EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.

Hunter Matye, jr., Shullsburg boys basketball

     Matye drilled the game-winning three-pointer from the top of the key with 2.3 seconds remaining and then blocked Platteville’s last-second game-winning shot attempt to lift the Miners to a 45–44 non-conference victory at Platteville High School on Saturday. Matye finished with a game-high 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists and is this week's Mast Water Technology Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week.

     The junior guard had 17 points, a team-high seven rebounds and six assists to lead the Shullsburg to a key 58–54 Six Rivers West victory at Belmont last Thursday. With the win Matye and the Miners (13–3, 6–2 SRW) pulled into a first-place tie with the Braves (11–5, 6–2) and Potosi (9–6, 6–2) and now control their own destiny.

     “The win puts us back into the race and now all we have to do is take care of ourselves and not worry about what anybody else does,” said Shullsburg head coach Mark Lierman.

     The Miners have swept Belmont and split with Potosi. The Braves and Chieftains were snowed out on Tuesday and will now meet on Monday, Feb. 15 with the winner having a shot to earn at least a share of this year’s SRW title.

     “We don’t need anyone else’s help now,” added Lierman. “We just have to do our own thing and at least we’ll get a share of it. If we can keep playing like this we can do that. We’re trying to get back to playing like this consistently.”

     Shullsburg has league games remaining against at River Ridge (3–4 SRW) on Feb. 13, Benton (1–7) on Feb. 16, at Highland (1–6) on Feb. 19 and against Cassville (4–4) on Feb. 25.

HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):

Abby Althaus, fr., Belmont girl basketball

     With the game tied and time running down, Althaus forced a steal near midcoast and buried a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift visiting Braves to a 56–53 victory at Highland last Friday night. The game-winner was Althaus’ fourth triple of the night. She finished with 16 points in the victory, which ended Belmont’s (9–8, 4–5 SRW) four-game slide.

Ben Burkholder, sr., Cuba CIty boys basketball

     Burkholder went off for a career-high 30 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for his 11th double–double of the season to lead the Cubans to a 74–61 SWAL victory over RIverdale last Thursday night.

Ben Ertz, jr., River Ridge boys basketball

     Ertz connected on a 20-foot jumper at the buzzer to lift River Ridge over Benton, 47–45, in a Six Rivers West contest last Friday night. Hertz finished with six points and a team-high nine rebounds as the Timberwolves (4–11) improved to 3–4 in conference play. Ertz leads the team in both scoring (9.9 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg).

Maddie Hawes, sr., Potosi girls basketball

     The senior point guard became just the fourth player in program history to score 1,000 career points when she poured in a game-high 17 points to lead the Chieftains to a 49–44 non-conference win at Black Hawk on Monday. Hawes surpassed the milestone with a putback basket midway through the first half. Hawes is now currently fourth on Potosi’s all-time scoring list with 1,013 points, behind only Jamie Nebel (1,309), Jordane Kittoe (1,118) and Tiffany Flesch (1,114). Potosi is now 13–5 overall and 6–3 in the Six Rivers West.

Brianna Leahy, so., Shullsburg girls basketball

     The sophomore standout poured in a career-high 30 points and matched her school-record of 18 rebounds in a 71–50 win at Potosi last Friday night. Leahy connected on nearly every shot she attempted going 9 for 11 from the field and 9 of 11 at the free throw line and also passed out six assists and blocked three shots. She became just the second player in program history to top the 30-point mark, joining former Shullsburg standout Christal Swigart, who did it several times. Leahy scored 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks a 62–41 win over Highland last Tuesday. Leahy also scored 22 points in a loss to Galena on Saturday. 

Amanda Meister, sr., Riverdale girls basketball

     The senior guard topped 1,000 career points with a jump shot late in the second second of Riverdale’s 69–32 victory over Southwestern. Meister became only the third player in program history to accomplish the achievement. She finished with 16 points, eight steals, six rebounds and four assists in the game.

Andrea Okey, sr., Cassville girls basketball

     Okey joined the 1,000-point club with a 22-point performance in Cassville’s Six Rivers West loss to Benton last Friday night. Okey also had eight rebounds, three assists and three steals in the game. Money night she scored a game-high 20 points in the Comets’ (9-8) 61–48 non-conference victory over Albany.

Collin Price, sr., Iowa–Grant boys basketball

     Price scored the first two baskets of overtime to help the Panthers remain unbeaten in league play with a 58–55 OT win at Southwestern last Thursday night. Price and finished with 14 points and eight rebounds as Iowa–Grant improved to 15–1 overall and 9–0 in the SWAL. Price posted 11 points and eight boards in a 57–54 non-conference win at Belmont on Tuesday, Jan. 26.

Max Stockwell, sr., Hillsboro boys basketball

     Stockwell scored a game-high 30 points go along with seven steals, six rebounds and fours assists in the Tigers’ 66–48 victory over Royall last Friday night and in the process became the school’s all-time leading scorer, passing 2009 graduate Pat Alexander. Stockwell had 13 points and four rebounds in a 69–67 non-conference loss to Westby on Monday night. It was Hillsboro’s (12–1, 8–0 SBC) first loss of the season.