By RYAN WALKER
MONROEVILLE — In a game of many twists and turns, high-percentage shots were the key difference in the ACAC Tournament semifinal Friday night.
Bluffton’s 47-37 loss to Woodlan (12-7) was one of few games not canceled due to the snowy conditions in the northern part of Indiana. But the Tigers (14-5) were cold from the floor all night.
It started with a 1-15 streak in the first quarter, as free throws aided an 8-8 tie in the period. The vast majority of the shots were in the paint, hitting every inch of the iron but not falling to the bottom of the basket.
The Tigers shot 24 percent from the field on 51 shots taken, while scoring 12 points from the charity stripe. The second half was a more respectable 8-22, but not enough to overcome the first half.
“The game should have been over by halftime. We had so many easy shots,” Bluffton head coach Doug Curtis said after the game. “We were 4-28 at halftime and they were all basically right by the basket. We kept saying on the bench over there that it should be up 20-10 at that point instead you go down and a half you’re behind.”
Despite the shooting woes, Bluffton maintained a lead throughout the end of the second quarter after Haley Gibson cashed in a layup off of a turnover to make it 13-10. Woodlan’s Brooke Kneubuhler hit one of her three triples to respond, but Bluffton’s Isabella Stout hit one on the next possession.
As the Tigers held on to the three-point advantage, the Warriors got a bucket inside to Chloe Gaff. Then, they held the clock down to the final shot in which Kneubuhler drilled a three from the left wing with a few ticks remaining on the clock. The score was 18-16 at the half.
As close of a game it was with high stakes, the second half delivered some fireworks.
Woodlan and Bluffton traded punches in the third quarter. The Warriors splashed a pair of triples by Kneubuhler and Reagan Widenhoefer, and the Tigers when down by eight, soared back with three straight easy ones to make it one possession. But again, Kneubuhler hit a three, her third, with 13 seconds left to go ahead 31-26.
The fourth quarter was one to forget, as Woodlan’s tall and aggressive lineup on defense and shooting was too much to handle for Bluffton.
It started with a 10-0 run filled with easy buckets and turnovers given up by the Tigers. During the run a technical foul was issued to Curtis for arguing with an official and wasn’t pleased with the Warriors’ body contact in the paint.
Curtis said “I deserved it” and thought that the technical was a buildup from the first half.
“I should have gotten it at halftime but they didn’t give it to me at halftime,” Curtis said.
Taylor Kneubuhler hit the two free throws and never looked back.
Both Kneubuhlers finished with 29 total points for Woodlan, while Stout led the Tigers with 14 (5-5 free throws). Maryn Schreiber, Bluffton’s main threat in the post, shot 2-12 but hit 5-6 from the line.
Woodlan will meet with Jay County in the championship game at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 at South Adams.
Bluffton’s next contest will be at home against Eastbrook at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18. The Panthers are 16-1 and only loss was to No. 14 Norwell earlier in the season.
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WOODLAN 47, BLUFFTON 37
At Heritage
BLUFFTON (14-5): Isabella Stout 4-12 5-5 14, Maryn Schreiber 2-12 5-6 9, Haley Gibson 3-10 0-0 6, Tressa Renner 2-6 0-0 4, Konley Ault 1-8 2-6 4, Marly Drayer 0-2 0-0 0, Madyson Sonnigsen 0-1 0-0 0, Sophie Eisenhut 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 12-51 12-17 37.
WOODLAN (12-7): Taylor Kneubuhler 4-9 5-6 15, Brooke Kneubuhler 5-11 1-2 14, Alyssa Anderson 4-8 0-4 8, Reagan Widenhoefer 2-8 1-2 6, Chloe Gaff 2-5 0-0 4, Makenna Smith 0-2 0-0 0, Makenna Goble 0-0 0-0 0, Alix Jacquay 0-2 0-2 0.TOTALS: 17-50 7-16 47.
Bluffton 8 8 10 11 –– 37
Woodlan 8 10 13 16 –– 47
Three-point FG: Bluffton: 1-6 (Stout 1-1, Gibson 0-2, Renner 0-2, Sonnigsen 0-1), Woodlan: 6-18 (B. Kneubuhler 3-6, T. Kneubuhler 2-5, Widenhoefer 1-4, Smith 0-1, Goble 0-1, Gaff 0-1, Jacquay 0-1). Rebounds: Bluffton: 31 (Stout 8, Schreiber 8, Renner 5, Ault 3, Drayer 2, Sonnigsen 2, Eisenhut 2, Gibson 1), Woodlan: 26 (Anderson 7, Widenhoefer 6, Jacquay 5, T. Kneubuhler 3, Goble 3, B. Kneubuhler 1, Smith 1). Turnovers: Bluffton: 19, Woodlan 17. Fouls: Bluffton: 13, Woodlan 15. Fouled Out: None. Technicals: Bluffton: 1, Curtis. Woodlan: None.
