By: Colton Steiner

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton Beavers would play host to the Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets as they close out 2025. It was a thriller as the teams would compete in a physical contest that would take an overtime period to finish. A late surge from the visitors would be enough to give them a 101-97 win over the Beavers, as Bluffton drops to 3-8 on the season, while Baldwin Wallace improves to 3-8 overall. 

The Yellow Jackets would jump ahead 7-2 until a 7-0 run from Bluffton was capped off with a Andre Irvin (Lewis Center, Ohio / Olentangy Orange) triple as they led 9-7 with 16:30 left in the first half. Both teams would exchange buckets and after a little run from Baldwin Wallace, the visitors would hold a 26-18 lead until a William Layfield (West Chester, Ohio / Lakota West) layup and an Ian Snelling (Erlanger, Ky. / Dixie Heights) three, made the deficit three with under eight minutes until the half. Wih the Beavers trailing 29-25, Bluffton would find a little surge and go on a 12-2 run that included back-to-back threes from William Layfield and a triple from Andre Irvin, as the home team would jump ahead 37-31 with 2:57 left till the break. Both teams would trade buckets as Bluffton would head into the break with a 44-40 lead. 

Coming out of the second half, it would be a neck and neck start until a layup and a free throw from the Yellow Jackets would allow them to retake the lead 56-53. After the game would be tied at 59, a 7-0 spurt from the visitors gave Baldwin Wallace a three possession lead until back-to-back layups from the Beavers brought the deficit to three. The two teams would exchange leads and Bluffton would be able to go up 73-70 folloiwng a Nevin Robson (Kenton, Ohio / Hardin Northern) layup. With 2:52 a three from the Yellow Jackets evened up the score at 78, and following a lay in from Baldwin Wallace, the visitors would hold a 80-78 lead with two minutes left in regulation. The Yellow Jackets managed to pull ahead by three following a layup with 23 seconds left to play, and after the two teams exchanged free throws, Bluffton would trail 85-82 with 12 seconds remaining. Down three, Andre Irvin would have ice in his veins as he knocked down a triple from deep in the Sommer Center as the clock ran out as the Beavers would force overtime. 

Baldwin Wallace would start the overtime period by outscoring Bluffton 9-4, and as the Beavers would trail 96-90, Nevin Robson would hit a jumper from the top of the key to bring the deficit to four. Bluffton would go on a little run of their own and after Ian Snelling connected on a shot from behind the arc, the game would be tied at 97-97 with 32 seconds left. As the time ticked down, a tip in from the Yellow Jackets allowed them to go up 99-97, and after the Beavers would turn the ball over on the inbound pass, a pair of free throws from the visitors would lift them over Bluffotn 101-97. 

Pacing the Beavers with a double-double with 24 points and 15 rebounds was Nevin Robson, who knocked down 9-of-14 from the field. Andre Irvin would add 21 with six boards, as Ian Snelling would score 20 while dishing out six assists and nine rebounds. Adding 14 points and eight rebounds was JD Stokes (West Harrison, Ind. / Franklin County) and William Layfield would tally 10 in the loss. 

Bluffton would connect on 32-of-67 (47.8 percent) of their shots from the floor, including 8-of-21 (38.1 percent) from behind the arc, while Baldwin Wallace would hit 45.9 percent (34-of-74) on the day and 9-of-34 (26.5 percent) from downtown. The Beavers were all over the glass, dominating the battle of the boards with a 48-35 advantage, while tallying 17 total assists in the contest. Despite 15 turnovers for Bluffton, they would push the ball as they would outscore the Yellow Jackets 20-9. 

The Beavers will look to put the outcome behind them as they will look ahead to face off against the Hanover College Panthers in a road contest on Saturday, Jan. 3 at 4 p.m. to start the new year. 

-Beavers-