By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON – The Bluffton High School boys basketball team rode a big third quarter to a 73-52 win over visiting Riverdale in a non-league game on Friday night, December 20.

The Pirates broke away from a four-point halftime lead by outscoring the Falcons 19-6 in the decisive third stanza. The hosts outscored Riverdale by four in the final period to win by a comfortable 21-point margin.

The Pirates improved to 4-0 with the victory. Bluffton has won its four games by a combined total of 148 points (37 ppg). 

Riverdale fell to 3-5 after the road defeat.

The Pirates led 14-13 after the first quarter, and held a 38-34 advantage at halftime. Bluffton outscored the Falcons 35-18 after intermission to win going away.

Junior Kain Wright led the Pirates with a career-high 26 points. He scored eight points in each of the first two quarters. Wright canned nine baskets, including two treys, and he also sank six of seven foul shots.

Senior Blake Sommers tallied 13 of his 22 points in the second period.  

Senior Terron Boblitt added 12 points on the strength of three triples. He canned two of the four Pirate trifectas in the key third quarter run.   

Evan Reiter led Riverdale with 20 points.

Bluffton sank 16 two-pointers and drained 10 trifectas. The Pirates converted 11 of 16 free throws (69 percent).

Riverdale connected on 15 deuces and nailed three triples. The Falcons converted 13 of 15 foul shots (87 percent).

Bluffton will face Linden-McKinley (0-4) in the Lima Senior Kewpee Classic doubleheader Saturday, December 21 at 2 p.m. Spencerville (6-0) plays Ottawa-Glandorf (1-3) in the second game.