Grandey named 1st team All-NWC

By Cort Reynolds

DELTA – On February 13, the visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team lost a Div. V sectional first round thriller at Delta, 47-42.

The second-seeded Panthers rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit with a 33-20 second half to avoid a minor upset. Delta closed the game on a 7-2 run to pull out the close victory.

Pirate junior Blair Utendorf drove left and banked in a fadeaway 

runner off one foot to tie the game 40-40 with a minute left.

But 12 seconds later Panther Abbey Todd drained a tie-breaking three-pointer from the top of the key. Pirate senior center Ayla Grandey canned a stickback layup with 29.6 ticks remaining to cut the deficit to one point.

The pressing Pirates stole the ball in backcourt, but missed a driving shot that would have put them in front. They then had to foul several times to force a free throw. 

With 11 seconds left, Delta’s Keagyn Gillen drained two clutch foul shots. The Panthers then stole the ball at halfcourt, and Kendall Sprow made an uncontested layup with three seconds to go to seal the verdict.

Bluffton finished its season 13-10 after the tough season-ending defeat.

Delta improved to 19-2 with the victory and advanced to the district semifinals against Paulding February 19.

The Pirates led 16-10 after the first period. A 6-4 second stanza gave Bluffton a 22-14 lead at halftime.

Delta turned the momentum in their favor with a 16-7 third period to take a narrow 30-29 edge heading to the final period of play. 

Utendorf sank a left baseline shot to put Bluffton ahead 29-23. But Delta answered by reeling off the final seven points of the third quarter. 

Todd hit a spinning shot in transition to pull within 29-27, and Sprow buried a right corner triple to give them a one-point edge after three periods.

The Panthers won the fourth quarter, 17-13.    

Junior wing Utendorf tallied a team-high 14 points on efficient shooting. She canned five of eight from the field, including 1-1 on triples, and sank three of four foul shots.

Pirate senior post Grandey led Bluffton with 19 rebounds, including seven offensive boards. She also scored 11 points and blocked three shots. 

Maelee Miller grabbed five rebounds, made three steals and passed out three assists. Gracie Warren tallied eight points with two trifectas. Warren also swiped three balls and hustled down six caroms. 

Jordan Schweingruber pulled down seven rebounds, blocked one shot and came up with two steals.

Panther ace Todd canned five three-pointers en route to a game-high 19 points for the victors. Anna Lohman contributed 12 points and eight rebounds. Sprow added 12 key markers. Gillen hustled up five steals and seven rebounds.

Both teams were cold shooting from the field and sank almost the exact same percentage from the field. Delta outscored the Pirates 18-9 behind the arc.

Bluffton canned 13 of its 38 two-point attempts (34 percent) and splashed three of 11 (27 percent) triple tries. The Pirates sank seven of 12 foul shots (58 percent).

Overall, Bluffton made good on 16 of its 49 shot attempts from the field (33 percent).

Delta connected on 12 of 37 two-pointers (32 percent), and drained six of 17 triples (35 percent). The host Panthers converted just five of 11 shots (46 percent) at the charity stripe.

Overall from the field, Delta shot 18 of 54 (33 percent).

The Pirates committed 22 costly turnovers, while the Panthers made 12 miscues. 

Bluffton out-rebounded Delta 45-28. The Pirates yanked down 30 defensive boards and hustled up 15 offensive caroms.

The Pirates led 17-4 in second-chance points, and won in points in the paint, 24-20. 

Delta led in transition points 8-4 and in points off turnovers, 12-5.

Bluffton 42 (13-10)
Miller 3-11 0-0 6, Dearth 0-2 0-0 0, Schweingruber 0-0 1-2 1, Warren 3-9 0-2 8, Schaadt 1-7 0-0 2, Utendorf 5-8 3-4 14, L. Grandey 0-1 0-0 0, A. Grandey 4-11 3-4 11.
Totals: 16-49/7-12/42. 3-pointers (3-11): Warren 2-4, Utendorf 1-1, Miller 0-2, Dearth 0-2, Schaadt 0-1, A. Grandey 0-1.

Delta 47 (19-2)
Lohman 5-10 2-5 12, Todd 7-12 0-1 19, Kruger 0-2 0-0 0, Fries 0-0 0-0 0, Sprow 5-12 1-2 12, Wyse 0-4 0-0 0, Gillen 1-14 2-2 4.
Totals: 18-54/5-11/47. 3-pointers (6-17): Todd 5-9, Sprow 1-2, Wyse 0-2, Lohman 0-2, Kruger 0-1, Gillen 0-1.