Bluffton’s Blake Sommers blocks the shot attempt of Elida’s Eben Jackson during Tuesday’s game at Bluffton High School.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
BLUFFTON – Needed is a pretty strong a word, but Bluffton’s 73-66 boys basketball win over Elida on Tuesday night was something the Pirates wanted, welcomed and probably did need.
After winning 14 of its first 15 games, Bluffton then lost three games in a row, starting with a stunning overtime heartbreaker against Spencerville, and got a probably closer than expected win over Riverdale, a team with twice as many losses as wins, last Saturday night.
Tuesday night, the Pirates looked like they were back, especially in the last five minutes of the game when they were the more dominant team and moved from a 56-56 tie to their seven-point win.
Marek Donaldson’s 19 points, including three 3-pointers, led Bluffton (16-4). Blake Sommers scored 15 points and Landon Worcester contributed 11 points. Brody Sommers had nine points off the bench.
Zori Island scored 24 points to lead Elida (13-6) and Jackson Covault and A’Mari Wash got 11 points.
“After the Spencerville loss we lost a few and we just weren’t ourselves. This should get us back on track,” Blake Sommers said.
“You could tell some of the guys were down at practice and everything but over time we just got better and got our confidence back up. We knew Elida was a very good team. We knew we had to win this game to get our confidence back up,” he said.
Bluffton coach Todd Boblitt said, “We have a good offensive team. We hit a little spell for a few games where we didn’t shoot the ball particularly well and we weren’t real assertive inside, either. I thought tonight we looked more like ourselves offensively.
“I think the environment here tonight was a tournament type atmosphere. It was two good teams and I think our guys drew some energy from it,” he said.
Bluffton shot 55 percent in the game (30 of 54) and 71 percent in the fourth quarter (10 of 14).
“You make shots and life is a lot easier. We were able to string together some makes,” Boblitt said about Bluffton’s fourth quarter surge.
“I thought our guys competed the right way and were physical, especially guys who were kind of unsung heroes tonight, like Landon Worcester and Brody Sommers, who I thought did a really nice job around the basket. He gave us some big baskets to allow us to open up the perimeter a little bit more.”
All nine of Brody Sommers’ points were in the final quarter as were all seven of Terron Boblitt’s.
“It all starts with the team. We have a great plan and whatever happens happens. Coach Boblitt draws up a great plan every game and it just happened at the end of the game it was our time (his and Terron Boblitt’s). We just got it done,” Brody Sommers said.
“We’ve been in big spots before. We were down in the last three games. We found a way to battle back and tonight we continued to fight as a team and we got it done. It was a big win. It was just good to get a big win at home before the playoffs,” he said.
Bluffton 73, Elida 66
Score by quarters:
Elida 13 17 17 19 — 66
Bluffton 21 12 12 28 — 73
ELIDA
Jackson Covault 11, David Etzkorn 9, A’Mari Wash 11, Zori Island 24, Parker Crim 9, Eben Jackson 2. Totals: 26-9-66.
BLUFFTON
Blake Sommers 15, Terron Boblitt 7, John-Paul Yoder 3, Wade Ginther 9, Marek Donaldson 19, Brody Sommers 9, Landon Worcester 11, Kerry Wright 2. Totals: 30-7-73.
Three-point goals: E —Island 2, Etzkorn 2, Covault 1, Wash 1; B — Blake Sommers 3, Donaldson 3, Boblitt 1.
Records: Bluffton 16-4; Elida 13-6.
