By JOSH BURRIS
MONROEVILLE – A slow start and poor night shooting the basketball led to the Bluffton Lady Tigers losing 50-33 to the host Heritage Patriots in the opening round of the ACAC Tournament on Tuesday.
The Tigers (6-11) failed to score a single point in the first quarter. Meanwhile, the Patriots scored 13 in that period and led by about that many points the rest of the evening.
Ryleigh Johnson got the Tigers on the board with the opening bucket of the second quarter. Haley Gibson knocked down two threes to bring Bluffton within 9 at 17-8. That was as close as the Tigers got though.
The Patriots closed the quarter on an 8-4 run to take a 25-12 halftime lead.
Isabella Stout made a jumper and a pair of free throws to keep Bluffton within 11 points. The Patriots extended the lead further once again though – this time with an 11-3 run – to lead 38-19. Tressa Renner made three free throws before the quarter ended, making the score 38-22.
A layup from Monroe Heller cut the Patriots’ lead to 40-27 two minutes into the fourth quarter. Heritage scored 8 straight though to put the game out of reach for good.
Bluffton took care of the basketball most of the night, committing just 10 turnovers to Heritage’s 18. However, the hosts dominated the Tigers in two other main categories.
The Tigers ended the night shooting just 11-of-54 (20.4 percent) from the field and 4-of-24 (16.7 percent) from the 3-point line.
Heritage was about twice as efficient as Bluffton, making 20-of-49 field goals (40.8 percent) and 4-of-10 from beyond the arc (40 percent).
Heritage also flexed its muscles on the boards, outrebounding Bluffton 46-28.
Ella Bickel led all players with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Claire Bickel joined her in double figures for Heritage with 10 points.
Heller was Bluffton’s top scorer with 12 points, and Gibson followed with 8.
Heritage moves on the semifinals to face Woodlan.
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HERITAGE 50, BLUFFTON 33
At Heritage High School
BLUFFTON (6-11): Isabella Stout 1-3 2-2 4, Ryleigh Johnson 1-5 0-0 2, Monroe Heller 5-20 0-0 12, Maryn Schreiber 0-5 1-2 1, Haley Gibson 3-9 0-0 8, Tressa Renner 0-3 3-4 3, Lily King 0-3 0-0 0, Cayah King 0-0 0-0 0, Marley Drayer 1-6 1-3 3, Kennedy Nash 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 11-54 7-11 33.
HERITAGE (9-9): Claire Bickel 4-8 1-1 10, Kendall Zelt 2-4 0-2 4, Shelby Schane 1-3 0-0 2, Ella Bickel 5-12 0-1 14, Ava Pilon 0-1 0-0 0, Lydia Schultz 1-2 0-0 2, Carly Gerardot 1-3 0-0 2, Natalie Otte 0-2 0-0 0, Abby Zelt 3-9 2-2 8, Raelyn Mullins 1-2 0-0 2, Madilyn Scheumann 2-3 2-2 6, Lucy Buuk 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 20-49 5-8 50.
Bluffton 0 12 10 11 –– 33
Heritage 13 12 13 12 –– 50
Three-point Goals: Bluffton 4-24 (Gibson 2-5, Heller 2-10, Stout 0-2, Renner 0-2, L. King 0-2, Drayer 0-3), Heritage 4-10 (E. Bickel 3-6, C. Bickel 1-1, Gerardot 0-1, K. Zelt 0-2). Rebounds: Bluffton 28 (Schreiber 8, Stout 4, Heller 4, Johnson 3, L. King 3, Drayer 2, Renner 1, Gibson 1), Heritage 46 (E. Bickel 16, A. Zelt 8, C. Bickel 5, Mullins 4, Scheumann 4, K. Zelt 2, Schane 2, Schultz 1, Gerardot 1, Otte 1). Turnovers: Bluffton 10, Heritage 18. Fouls: Bluffton 11, Heritage 9. Fouled Out: None. Technicals: None.
