By ANDREW FEEBACK
KENDALLVILLE — For three quarters, the Bluffton Tigers gave themselves a chance to pick up a quality road win.
Then, the fourth quarter happened, and they left with a 57-47 loss to the host East Noble Knights.
The Tigers (2-1) shot poorly from all over the floor, making only 1 three-pointer in 11 attempts and struggling to finish under the basket as well.
“A combination of both of those,” coach Doug Curtis said. “I didn’t think we shot the ball very well against Northfield, and the first game was not even a game, so you can’t really look at that. We shot it worse today, and for as much time as we put in shooting the ball, you’d think we’d shoot the ball a little bit better. (It’s) definitely a struggle for us.”
Isabella Stout led the Tigers with 20 points, while Maryn Schreiber scored 11 and Konley Ault added nine.
Ault made the Tigers’ only three-point shot of the game in the first quarter.
In spite of its poor shooting, Bluffton led 19-14 when the first quarter ended and led by as many as seven in the first half, largely due to playing under control and taking care of the ball.
That began to change as the first half wore on with six second quarter miscues allowing the Knights (2-1) to ease their way back in front.
A solid stretch late in the third quarter put the Tigers up 42-37. Back-to-back buckets from Stout and three free throws between Stout and Tressa Renner capped off a 7-0 run for the visitors.
Then, the Tigers went cold again, and this time they didn’t recover.
East Noble’s Rian David closed the third quarter with a triple, and the Knights ran in eight straight points to begin the fourth. Bluffton missed its next seven shots, and by the time they got one to finally drop, it was too late.
One free throw from Khloe Dick brought Bluffton within 48-43 at the 3:16 mark, but East Noble had the ball for well over a minute before David’s three-point play stretched their lead to eight. There was little the Tigers could do by then, as they watched the Knights make 16-17 free throws for the game.
Bluffton finished 15-47 from the field, while East Noble was 18-33.
“We played them last year, and we played them this summer, and that was the best job they’ve done offensively to get us moving and out of our deflection spots and trapping spots,” Curtis said. “We had to play three defenses, and none of them were really effective.”
Curtis also felt his team’s poor shooting had a mental effect as the game progressed.
“As they were making shots and we were missing, we’re seeing that lead change and we start thinking,” he said. “I felt very limited substituting today because we had so many people not have a great game.
“The good thing is, that was probably one of the top two or three teams we’re going to play, and it was on the road,” he continued.
Averi Amstutz led all scorers with 24 points while David added 12.
Bluffton will travel to Mississinewa Tuesday night.
The Tiger’s junior varsity team fell to East Noble 48-36. Grace Fry scored 10 points, while Kamryn Ault and Addison Kauffman both had six.
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EAST NOBLE 57,
BLUFFTON 47
At East Noble
BLUFFTON (2-1): Khloe Dick 0-6 1-4 1, Isabella Stout 7-14 6-7 20, Konley Ault 2-8 4-6 9, Marly Drayer 0-2 0-0 0, Maryn Schreiber 5-11 1-2 11, Tressa Renner 1-2 4-4 6, Madyson Sonnigsen 0-4 0-0 0, Madelyn Funk 0-0 0-0 0, Sophie Eisenhut 0-0 0-0 0, Isla Gibson 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 15-47 16-23 47.
EAST NOBLE (2-1): Averi Amstutz 6-9 12-12 24, Brooklyn Arnold 0-0 0-0 0, Hailey Molargik 0-0 0-0 0, Kate David 3-5 0-0 8, Makenna Strohm 2-4 3-4 7, Shaye Ritchie 0-1 0-0 0, Elli Will 0-0 0-0 0, Rian David 4-7 1-1 12, Avalynn Schache 0-3 0-0 0, Addison Deming 3-4 0-0 6, Carys Shire 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 18-33 16-17 57.
Bluffton 19 8 15 5 — 47
East Noble 14 12 14 17 — 57
Three-point Field Goals: Bluffton 1-11 (Ault 1-2, Dick 0-3, Sonnigsen 0-3, Stout 0-2, Renner 0-1), East Noble 5-12 (Rian David 3-5, Kate David 2-3, Amstutz 0-2, Strohm 0-1, Schache 0-1). Rebounds: Bluffton 21 (Schreiber 10, Stout 5, Renner 2, Ault 2, Dick 1, Drayer 1), East Noble 18 (Strohm 5, Deming 4, Kate David 3, Rian David 2, Ritchie 2, Amstutz 1, Schache 1). Turnovers: Bluffton 14, East Noble 20. Fouls: Bluffton 16, East Noble 20. Fouled out: Ritchie. Technicals: None.
JV: East Noble 48, Bluffton 36.
