By Cort Reynolds

The host Bluffton High School girls basketball team defeated Paulding 44-31 in a non-league outing Saturday afternoon, January 7.

The Pirate girls used tough defense to hold the Panthers to just seven combined points over the first and third periods.

Bluffton ran out to a 14-2 lead after the first quarter as Riley Eachus nailed two triples. Ayla Grandey also netted six points in the opening stanza.

Paulding rallied within 23-17 at halftime behind a 17-9 second quarter. 

Bluffton spurted back in front by 15 after responding with a 14-5 third quarter run. Paulding narrowly won the fourth period 9-7 but it was far too little, too late.

Bluffton improved to 8-4 with the win against their former NWC foe. The struggling Panther girls dropped to 1-10 with the loss.

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Sophomore post Grandey topped all scorers with 19 points. Eachus contributed a dozen tallies on four treys. Macy Schaadt added eight markers.

Pirate senior point guard Sami Scoles missed the game with a knee injury suffered late in the previous game at Crestview Thursday night.

Bluffton canned 18 shots from the field, including 14 deuces and four shots from three-point land. 

Bluffton converted four of its eight free throws (50 percent).

The Panthers were held to 10 baskets, making eight two-pointers and two triples. They hit on nine of 14 foul shots (64 percent).

Bluffton 44 (8-4)

Eachus 4 0-0 12, Giesige 1 0-0 2, Mehaffie 0 0-1 0, Grandey 8 3-4 19, Cross 0-1 0-0 0, Fleece 0 0-0 0, Schaadt 4 0-0 8, Schweingruber 0-0 0-1 0, Grothause 0 0-0 0, Utendorf 1 1-2 3. 

Totals 14-4/4-8/44. 3-pointers: Eachus 4.

Paulding 31 (1-10) 

Pease 2 2-2 7, Bermejo 0 2-2 2, Bakle 3 2-4 8, Suffel 2 0-0 5, Shletter 2 0-1 4, Breier 0 1-2 1, Kuckuck 1 2-3 4.

Totals 8-2/9-14/31. 3-pointers: Pease 1, Suffel 1.

1 2 3 4 F

Pau 2 15 5 9 31

Bluf 14 9 14 7 44

The Pirates visit WBL rival Elida (6-6) Tuesday, Jan. 10.