By Cort Reynolds

The visiting Bluffton High School girls basketball team closed the game on a 12-3 run to defeat Miller City 48-40 in a non-conference battle Saturday afternoon, February 4.

Bluffton improved to 13-8 with their fourth win in 10 road games. The Wildcat girls dropped to 10-10 following the defeat.

Pirate senior point guard Sami Scoles led all players with 22 points, and she also grabbed five rebounds. The clutch Scoles scored eight of the 12 Bluffton points in the decisive finishing spurt.

Pirate sophomore post Ayla Grandey tallied 14 points and pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds. Guard Riley Eachus splashed two treys and scored eight markers.

Pirate wing Kendal Giesige passed out six assists, made two steals and blocked a shot.

Gracie Pfau led the Wildcat girls with a dozen markers, five rebounds and four assists. Chelsea Erford scored seven points, and Maddie Erford added six.

The Pirates led 11-6 after the opening stanza and 19-16 at halftime. Bluffton clung to a 36-32 advantage heading to the final quarter.

But Pfau swished a left corner three early in the fourth period to pull the hosts within a point. MC then took the lead 37-36 on a fast break basket.

Scoles sank a layup off a nice back cut feed from Giesige to put the Pirates back in front by one. Wildcat Casey Hermiller drilled a foul shot to tie it 38-all.

Southpaw Scoles drove left and hit a short banker to put the Pirates back on top for good. Grandey then grabbed an offensive rebound and canned a six-foot lane putback to make it 42-38.

After an MC miss and a Grandey rebound, Scoles dribbled off some clock before drawing a foul. She canned both charity stripers to provide a six-point lead.

The Wildcats split two foul shots to inch within 44-39. MC stole the ball but missed a driving shot, and Grandey rebounded. Bluffton executed a delay game well and Giesige made a fine pass, but they missed a layup and MC was fouled on the rebound. 

After again making one of two at the line, MC trailed 44-40. Giesige was fouled and sank two crucial free throws. The Wildcats then missed an 18-footer and a layup stickback try.

Pfau then misfired on two triple tries from the right wing on the ensuing possession, and Grandey again corralled the defensive carom. Scoles then cashed in two more free throws to close the scoring.

The Pirates canned a solid 16 of 33 shots from the field (48 percent). They hit on 13 of 24 two-pointers (54 percent), and drained three of nine shots from three-point territory (33 percent).

Bluffton converted 13 of their 16 free throw attempts (81 percent). 

MC sank just 15 of their 56 field goal tries (27 percent). The hosts canned 10 of 34 two-pointers (29 percent), and connected on only five of 21 triple tries (24 percent). 

The Wildcats converted only five of 12 foul shots (42 percent), missing several key free throws in the fourth period.

The Pirates won the points in the paint category, 24-12. Both teams tallied nine second-chance points.

MC was guilty of only eight turnovers, while Bluffton committed 18 miscues. But the Pirates won the rebound battle, 33-26.

Bluffton 48 (13-8)

Mehaffie 0 0-0 0, Eachus 3-8 0-0 8, Schweingruber 0, Giesige 1 2-2 4, Scoles 6-12 9-12 22, Grothause 0 0-0 0, Grandey 6-11 2-2 14, Utendorf 0 0-0 0. 

Totals: 16-33/13-16/48. 3-pointers (3-9): Eachus 2-5, Scoles 1-4.

MC 40 (10-10) 

C. Erford 3-12 1-3 7, Ruhe 0-3 2-5 2, M. Erford 3-10 0-0 6, Hermiller 0-4 1-2 1, Inkrott 1-3 0-0 3, Pittman 1-2 1-2 3, Pfau 5-14 0-0 12, L. Erford 2-7 0-0 6.

Totals: 15-56/5-12/40. 3-pointers (5-21): Pfau 2-10, Inkrott 1-3, #44 2-5. 

1 2 3 4 F

MC 6 10 16 8 40

Bluf 11 8 17 12 48

The Pirate girls home and regular season finale is Thursday evening, Feb. 9 vs. local league rival Allen East (13-6, 2-4 NWC). Bluffton is 9-2 at home this season, and 1-6 in NWC play after five straight conference defeats.

AE knocked off a solid Botkins team 53-31 Saturday in Harrod.

Bluffton edged the Mustangs 55-52 in the title game of their annual holiday tournament November 19. Heady senior playmaker Scoles scored 23 points in the championship bout, canning 13 of 17 free throws, to win tourney MVP honors.