Grandey scores a career-high 33

By Cort Reynolds

PAULDING__The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team led for much of the game, but ultimately lost a 50-49 heartbreaker to former league foe Paulding in Div. III sectional first round play Thursday night, February 22.

The Pirate girls led by a point with a minute to go. Yet Paulding took the lead on two foul shots by Kayleigh Dunham. 

Bluffton set up a last play for junior post Ayla Grandey, who led all players by scoring a career-high 33 points. But Paulding doubled down on Grandey and stole the ball in the final six seconds.

Bluffton started out 7-8, yet finished its season 7-16 after losing its last eight games. The Panthers improved to 10-13 with the win. 

Paulding advances to play at third-seeded NWC co-champion Delphos Jefferson (19-3) Feb. 24.

“Our girls gave it their all; Paulding beat us by 13 earlier this season, and we had the lead by one with a minute to go,” said Bluffton head coach Adam Burris. “I was happy with how we fought and didn’t give up.”

Second team All-NWC center Grandey sank 14 field goals and canned all five of her free throw attempts to tally her 33 points. No other Pirate scored more than four as the rest of the team tallied just 16 markers. 

Senior Ashley Fleece scored four points.

Paulding led 12-10 after the first period. Grandey sank four baskets in the second stanza to lead a 17-8 turnaround as Bluffton grabbed a 27-20 halftime advantage.

The Panthers tied it 36-36 with a 16-9 third quarter despite nine more markers by Grandey.

Grandey tallied nine of the 13 Pirate points in the final stanza, but Paulding canned three big triples in the fourth quarter to win by one.

Panther freshman Tori Schlatter scored eight of her 13 points in the fourth period, including two triples. Addi Pease netted nine markers for the balanced Paulding squad. 

Kate Manz and Dunham each contributed eight points, while Brooklyn Schlatter scored all six of her points in the key Panther third period turnaround.

Paulding outscored Bluffton 30-22 in the second half.

The Pirates canned 19 two-point goals and connected on just one trifecta. 

Bluffton converted eight of 11 shots from the foul line (73 percent).

The Panthers sank a dozen deuces and splashed seven triples. Paulding converted just five of 14 free throws (36 percent). The Panthers sank five of 10 at the charity stripe in the fourth period.

Seniors Fleece and Lauen Bassett played their final games for the Pirates.

“It was definitely a season of ups and downs,” Burris summed up. “We were really young but I thought we continued to try and get better and work on the fundamentals.

“We play an extremely tough schedule and in a tough league,” he continued. “We really have no nights off, so with how we battled night in and night out, I was pleased with that.

“We have a long summer of work ahead of us to compete for a Northwest Conference championship, but we have the girls that want to work hard, so I am excited for this summer,” he added.

Bluffton 49 (7-16)

Cross 0 0-0 0, Fleece 2 0-2 4, Dearth 1 0-0 2, Schweingruber 1 0-0 3, Warren 0 0-0 0, Schaadt 0 2-2 2, Utendorf 1 1-2 3, Grandey 14 5-5 33, Bassett 1 0-0 2. 

Totals: 19-1/8-11/49. 3-pointers: Schweingruber 1.

Paulding 50 (10-13)

K. Manz 3 0-0 8, A. Pease 4 0-2 9, Bakle 0 0-2 0, T Schlatter 4 2-4 13, Breier 0 1-2 1, E. Pease 2 0-0 5, B. Schlatter 3 0-0 6, Dunham 3 2-4 8.

Totals: 12-7/5-14/50. 3-pointers:  Schlatter 3, Manz 2, A. Pease 1, E. Pease 1.

1 2 3 4 F

Blf 10 17 9 13 49

Pau 12 8 16 14 50