Playing at home, the Bluffton High School boys basketball team ran out to an early lead and easily dispatched visiting Toledo Rogers 60-43 in a non-conference game Saturday night, February 19.
The Pirates led 13-6 after the first quarter. They extended the margin to 31-15 at halftime as Trey Boblitt drilled three second quarter triples.
Trenton Donley knocked down three trifectas in the third period to help Bluffton stretch the margin to an insurmountable 47-25 count heading to the final stanza.
The Pirates finished the regular season 20-2 with the decisive win, while Rogers fell to 8-13 after the loss.
Donley led three Pirates in double figures with 15 points on the strength of three triples. Kyler Kinn netted 13 points, while Boblitt contributed 12 markers on four treys. Kaden Lora added nine.
Bluffton drained 23 field goals, making 15 two-pointers while draining eight treys. The Pirates converted six of seven attempts at the charity stripe (86 percent).
The Rams canned 18 baskets. Like Bluffton, they sank 15 two-pointers but hit just three triples. Rogers converted four of six from the foul line (67 percent).
The Pirates scored 17 more points on three-pointers and free throws combined to provide the margin of victory.
Bluffton committed 10 turnovers, while Rogers made 11 miscues.
Bluffton 60 (20-2)
Donley 6 0-0 15, Shutler 0, Kinn 6 1-2 13, Soper 1 2-2 4, Boblitt 4 0-0 12, Donaldson 2 0-0 5, Schaadt 0, Lovell 1 0-0 2, Lora 3 3-3 9, Ginther 0, Ackerman 0.
Totals: 15-8/6-7/60. 3-pointers: Boblitt 4, Donley 3, Donaldson 1.
Rogers 43 (8-13)
M. Smith 1 0-0 2, House 3 0-0 7, Hudspeth 3 2-2 8, Brown 1 0-0 3, Gibson 0 2-2 2, E. Smith 2 0-0 4, McAllister 2 0-2 4, Jacobs 6 0-0 13.
Totals: 15-3/4-6/43. 3-pointers: House 1, Brown 1, Jacobs 1.
1 2 3 4 F
Blu 13 18 16 13 60
TRog 6 9 10 18 43
Bluffton enters the tournament on a six-game win streak. The Pirates have won 19 of their last 20 games since December 4.
Bluffton was seeded third in the 13-team Div. III boys Lima district.
The Pirates were voted a first round bye, and will play the Feb. 22 winner between seventh-seeded Lima Bath (7-15) and 10th seed Paulding (7-14) on Friday, February 25 at 5:30 p.m. in Miller City.
The winner advances to the Lima Senior district March 3/5. If the seeds hold according to form, Bluffton would face Wayne Trace (20-2) in the district semis.
Ottawa-Glandorf (19-2) was seeded first, while WT was tabbed second.
