By Cory Reynolds

HARROD__In a battle of two teams streaking in opposite directions, the visiting Bluffton girls basketball team got off to a strong start but eventually lost to local rival Allen East 58-33 Thursday night, February 15.

The decisive victory was the 11th in a row for AE as they capped the Northwest Conference schedule strongly.

Bluffton finished its regular season 7-15 after suffering its seventh loss in a row. The Pirates ended the NWC campaign 1-7.

AE improved to 19-2 overall and finished 6-2 in NWC play with the win, good for a tie with Columbus Grove in third place. 

Crestview and Delphos Jefferson shared the NWC title at 7-1.

The Mustangs started out flat as Bluffton seized a 10-3 lead. But a 14-0 Mustang run bridging the first two periods gave AE control and momentum, and they never looked back.

“I thought we did a good job of handling pressure and limiting live-ball turnovers in the beginning,” said Bluffton head coach Adam Burris. “Ayla did a great job finishing through contact because they were really physical with her.”

AE led 3-2 early in the first quarter as Mustang guard Rilynn Jones canned a right wing trifecta.

The Pirates made a concerted effort to get the ball inside early to junior post Ayla Grandey. She scored three baskets down low, forcing AE to bring in post Taylor Nickles.

“We were a little flat at the start,” agreed AE head coach Aaron Montgomery. “Taylor (Nickles) has had two of her best games this season against Bluffton.  Her putback got us going along with the two three’s by Dylan Miller.

“We wanted to double down on Grandey and make her work for contested shots. We did a good job on backside help when she touched it.”

Montgomery called a timeout with AE down seven after Pirate Gracie Warren sank an uncontested putback at the 2:40 mark of the opening period. He read the riot act to his team, and they responded. 

“Our defensive intensity and focus really picked up after the timeout,” he noted.

The 6-0 Nickles almost immediately grabbed an offensive rebound and banked it in to ignite the Mustang splurge. Dylan Miller drilled a left corner triple at the 1:44 mark.

Miller then gave AE the lead for good at 11-10 by draining a trey from the top of the key with 68 seconds left in the opening period. 

The Miller triples and the defense and post play at both ends by Nickles clearly changed the flow of the contest.

Nickles sank another short bank shot to start the second stanza. Savana Brooks then stole the ball and nailed a 12-foot pull-up shot from the left side.

Jones hit two foul shots to end the run with the hosts on top 17-10.

Pirate senior Lauren Bassett stopped the flurry with a nice spinning post move basket off glass. Soraya Jackson sank a layin putback at the 2:40 mark to give AE a 20-12 lead.

“Allen East scores in bunches and so when we started turning the ball over, they scored quick and spread the lead out quick,” said Burris.

Jones rebounded a miss in the lane and canned an eight-footer with two minutes left in the half. She then hit two free throws, followed by a Brooks trey for a 15-point lead.

Brooks then executed a nice crossover dribble before she swished a 15-foot pull-up shot four seconds before intermission to stretch the margin to 29-12.

AE won the second period 18-2, and ended the half on a devastating 26-2 run.

Senior Aubrey Young opened the second half by draining a triple. Pirate Vanessa Cross answered by drilling a three to make it 32-15. Cross sank a basket, followed by a bucket from Jones.

Grandey splashed a triple at the 4:11 juncture, followed by a Jones deuce. Young then made a transition layup for a 38-20 margin with 3:33 left. Nickles powered inside for a conventional three-point play.

Ballhawk Jones split two foul shots, then stole the ball and sped in for a layup.

Miller banked in a lane pull-up followed by two foul shots from Lauren Dearth to stop the 12-0 run.

Brooks followed in her own miss to give AE a comfortable 48-22 lead heading to the final quarter. 

Jones started the fourth period by splashing a left corner trey. Ashley Fleece split two foul shots. Grandey canned two charity stripers, and Fleece picked up a loose ball and drove for a layup.

Two baskets by Grandey and a short shot by Bassett cut the lead to 52-33. Rylie Jordan splashed two foul shots.

Brynn Richardson chased down a loose ball and out-ran everyone for a fast break layup and a 56-33 lead. Evelyn Lehman sank a driving shot to close the scoring.

Junior Jones led AE with 19 points and three steals. Brooks tallied nine, Miller eight and Nickles had seven big points off the bench. 

Grandey led Bluffton with 15 points.

“I loved our heart and fight,” said Burris. “We didn’t give in or roll over. Allen East is a really good team and will make a nice run in tournaments.”

Bluffton shot seven for nine from the foul line (78 percent) while AE sank 10 of 15 charity stripers (67 percent).

The Pirates canned 10 two-point goals and connected on two trifectas. 

The Mustangs sank 15 deuces and splashed six triples.

It was the last regular season home game for AE seniors Brooks, Skylar Benson, Soraya Jackson and Aubrey Young. Pirate seniors Ashley Fleece and Bassett were also recognized in pre-game festivities.

AE swept the Pirates after beating them 55-37 in the annual season-opening weekend tournament November 24.

Bluffton won the junior varsity game 28-25, dodging a last-second three-pointer at the buzzer which banked off the board and rim. 

The Pirates visit Paulding (9-13) in sectional first round action Thursday, Feb. 22. The winner advances to play at NWC co-champion Delphos Jefferson (19-3) Feb. 24.

Bluffton 33 (7-15, 1-7 NWC)

Cross 2 2-2 7, Fleece 1 2-2 4, Dearth 0 1-2 1, Schweingruber 0, Warren 1 0-0 2, Schaadt 0 0-0 0, Utendorf DNP, Grandey 5 2-3 15, Bassett 2 0-0 4. 

Totals: 10-2/7-9/33. 3-pointers: Grandey 1, Cross 1.

AE 58 (19-2, 6-2 NWC)

Lehman 1 0-0 2, Jordan 0 2-2 2, Jones 6 5-6 19, Brooks 4 0-0 9, Nickles 3 1-1 7, Young 2 0-0 5, Jackson 1 2-6 4, Richardson 1 0-0 2, Miller 3 0-0 8.

Totals: 15-6/10-15/58. 3-pointers: D. Miller 2, Jones 2, Brooks 1, Young 1.

1 2 3 4 F

AE 11 18 19 10 58

Blf 10 2 10 11 33

JV: Bluffton 28, AE 25.