By Cort Reynolds
DELPHOS--The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball squad lost 46-29 to league co-favorite Delphos Jefferson in the tip-off to their Northwest Conference schedule Thursday evening, December 8.
The Pirate girls dropped to 4-2 overall and 0-1 in the NWC with their second loss in a row.
Meanwhile, the Wildcat girls improved to 4-0 and 2-0 in the NWC with the win.
The Pirates led 7-4 after a low-scoring first period. But DJ took control with an 18-8 second quarter to grab a 22-15 lead at halftime.
Bluffton hung in with a score of 34-25 after three periods. But the visitors were outscored 12-4 in the final stanza as they mustered just one basket and two late free throws by Ayla Grandey.
Grandey's driving short bank shot got the Pirates within 36-27 early in the fourth period. But a left wing triple by Jessa Rostorfer put Delphos up by 12.
A pretty left-handed reverse layup off a baseline drive by Hannah Wiltsie gave DJ a 14-point bulge. The Wildcats then ran off valuable clock with a semi-delay game offense.
A foul shot by Lyv Lindeman, and a breakaway layup by Rylynn Marquiss extended the lead and put the game out of reach. A Wiltsie lane shot stretched their biggest margin to 19.
Two Grandey free throws shortly before the buzzer provided the final margin.
Sophomore post Grandey was the lone Pirate in double figures with 10 points. Riley Eachus added eight markers behind two trifectas in the first half.
Wildcat Lindeman led all players with 22 points, nine rebounds and three steals. Lindeman scored seven points in each of the second and third periods as DJ seized command by outscoring the Pirates 30-18.
Teammate Marquiss netted 10 points, while Wiltsie added nine markers.
The Pirates sank just nine baskets. They canned seven two-point shots and drained two shots from beyond the arc, both by Eachus. Bluffton converted nine of 12 charity stripe tries (75 percent).
The 29 points represent a season-low output for the Pirate girls.
The Wildcats made 11 two-point field goals, and drained five triples for a total of 16 baskets. DJ canned nine of 13 foul shots (69 percent).
D. Jeff 46 (4-0, 2-0 NWC)
Teman 0, Lindeman 7 7-11 22, Wiltsie 3 2-2 9, Marquiss 4 0-0 10, Rostorfer 1 0-0 3, French 1 0-0 2.
Totals: 11-5/9-13/46. 3-pointers: Marquiss 2, Wiltsie 1, Rostorfer 1, Lindeman 1.
Bluffton 29 (4-2, 0-1 NWC)
Fleece 0, Schweingruber 0, Eachus 3 0-0 8, Giesige 1 3-6 5, Scoles 1 2-2 4, Mehaffie 1 0-0 2, Grandey 3 4-4 10.
Totals: 7-2/9-12/29. 3-pointers: Eachus 2.
1 2 3 4 F
DJ 4 18 12 12 46
Bluf 7 8 10 4 29
The Pirates (4-0 home) host local league rival Ada (3-4, 0-2 NWC) Thursday, December 15.
Illness-ridden Ada lost to visiting Columbus Grove 55-15 Thursday evening.
