LIMA – The Bluffton High School boys basketball team used a big fourth period to pull away and defeat Linden-McKinley STEM Academy (Columbus) 62-45 in the opener of the Kewpee Holiday Classic doubleheader at Lima Senior on Saturday, December 21.
The Pirates improved to 5-0 with the victory. Bluffton has won its four games by a combined total of 165 points (33 ppg).
Linden-McKinley fell to 0-5 after the defeat.
The Pirates led 17-11 after the first quarter, and held a 31-26 advantage at halftime. The Pirates led 42-34 heading to the final quarter.
Bluffton outscored L-M 31-19 after intermission, including 20-11 in the fourth period, to win by 17.
Senior Blake Sommers tallied 21 points to pace the victors. He scored 12 points in the first half, including seven in the opening stanza.
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).
The Pandora-Gilboa High School boys basketball team went on the road on December 20 to battle BVC rival Leipsic. The Rockets led throughout the middle two quarters but were outscored 18-14 over the final eight minutes of the contest. They lost a close one, 61-58.
BLUFFTON – The Bluffton High School girls basketball team rode tough defense to a 45-26 win over visiting non-conference foe Van Buren Tuesday, December 17.
The Pirates led 13-6 after the opening quarter. The hosts stymied the Black Knights in the second stanza, holding them to just one field on a three-pointer. Bluffton held a 22-9 edge at halftime.
VB responded with a 12-6 third period to edge within 28-21 heading to the final quarter. But the Pirates poured in 17 fourth quarter points to lead a late surge as they pulled away to win by 19.
Bluffton senior Ayla Grandey netted eight of her game-high 20 points in the fourth period to lead all players.
Macy Schaadt tallied six of her 10 markers in the final quarter to support Grandey.
Bluffton improved to 5-3 overall after the convincing win.
