

The Lady Pirates trailed 16-15 after a high-scoring first period. But they outscored the Lady Lancers 26-16 over the middle quarters to seize a 41-32 advantage heading to the final stanza.

The Pirate girls then doubled up Lincolnview 12-6 in the fourth quarter to grab the victory going away. The visitors outscored the Lancers 38-22 over the final 24 minutes.

Bluffton's record improved to 9-6 overall (3-2 NWC) with their third consecutive victory. They moved into a fourth-place tie with Columbus Grove, just ahead of Spencerville in the league standings, after the win. 

Last-place Lincolnview fell to 3-10 (0-4 NWC) after the defeat, tied for eighth with Allen East (0-4) in the conference cellar. 

Sami Scoles led Bluffton with 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. She netted seven of her points in the key second and third quarters.

Pirate Kylie Monday also tallied 11 points and doled out three assists. She scored six of her points in the fourth period.

Sophie Bricker and Laykin Garmatter contributed nine points and three caroms apiece for Bluffton.

Kendall Bollenbacher topped the Lancer girls with 12 points on four triples, and she grabbed seven rebounds. Sami Sellers added 10 markers.

The Pirate girls canned 21 baskets. They sank 16 two-pointers and made five triples. Bluffton converted six of 10 free throw attempts (60 percent). 

The Lancer girls connected on just 13 field goals. They sank only eight two-pointers and five three-pointers. The Lincolnview girls canned seven of eight foul shots (88 percent).

Bluffton is 3-4 on the road this season.

L'view 38 (3-10, 0-4 NWC)
Jackman 0 2-2 2, Renner 2 0-0 5, Bollenbacher 4 0-0 12, Sellers 4 2-2 10, King 2 0-0 4, Mendenhall 1 3-4 5. 
Totals: 8-5/7-8/38. 3-pointers: Bollenbacher 4, Renner 1. 

Bluffton 53 (9-6, 3-2 NWC)
Garmatter 4 0-0 9, Busch 2 0-1 4, Eachus 2 1-1 6, Stackhouse 1 1-2 3, Bricker 4 0-0 9, Scoles 4 1-2 11, Monday 4 3-4 11. 
Totals: 16-5/6-10/53. 3-pointers: Scoles 2, Bricker 1, Garmatter 1, Eachus 1.     
 
    1    2    3    4    F
Lvw    16    8    8    6    38    
Blf    15    15    11    12    53

Bluffton (6-2 home) hosts local non-league foe Pandora-Gilboa (1-10) Saturday afternoon, January 16. 

Then they entertain Spencerville (7-5, 2-2 NWC) in a league game January 21. The Lady Bearcats lost 36-31 to Columbus Grove Thursday night.

Crestview and Paulding (4-1 NWC each) are tied for first in the league after the Lady Knights beat Delphos Jefferson 54-44 Thursday, dropping DJ to 3-1.