Bluffton’s boys basketball team beat visiting Eau Claire 62-53 on Saturday, improving to 5-0.
Jermaine Patterson overcame a sluggish start to score 23 points and Donovan Raines added 20 to lead the Bobcats. Ta’Vaughn Hamilton added nine points and Ramell Rivers had eight.
The Shamrocks denied Patterson scoring chances early on, so he was content to dish the ball to teammates, most notably Raines, who scored 10 points in the first quarter.
Patterson had a tough time scoring around the basket in the first half of a physical game but got on track with a couple of transition buckets late in the first half to help Bluffton open a 32-23 halftime lead.
The Bobcats’ lead never dipped below four points in the second half.
Bluffton plays at South Effingham on Tuesday.