By Cort Reynolds

NEW BREMEN–The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team lost 34-29 to New Bremen in a non-conference contest on Saturday, December 13. 

The Pirate girls trailed 9-5 after the first quarter. Bluffton rallied within 17-16 at the half behind an 11-8 second stanza.

NB took the third period 8-7 to maintain a slim 25-23 edge heading to the final stanza. The Cardinals hung on to win the final period 9-6 and triumph by five.

NB’s Stella Patch sank all four of her foul shots in the final period as the Cards shot 6-8 from the charity stripe down the stretch to preserve the win.

The Pirates dropped to 4-2 overall after the non-league defeat. New Bremen improved to 2-4 with the win.

Bluffton senior Blair Utendorf scored eight points on four field goals, and junior Greta Meyers tallied seven markers. Junior guard Maelee Miller added four points.

Hallie Kuenning led NB with 10 points. She canned a big triple in the final period. Cardinal freshman guard Maria Kramer drilled two treys and scored seven points.

Bluffton connected on 11 two-point goals and drained one triple. The Pirate girls converted just four of nine free throw tries (44 percent).

The Cardinal girls sank six two-pointers and splashed four trifectas. DJ canned 10 of 15 foul shots (67 percent).

The Pirates play at non-league foe Van Buren (3-3) on Tuesday, Dec. 16. They then host Kenton (3-2) and high-scoring Sidney Payne on Dec. 20.