By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - The host Bluffton boys basketball team lost to hot-shooting Arlington 87-71 Wednesday night in the de facto finals of their annual Christmas break holiday tournament.
The Red Devils drained 13 three-point goals to overcome an early deficit and win going away over the Pirates.
It was Bluffton s second game in as many nights after beating Continental 68-40 Tuesday in what normally would have been the tourney semifinals.
The Pirates led 21-16 after the first period as Trenton Donley splashed a pair of three-pointers. Carson Soper also contributed five points in the opening stanza.
But Arlington took control with a 26-17 second quarter to grab a 42-38 halftime edge. Bryce Gast poured in a dozen points during the momentum-changing period.
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
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.