Pirate boys basketball nips Arlington in Holiday title game

Sommers named MVP

By Cort Reynolds

BLUFFTON__The Bluffton High School boys basketball team edged visiting Arlington 57-55 to capture the championship game of their annual McDonald’s Holiday tournament Saturday night, December 30.

The host Pirates improved to 6-1 with the close victory, while Arlington fell to 5-4 after the loss.

Pirate Blake Sommers was named tournament MVP after scoring a game-high 19 points in the finals. Teammates Marek Donaldson and Wade Ginther were each named to the all-tournament team as well.

Continental (1-9) beat Cory-Rawson 41-38 in the consolation game to earn their first win Saturday and finish third. C-R fell to 2-6 with the defeat.

The Pirates led 11-10 after the opening stanza, but the Devils rallied to seize a 27-24 advantage at intermission. Arlington’s Brady Kin poured in nine second-period points to lead their 17-13 charge.

But the Pirates regained the lead with a 19-12 third period to go ahead 43-39 heading to the final stanza.

Blake Sommers fired in 12 points in the decisive third quarter to lead the comeback. He nailed two triples and three deuces in the stanza. 

Kin hit two treys in the fourth quarter, but five points by Ginther helped the Pirates hold off the Devils. 

Arlington missed two of its three free throw attempts in the fourth period, while Bluffton sank four or six at the charity stripe down the stretch.

Ginther tallied 12 points and Donaldson added 10 points.

Kin led the Devils with 18 points, and Brady Griggs added 15 markers.

The two teams made almost the identical amount of shots from the field, beyond the arc and at the foul line.

The Pirates connected on 18 two-point goals, and splashed five treys. Bluffton converted six of 10 free throws (60 percent).

The Red Devils canned 17 two-pointers and also drilled five trifectas. Like the Pirates, Arlington made six of its 10 foul shots (60 percent). 

The lone difference was that Bluffton canned one more two-point goal in the close contest.

The all-tournament team consisted of the Pirate trio of Sommers, Donaldson and Ginther, Cory-Rawson’s Preston Stumpp, Monty Rayle of Continental, and Red Devils Brady Kin and Brady Griggs.

Bluffton (1-0 NWC) hosts local rival Ada (1-7, 0-1 NWC) in a league battle Friday, January 5.

Bluffton 57 (6-1)

Donaldson 3 2-2 10, W. Ginther 5 2-4 12, Blk. Sommers 8 0-0 19, Bro. Sommers 2 0-0 4, Boblitt 2 0-0 4, Hilty 0 0-0 0, Worcester 0 1-2 1, Wright 2 0-0 4, Yoder 1 1-2 3.

Totals: 18-5/6-10/57. 3-pointers: Blk. Sommers 3, Donaldson 2.

Arlington 55 (5-4)

Vermillion 3 0-2 7, Kin 7 1-1 18, Russell 2 0-0 4, Griggs 5 5-7 15, Frysinger 2 0-0 4, Cavinee 3 0-0 7.

Totals: 17-5/6-10/55. 3-pointers: Kin 3, Vermillion 1, Cavinee 1.  

In the consolation game Saturday evening, previously winless Continental upset Cory-Rawson 41-38 to earn third place.  

The Pirates sank three early triples as they raced to a 16-6 lead after the first period. Continental held on to a 23-15 halftime edge. 

C-R inched within 30-25 heading to the fourth period, but couldn’t completely overcome the early deficit.

Monty Rayle led Continental with 13 points.

Hornet Preston Stumpp tallied 10 of his game-high 15 markers after intermission.