By RYAN WALKER
Bluffton imposed its will for the sixth straight game, this time at the expense of Blackford 73-20 at The Tiger Den Thursday night.
A much depleted Bruins (1-6) squad rolled in after taking the Tigers 41-33 last season, but graduated their top six scorers and replaced their head coach. Nonetheless, the Tigers (8-1) weren’t going to feel bad for them.
Bluffton, the state’s second-best scoring team, hit their 73-point average on the nose. Isabella Stout’s 19 points and 10 rebounds put her through for a double-double, while Konley Ault’s 18 and Khloe Dick’s 14 aided the blowout. This was the sixth time in a row Bluffton has won by 21 points or more in that time frame. The point margin is an average of 42 points per game For the season.
Believe it or not, the Tigers started slow in the game.
Several turnovers and offensive rebound opportunities fell short. Easy shots were missed and it was free throws that helped the Tigers get out to a 19-4 start.
Tressa Renner scored eight points in the frame, including her first and only three.
“I don’t think we started as good as we’ve started the last couple games,” head coach Doug Curtis said. “We struggled a little bit at the beginning offensively.”
But as Bluffton has done numerous times this year, its defense turned to offense.
The Tigers forced 28 turnovers and started to find itself toward the end of the second quarter. Madyson Sonnigsen, Khloe Dick and Stout got their three-pointers to fall, and Stout picked up back-to-back layups in transition.
Twenty-eight total points fell, and all it took was a change of defense, not offense.
“Once we just went to the half court and did what we were supposed to do … we got lots of steals and lots of runouts at that point,” Curtis said. “I think that’s where it changed it a little bit.”
This victory sets up for a showdown at the Raider Dome on Saturday.
Southern Wells (8-1) has won eight straight games after falling to Northfield on opening night. The Raiders have already won their ACAC opening game to Adams Central, heightening the stakes for a conference title-hungry Tigers club.
When asked about the look-ahead spot, Curtis acknowledged the Raiders’ strong start to the season and saw it as an opportunity for a quality opponent.
“We’re really looking forward to Saturday,” Curtis said. “Penrod’s done a nice job there. At this point they’ve won a ton of games and beating teams they should be beating, and they’re doing a great job of that. So, it should be a really good match as we go in there and play on their floor.”
Bluffton won the junior varsity contest against the Bruins 49-22. Kamryn Ault led the Tigers with 20 points, Grace Fry nine and Krista Blair eight.
Bluffton will be at Southern Wells at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.
ryan@news-banner.com
BLUFFTON 73, BLACKFORD 20
At Bluffton
BLACKFORD (1-6): Rylee Heiser 6 points, Carly Leas 5, Maleah Limle 4, Gracie Towsend-Strait 3, Adyson Sargent 2, Lily McCammon 0, Kaylor Hedge 0, Faith Watkins 0, Adrianna Hall 0. TOTAL: 20.
BLUFFTON (8-1): Isabella Stout 8-19 203 19, Konley Ault 6-14 6-8 18, Khloe Dick 6-14 1-1 14, Tressa Renner 2-2 3-4 8, Kamryn Ault 2-3 2-2 6, Marly Drauer 2-2 0-0 4, Madyson Sonnigsen 1-3 0-0 3, Maryn Schreiber 0-3 1-6 1, Sophie Eisenhut 0-4 0-0 0, Grace Fry 0-0 0-0 0, Isla Gibson 0-1 0-0 0, Madelyn Funk 0-1 0-0 0. TOTALS: 27-66 15-24 73.
Blackford 4 0 7 9 — 20
Bluffton 19 28 22 4 — 73
Three-point Shooting: Blackford 2 (Leas 1, Townsend-Strait 1), Bluffton 4-10 (Dick 1-5, Stout 1-2, Renner 1-1, Sonnigsen 1-1, Ko. Ault 0-1). Rebounds: Blackford 16 (Leas 3, Hall 3. Limie 2. Townsend-Strait 1, Heiser 1, Sargent 1, Hedge 1, Watkins 1), Bluffton 47 (Stout 10, Eisenhut 8, Schreiber 7, Ko. Ault 6, Renner 5, Sonnigsen 4, Dick 3, Drayer 2, Funk 2). Turnovers: Blackford 28, Bluffton 10. Fouls: Blackford 16, Bluffton 6. Fouled out: None. Technicals: None.
JV: 49-22 Bluffton.
