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MAST WATER TECHNOLOGY ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Sami Martin
Platteville senior scores 17 points, grabs nine rebounds in 48–45 state semifinal victory over Arcadia
Martin
Senior Sami Martin spins to the basket for two of her game-high 17 points in Platteville' 48–45 victory over Arcadia in last Thursday's WIAA Division 3 state semifinal game. It turned out to be the final game in Martin's fantastic four-year varsity career as the rest of the WIAA girls state basketball tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. - photo by Photo by Jannan Roesch

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

Sami Martin, Sr., F/C, Platteville girls basketball

      Division I Bradley recruit Sami Martin scored a game-high 17 points on 5 of 9 from the field and 7 of 8 from the free throw line, grabbed nine rebounds and had three of Platteville’s eight steals to lead the top-ranked Hillmen to a 48–45 victory over No. 4 seed Arcadia in last Thursday's WIAA Division 3 state semifinals at the Resch Center in Green Bay. Martin scored five points in a key 11–0 run late in the first half to help the Hillmen (26–0) rally from a 17–10 deficit, its largest of the year.

     Platteville (26–0) earned a spot in Saturday's D3 state championship against No. 2 Wrightstown (24–2), but the game, and the rest of the WIAA girls basketball state tournament and the WIAA boys basketball playoffs, was cancelled due the COVID-19 pandemic. 

     The Red Raiders (23–4) took a 17–10 lead with 6:15 left in the first half on senior standout Ellie Hoesley's 3-pointer, but Platteville head coach Mike Foley called an immediate timeout and switched to a 1–3–1 trapping defense. The change paid immediate dividends. The Hillmen forced turnovers on four of Arcadia’s next five possessions that led to a tide-turning 11–0 run of their own. Hoesley was whistled for her third foul of the game and senior Sami Martin split a pair of free throws to begin the run.

     Senior Becca Hoyer converted a three-point play, then Martin scored on a hook shot in the paint to make it a one-point game. Fellow senior Josie Nies split a pair of free throws to tie the game, then feed Martin for a fast break layup to give Platteville a 19–17 lead with 3:12 left in the half. Hoyer capped the run with a pair of free throws two minutes later and the Hillmen lead 21–19 at the half.

     Arcadia got as close as one point at 39–38 on back-to-back layups by Sendelbach and a layup by Hoesley with 5:38 left. But senior Izzy Carroll scored on a nice pass from Josie Nies on Platteville’s next possession and moments later Nies drew Hoesley’s fifth foul sending her to the bench with 4:19 left. Martin was fouled just second later and made both free throws and the Platteville defense then forced a jump ball and Carroll was fouled and made both ends of the bonus to give the Hillmen a 45–38 lead with 3:43 to play.

     Martin was also named Division 3 first-team all-state by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association last week after being named the Southwest Wisconsin Conference Player of the Year for a second straight season. The 6'2" senior averaged 17.4 points and 10.7 rebounds per game while shooting 55.5 percent from the field (167 of 301), 74.0 percent from the free throw line (77 of 104), and 6 of 19 on 3-pointers (31.6 percent). Martin also finished her career as Platteville's all-time leading scorer with 1,571 points (16.0 ppg) and grabbed 1,002 (10.2 rpg) rebounds in 98 career games.  


HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):

Brayden Dailey, Sr., F, Cuba City boys basketball

      Dailey scored a game-high 20 points and pulled down 16 rebounds to lead the undefeated Cuba City boys to a 55–48 victory over SWAL rival Darlington in last Thursday's WIAA Division 4 sectional semifinal at Mineral Point High School. Dailey was also named WBCA Division 4 first-team all-state. Dailey the Cubans (25–0) to an unbeaten record, while averaging 23.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. The athletic 6’6” junior also chipped in 1.6 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game this year. He was also a WBCA All-State pick as a freshman at Mineral Point. 


Carter Lomas, Sr., F, Wauzeka-Steuben boys basketball

      Lomas poured in a game-high 34 points to almost single-handedly end Potosi's season in last Thursday's WIAA Division 5 sectional semifinal victory at Belmont High School. The 6'4" Winona State recruit mde 12 of 21 shots from the field, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range and 6 of 10 from the free throw line, and also pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds in the Hornets' (22–3) 53–44 win over Coach Mike Uppena's Chieftains.