BLUFFTON – The Bluffton High School boys basketball team lost a 56-53 nailbiter to visiting Northwest Conference rival Lima Central Catholic on January 17.
The Pirates dropped to 9-3 overall and 1-2 in the NWC with the defeat. LCC improved to 7-6 overall and 2-2 in NWC play after the win.
Bluffton trailed 19-15 after the first period as Blake Sommers scored eight points. LCC held a 29-23 margin at halftime.
BLUFFTON – The Bluffton High School girls basketball team rode a 22-0 second quarter to dominate Northwest Conference foe Lima Central Catholic 58-22 on Senior Night, January 16.
Bluffton improved to 9-7 overall and 1-2 in the NWC with the lopsided win. LCC fell to 2-11 overall and 0-5 in the NWC with the road defeat.
Pirate senior post Ayla Grandey led all players with 22 points as she equaled the LCC output herself. Grandey sank six deuces, nailed two triples and canned four of six foul shots.
Freshman Maelee Miller tallied 15 points on five two-pointers, a trey and a pair of free throws.
The Pirates led 14-7 after the opening quarter and then broke the game wide open. Bluffton authored a 22-0 second stanza to build a commanding 36-7 cushion at halftime.
Grandey splashed two triples and scored eight points in the decisive second quarter. Miller added six markers on three baskets in the period.
ELIDA – The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team led at the half, but a bad third period doomed the Pirates to a 47-41 defeat at non-conference foe Elida Tuesday, January 14.
Bluffton fell to 8-7 overall after suffering their third straight tough loss. Elida improved to 10-6 with the home win.
The Pirates led 12-9 after the opening quarter. Bluffton also scored 12 points in the second stanza to build a 24-19 edge at halftime.
But Elida turned the tables with a 17-5 third quarter to seize a 36-29 advantage heading into the final period. Bluffton captured the fourth stanza 12-11, but came up short by six.
Pirate senior post Ayla Grandey scored 13 points on four baskets and five foul shots.
Junior Blair Utendorf and Macy Schaadt tallied nine points apiece. Freshman Maelee Miller added six markers.
BLUFFTON – The Bluffton High School boys basketball team used a huge first half to thrash visiting non-conference foe Carey 77-36 on January 11.
The Pirates improved to 9-2 overall with the lopsided victory. Carey fell to 3-8 after the defeat.
Guard Marek Donaldson topped a balanced Bluffton attack with 15 points. Blake Sommers scored 14, and Kain Wright added 13 markers.
Seniors Landen Worcester and Bean Ginther each netted nine points, while classmate Terron Boblitt added eight.
Bluffton led 22-2 after the first period, and built an insurmountable 45-6 margin at halftime. The Pirates won the second half, 32-30.
Donaldson scored nine first-period points and Sommers nailed two triples to shoot the Pirates to a 20-point lead. Worcester tallied seven markers in the second stanza, while Boblitt added five as they ballooned the lead to 39.
BLUFFTON – The Bluffton High School girls basketball team lost a defensive battle 40-32 to visiting non-conference foe Paulding on January 11.
Bluffton fell to 8-6 overall after suffering their second defeat in three days. Paulding improved to 11-2 with the road win.
The Pirates led 6-5 after a low-scoring opening quarter.
But Paulding took control with a 14-6 second stanza to forge ahead 19-12 at halftime. Panther Tori Schlatter drained two triples and a two-pointer to tally eight points in the momentum-changing second period.
Bluffton rebounded to take the third quarter 12-9 and inch within 28-24 heading into the final period. But the Panthers captured the fourth stanza 12-8 to win by eight.
Junior Blair Utendorf led the Pirates with eight points on four baskets. Pirate senior post Ayla Grandey contributed seven markers.
