By Cort Reynolds

The Bluffton High School boys basketball team succumbed to a late Wayne Trace run and lost 45-42 in the Division III district semifinals at Lima Senior Thursday, March 3.

Wayne Trace tightened its defense and ended the game on a 19-6 run to post the comeback win. The Raiders limited Bluffton to just two points in the fourth period.

Both teams came into the close contest sporting identical 21-2 records, and the game was accordingly close. Bluffton built a 10-point lead in the third period, but then their offense dried up over the final 12 minutes.

The Pirates trailed 10-5 after the first quarter. But on the strength of an 18-point second period, they pulled in front 23-22 by halftime. 

Trey Boblitt canned two trifectas in the second stanza, while Kyler Kinn and Trenton Donley each sank a pair of baskets.

Carson Soper opened the second half with a triple, followed by another trey from Kinn to provide a 29-22 lead. WT began the second half in a triangle and two defense, then switched to a 1-3-1 zone.

Two Raider baskets cut the lead to 29-26, but Soper nailed a long trifecta. Kinn dunked in an alley-oop pass to extend the Pirate cushion to 34-26.

Donley scored in transition off the glass to build the lead to its largest margin of 10. Two Brooks Laukhuf free throws cut the lead to eight, followed by a Pirate turnover.

A three-pointer from Tyler Davis sliced the deficit to 36-31. But a Boblitt basket at the three-minute mark made it 38-31.

A long Trevor Sinn trey pulled Wayne Trace within four. Bluffton senior Nate Schaadt was fouled after grabbing an offensive rebound and sank two free tosses.

Kyle Stoller canned a turnaround jumper to inch the Raiders within 40-36. The Pirates held the ball for the final minute to take the last shot of the period, but Kinn's shot bounced out at the buzzer.

Sophomore Stoller converted a traditional three-point play to open the fourth period ominously for Bluffton.

A Stoller stickback gave WT a 41-40 edge. Bluffton called timeout with 4:45 remaining, but a Laukhuf basket stretched the Raider run to 12-3.

Marek Donaldson hit Bluffton's first basket of the fourth quarter with under two minutes left to edge within 43-42. The Raiders ran clock and took a timeout to figure out how to attack Bluffton's switching defenses with 25.7 seconds left.

An over and back turnover at the center line with 19.5 seconds left gave Bluffton a chance to go back in front. A three-point try was blocked by Stoller and rebounded by Davis, who was fouled with 7.6 seconds remaining. 

Davis converted both clutch foul shots to build the lead to three. 

With 4.7 seconds left Stoller blocked another right wing three attempt by Donley, and time expired.

With the defeat, Bluffton ended its season with a 21-3 record. Meanwhile, Wayne Trace improved to 22-2 and advanced to a district finals rematch vs. top seed Ottawa-Glandorf Saturday afternoon, March 5.

Kinn topped Bluffton with 11 points. Donley contributed nine markers. Boblitt and Soper each added eight points on the strength of two triples apiece.

Raider sophomore point guard Laukhuf scored 10 of his game-high 16 points in the first half. Stoller contributed 13 markers and three key blocked shots. Davis added nine markers.

Bluffton sank 16 field goals, making 10 two-pointers while draining six treys. The Pirates converted all four of their attempts from the charity stripe (100 percent).

The Raiders canned 17 baskets. They sank 13 two-pointers and drilled four triples. They converted seven of nine from the foul line (79 percent).

Bluffton committed 11 turnovers, while WT was guilty of nine miscues.

Bluffton 42 (21-3)

Donley 4 0-0 9, Kinn 4 2-2 11, Soper 3 0-0 8, Boblitt 3 0-0 8, Donaldson 2 0-0 4, Schaadt 0 2-2 2, Lora 0. 

Totals: 10-6/4-4/42. 3-pointers: Boblitt 2, Soper 2, Donley 1, Kinn 1.

WT 45 (22-2)

Myers 0, T. Sinn 2 0-0 5, C. Sinn 0, Laukhuf 7 2-2 16, Davis 2 3-4 9, Winans 0, Graham 1 0-0 2, Stoller 5 2-3 13.

Totals: 13-4/7-9/45. 3-pointers: Davis 2, T. Sinn 1, Stoller 1. 

1 2 3 4 F

Blu 5 18 17 2 42

WT 10 12 14 9 45

The WT vs. O-G district finals are Saturday, March 5 at 2 p.m. The Titans and Raiders met in the district finals last year, with O-G winning.