December 3, 2001

Solid efforts by Bluffton College senior Rod Overmyer (Payne/Wayne Trace) and junior Derek DeNero (Mansfield/Crestview) led the Beavers through their first two Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference games of the season last week, but BC came out on the short end of the stick in both contests.

After losses last week to Manchester and Hanover, Bluffton is now 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the HCAC. BC will host non-conference foe Adrian College on Wednesday night.

Manchester recap

Bluffton took a quick 3-0 lead at Manchester Wednesday night, but a 35-7 run by the host Spartan squad after that was too much to overcome as the Beavers dropped their opening HCAC game 83-53.

Back-to-back layups by BC sophomore Aaron Markley got the Beavers within three points at 13-10 with 14:06 remaining in the first half, but Bluffton didn't score again until senior Rod Overmyer's jumper with 4:05 left before halftime with Manchester up 35-12.

Junior Derek DeNero scored a career-high 17 points to be the only player in double-figures for the Beavers.

Hanover recap

Undefeated Hanover College shot 71.4% from the floor in the second half to deny Bluffton a chance to get back into the game as the Beavers fell at home Saturday afternoon 74-51 to the now 7-0 Panthers.

Overmyer led Bluffton with 15 points including two 3-pointers, while DeNero nearly recorded his second double-double of the season with 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Bluffton committed fewer turnovers than Hanover (13 to 14) and collected more steals (7 to 6), but the hot-handed Panthers canned a dozen 3-pointers and out-rebounded Bluffton 33-26.

BC freshman Beau Adair chipped in eight points and junior Marcus Bixler dished out five of Bluffton's eight assists.

Special to: The Bluffton News, The Witmarsum