By RYAN WALKER
UNION CITY — Kaleb Green got the game’s first basket and take a 2-0 lead for Bluffton at the 7:39 mark. The Tigers never trailed or tied beyond that point.
The Tigers (5-4) finished the Union City Holiday Tournament with a 2-1 record with a 49-19 rout over Elwood (4-7) in the 3rd place contest.
Bluffton suffocated the Panthers’ offense in under 20 points, no more than seven points per quarter, and only eight made baskets.
Elwood’s first points didn’t come until the 1:02 mark when Jayden Mullins hit a free throw, and its first bucket was with under three minutes to go in the half. Three minutes later, and the Panthers got its second and only made shot of the half.
Meanwhile, Bluffton’s Green made the teaam’s first eight shots in the paint. Axton Beste hit a baseline jumper as the horn sounded to make it 10-1 at the end of the first quarter
The Tigers stretched into a 27-5 advantage at the break with the help of four made triples, two from Declan Grieser and one each by Cameron Williams and Axton Beste.
Elwood made just two shots by the break, and Bluffton made five threes.
As the season rolls along, Tiger head coach Craig Teagle is seeing improvements in a once quiet-in-nature team into one that’s talking all over the floor.
“I thought instead of just knowing what the other team was doing, we did a better job of taking away what they were trying to do,” Teagle said after the game. “Our guys communicated well, and they’re getting better every day. I feel like we get some improvements defensively. We’re not where we need to be, but we’re getting better all the time.”
On offense, Teagle’s bunch did what it needed to, and did even more so from downtown. Their 8-15 shooting mark was the same number as Elwood made shots in total, including 2-pointers.
Grieser had three of them, including buzzer-beaters in the second and third quarters. He finished with a game-high 11 points and Green with 10.
Bluffton also dominated the boards with a 24-10 clip.
In holiday tournaments, teams get to play multiple games in a day or two without worrying about school activities. That gave Bluffton an opportunity to try some new rotations and test the toughness of the group.
For example Andrew Hunt started in place of Eli Garrett. Hunt nailed a pair of threes in the games and finished with eight points overall, all while Garrett still played in his three-and-D role with a made shot from deep in the game.
Teagle said it was productive to see the result and liked what he saw from his group.
“I think it helps out depth a little bit we got to play some kids that weren’t really in the seven or eight-man rotation,” Teagle said. “I think that gives you some depth people you know you can rely on bringing in certain spots. I think it says a little bit about your toughness having three games in a 24-hour period with intensity level stuff and then just going on the road.”
Bluffton’s next game will be in conference play as it hosts Woodlan at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan 6.
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BLUFFTON 49, ELWOOD 19
At Union City High School
BLUFFTON (0-0): Declan Grieser 4-6 0-0 11, Kaleb Green 5-5 0-0 10, Andrew Hunt 3-6 0-2 8, Tucker Jenkins 2-5 1-2 5, Axton Beste 2-5 0-0 5,Eli Garrett 1-3 0-0 3, Ben Maggard 1-1 0-0 3, Cameron Williams 1-1 0-0 3, Hunter Wenger 0-1 1-2 1, Nolan Lambert 0-1 0-0 0, Jude Baumgartner 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 19-34 2-5 49.
ELWOOD (0-0): Beau Brandon 2-4 0-0 5, Caam Gallegos 1-3 1-1 3, James Ward 1-6 0-0 2, Xavier Davenport 1-3 0-0 2, Braden Etchison 1-4 0-0 2, Kaden Sullivan 0-1 2-2 2, Jackson Blackford 1-7 0-0 2, Jayden Mullins 0-1 1-2 1,Brice Shuler 0-2 0-0 0, Isaac Casas 0-0 0-0 0, TEAM 0-1 0-0 0.TOTALS: 8-32 4-5 19.
Bluffton 10 17 8 14 –– 49
Elwood 1 4 7 7 –– 19
Three-point FG: Bluffton: 8-15 (Griser 3-4, Hunt 2-3, Williams 1-1, Beste 1-2, Garrett 1-3, Maggard 1-1, Williams 1-1), Elwood: 1-10 (Brandon 1-2, Davenport 0-2, Blackford 0-2, Ward 0-1, Shuler 0-1, Etchison 0-1, TEAM 0-1). Rebounds: Bluffton: 24 (Jenkins 7, Williams 4, Green 3, Hunt 3, Beste 2, Grieser 2, Wenger 2, Garrett 1), Elwood: 10 (Ward 3, Mullins 2, Gallegos 2, Etchison 1, Davenport 1, Blackford 1). Turnovers: Bluffton: 8, Elwood: 9. Fouls: Bluffton: 11, Elwood: 4. Fouled Out: None. Technicals: None.
