First Posted: 2/20/2015
CONVOY — Most competitive basketball games have many ebbs and flows.
In Friday’s Northwest Conference boys match-up between Crestview and Bluffton, there were plenty of both.
Bluffton fought off several Crestview second-half runs, en route to a hard-fought 56-51 overtime win over the Knights at Ray Etzler Gymnasium.
“What a game,” Bluffton coach Todd Boblitt said afterward. “I guess that’s what high school athletics are supposed to be about.
“Our kids continued to fight. They fought through some adversity. We were up 7 at the break. They (Crestview) came out and scored 11 straight (points). But, our kids hung in there and made plays at critical times.”
Levi Kistler led Bluffton (14-6, 3-4 NWC) with 20 points, including two 3-pointers. Kistler also was 8-of-10 from the free throw line. Teammates Mitchell Ault (12) and Bret Rumer (11) also scored in double figures for the Pirates.
Ault was on fire in the first quarter, scoring 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting to help Bluffton get out to a 14-8 first-quarter lead. Ault also led the Pirates with 10 rebounds.
Cody Mefferd led Crestview (12-7, 5-2) with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Teammate Nate Owens added 13 points, including three 3-pointers.
Crestview’s top scorer, Connor Lautzenheiser, was held to nine points. Lautzenheiser’s only field goal was a 3-pointer in third quarter.
Crestview led 2-0 in the opening seconds of the game.
However, Bluffton controlled the rest of the first half and went into the halftime break with a 24-17 lead.
Crestview opened the third quarter with an 11-2 run, and claimed its first lead since the first quarter. Mitchell Rickard (six points) scored inside with 4:28 left to play in the quarter, giving the Knights a 28-26 lead.
At the end of three quarters of action, the game was knotted at 32.
In the fourth quarter, things got interesting.
With 14 seconds left to play in regulation, Kistler hit a 3-pointer to give the Pirates a 44-42 lead.
On the ensuing inbounds play for Crestview, Mefferd was whistled for an offensive foul, which gave Bluffton the ball with 11.3 seconds left to play.
At least, that’s what it looked like for the moment.
During the inbounds play by Crestview, a player from the Bluffton bench went too far out onto the court during the celebration.
Bluffton was then charged a technical foul.
Mefferd then went to the free throw line and knocked down both shots, knotting the game at 44.
In the overtime session, the Pirates got down 48-44, but battled back to pull out the victory.
“It was incredible; the ebb and flow of the game itself,” Boblitt said. “Then to have the emotion at the end of the game, where we think we have it wrapped up. …Then we have the technical on a kid that was being really emotional. He made a mistake and it was the right call. But, our guys just stayed with it and got a stop and got it to overtime. It’s a tribute to them for where we have come as a team.”
Crestview went into Friday’s contest without the services of starting guard Preston Zaleski, who is out with an injury. His status is unknown.
“I was really pleased with our guys,” Crestview coach Jeremy Best said. “We made some errors and made some crucial mistakes, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort. Sometimes, mentally, we weren’t real sharp.
“(In the second half) if we could have secured a couple rebounds here and there, got another stop here and there, hit a couple free throws – then it’s a different game.”
For the game, Bluffton shot 47 percent from the field. Crestview shot 37 percent from the floor.
Bluffton won the boards, 30-20.
For Bluffton, the game plan was to take away Crestview’s big scoring threats.
“Our keys were to take Lautzenheiser, Rickard and Mefferd out of the game,” Boblitt said. “And we did a pretty nice job of defending him (Lautzenheiser). He’s a really nice player. …All three of those guards are nice players. But, Owens stepped up and had a huge game for them. We wanted their fourth or fifth guy to beat us. And fortunately, they were one or two shots short.”
