By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - The host Bluffton boys basetball team lost 63-50 to Crestview in Northwest Conference action Monday night in a makeup game from December 18.
The Knights led 21-17 after a high-scoring first period, with each team hitting three triples. Crestview took control with a 17-6 second period run to lead 38-23 at halftime.
The Pirates cut the deficit to 45-36 behind a 13-7 third stanza as Nate Schaadt scored seven points. But the hosts pulled away with an 18-point fourth period to win by 13.
Bluffton fell to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the NWC with the defeat. Crestview improved to 5-2 and 1-1 in league action with the victory.
By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - The host Bluffton girls basketball team raced to a big early lead and convincingly defeated North Baltimore 50-33 in non-conference action Tuesday night.
The Lady Pirates jumped to a 20-6 first period lead and held a 30-18 cushion at intermission. They extended the margin to 39-22 after three periods and cruised to the victory.
Bluffton improved its record to 4-3 overall with the win. The Tiger girls dropped to 3-2 with the defeat.
Sami Scoles led the victors with 13 points. Junior post Kylie Stackhouse tallied 11 points.
Laykin Garmatter and Kylie Monday each contributed seven points.
By Cort Reynolds
ADA - Visiting Bluffton finished the game on a 17-5 run to avoid an upset bid by winless local rival Ada and pull out a 55-52 victory in the Northwest Conference boys basketball opener.
The Bulldogs led 47-38 with under six minutes remaining to play after junior Cayden Murphy followed up a miss inside for a basket.
But then the Pirates began pounding the ball inside to reel off an 11-0 flurry and take a 49-47 lead.
Pirate post Kyler Kinn, a 6-3 junior, tallied eight interior points during the decisive run. His alley-oop layin cut the deficit to 47-44. Junior Nate Schaadt then tied it 47-47 on a putback three-point play with 2:55 left.
Photos by Marvin Foster
BLUFFTON - The balanced Bluffton girls basketball team rode a huge second period to a 64-28 victory over visiting local rival Ada in Northwest Conference action Thursday night.
The Lady Bulldogs trailed just 10-7 after the first period. But then the Lady Pirates blew it open with a 23-8 second stanza as seven players scored.
Bluffton then extended its lead to 31 points at 53-22 with a 20-7 third quarter.
Four Pirate girls scored in double figures, and 10 Bluffton players hit the scoring column in all.
The purple and gold dropped to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the NWC with the defeat. Bluffton evened its record at 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the NWC with the win.