By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON__The Bluffton High School boys basketball team convincingly defeated visiting backyard rival Allen East 69-47 in a Northwest Conference battle for second place Friday night, February 16.

The Pirates poured in 23 first period points to build an advantage of 10 after the opening stanza. A 16-7 Bluffton second stanza stretched the margin to 39-20 at halftime.   

AE cut a prior 27-point deficit to 51-33 on an Ethan Young triple with 1:29 left in the third quarter. But Bluffton responded with a 10-2 run to regain control and coast to victory.

The Pirates and Mustangs battled to a 14-14 tie in the fourth quarter.

Bluffton improved to 17-4 overall and finished 6-2 in the NWC with the win. By ending a two-game league skid that cost them a conference title, the Pirates clinched second place behind only repeat league champion Spencerville (7-0). 

Meanwhile, AE dropped to 10-9 overall and 4-3 in the NWC after the second-place showdown loss.

Slick Mustang senior playmaker Carson Clum nailed a three-pointer to open the game, but then the Bluffton offense took over. 

A triple by Wade Ginther gave the Pirates a 15-9 edge. Three baskets by Kerry Wright helped the hosts lead 23-13 after the first quarter.

Marek Donaldson drilled two triples and a deuce in the second period to help build a 16-point intermission edge. The bigger Pirates dominated the glass with seven first-half offensive rebounds.

Mustang Logan Helser nailed a jumper to open the second half, yet Donaldson responded by hitting a 15-footer. A Sommers follow shot and a Donaldson transition triple gave the Pirates a 46-22 lead.

Wade Ginther drove the length of the court for a layin with 5:10 left in the third period.

A driving layup from Clum ended the 10-0 Pirate run. Ginther completed a conventional three-point play. AE’s Deacon Jones canned two foul shots and Clum drilled a baseline jumper. 

Freshman post Hunter Williams sank a jumper to cut the deficit to 21. Mustang Ethan Young splashed a triple to bring AE within 51-33 and prompt a timeout from Pirate mentor Todd Boblitt at the 1:29 mark.

A driving layup by Donaldson ended the -0 AE spurt. A layup by post John-Paul Yoder restored the lead to 22 at 55-33 after three quarters.

Baskets by Young and Williams offset a driving banker from Ginter and a Sommers layin. 

A Jones layup pulled AE within 63-41. Ginther and Young traded driving baskets. Yoder powered in a short shot, and Landen Worcester sank a reverse layup to build a 69-42 cushion. 

Williams canned a triple and the Mustangs ended the game on a 5-0 run to cut the final margin to 22.

Donaldson led all players with 19 points. Wade Ginther contributed a dozen markers. Terron Boblitt and Blake Sommers added eight points apiece.

Clum led AE with 13 points, and Young scored 11 markers. Williams tallied seven while Jones and Helser added six apiece.

Hot-shooting Bluffton connected on 25 of 37 two-point goal tries (68 percent), and drilled four of 17 triple attempts (24 percent). Overall, the hosts sank 29 of 54 field shots (54 percent).

The Pirates converted seven of 11 shots from the free throw line (64 percent).

AE canned 15 of 40 two-pointers (38 percent), and drained just four of 21 triples. Overall from the floor, the visitors made just 19 of 61 shots (32 percent). 

The Mustangs converted five of seven tries from the charity stripe to shoot 71 percent at the foul line. 

Bluffton improved to 8-3 at home this season with the convincing victory, and is 9-1 on the road.

The Pirates host former NWC foe Paulding (11-8) next Friday, February 23 in the regular season finale. 

Bluffton then entertains league foe Columbus Grove (12-8, 4-3 NWC) in Div. III sectional first round play Feb. 27.

Bluffton 69 (17-4, 6-2 NWC)

Donaldson 7 2-2 19, Ker. Wright 3 0-0 6, B. Ginther 1 0-0 2, W. Ginther 5 1-3 12, Blk. Sommers 4 0-0 8, Bro. Sommers 3 0-1 6, Boblitt 2 4-4 8, Hilty 0 0-0 0, Worcester 1 0-0 2, Yoder 3 0-1 6, Hohenbrink 0 0-0 0, Ka. Wright 0 0-0 0.

Totals: 25-4/7-11/69. 3-pointers (4-17): Donaldson 3, Ginther 1.

AE 47 (10-9, 4-3 NWC)

Clum 5 1-2 13, Brooks 1 0-0 2, Helser 3 0-0 6, Slusser 0 0-0 0, D. Jones 2 2-2 6, K. Jones 0 0-0 0, Young 4 2-3 11, Nickles 1 0-0 2, Williams 3 0-0 7. 

Totals: 15-4/5-7/47. 3-pointers (4-21):  Clum 2, Young 1, Williams 1.

1 2 3 4 F

Bluf 23 16 16 14 69

AE 13 7 13 14 47