EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.
By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal / Boscobel Dial / Fennimore Times
Davyn Edge, Jr., G/F, Platteville boys basketball
PLATTEVILLE — Junior Davyn Edge caught fire in the first half, making all four of his 3-point attempts and scoring 14 of his career-high 19 points — all off the bench — in the first 18 minutes to stake the Platteville Hillmen (6–3) to an 33–18 halftime lead en rout to a 72–57 win over New Glarus last Wednesday, Dec. 21.
Edge scored his first basket of the night on a breakaway layup with 10:57 to make it 14–8. He then hit his first of the four triples at the 9:14 mark to make it 17–8. Edge hit back-to-back 3-pointers to extend the led to 25–14 with 4:15 left in the half, then swished his fourth long ball of the night at the 1:48 mark gave the home team a comfortable 31–18 lead.
Sophomore Lucas Ludlum converted an old fashioned three-point play at the 13:43 mark to snap an early 7–7 tie, then he scored on a transition basket less than a minute later to give the Hillmen an early 12–7 lead. That was the beginning of Platteville’s 26–11 run to close the half. Ludlum added another three-point play late in the first half to make it 28–17.
“I thought Davyn Edge really found a great rhythm on offense and his teammates did a great job of finding him the first half,” said Platteville head coach Mike Huser. “Lucas Ludlum had another solid night on the offensive end of the floor as well and he brings a different type of energy to our team in transition basketball. I think right now we know we can continue to grow, but all of our guys are doing a good job of playing off of each other right now and that makes us pretty efficient on the offensive end of the floor.”
Edge also posted 11 points, four rebounds, four assists and made two more three-pointers in a 62–42 victory over Evansville on Tuesday.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Marley Busch, Jr., F, Dodgeville girls basketball
Busch averaged 15.5 points to lead Dodgeville to a pair of wins at the Dodgeville Holiday Classic Tuedsay and Wednesday this week. Busch ha 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five blocks in Tuesday's 51–34 win over Lomira, then scored a game-high 17 points a day later in a 60–31 win over Jefferson Wednesday.
Will Murray, Jr., C, Darlington boys basketball
Murray made 12 of 16 field goal attempts and finished with a game-high 25 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists in a 93–32 SWAL victory over Riverdale last Wednesday. He then had 20 points in a 93–65 win over Potosi and 13 points in a 61–49 win over Royall at this Wednesday's Lancaster Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament.
Matthew Nies, Jr., C, River Ridge boys basketball
Nies scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed six rebounds in a 66–33 win over Kickapoo Wednesday in the semifinals of the River Ridge Holiday Tournament, then posted 14 points, six rebounds and two blocks in a 59–35 championship game win over Iowa–Grant later in the day.
Mandi Wehrle, So., G, River Ridge girls basketball
Wehrle scored a game-high 16 points and had three rebounds and three assists in a 59–37 win at Southwestern Tuesday, Dec. 20, then helped the surging Timberwolves (6–4) win their own River Ridge Holiday Tournament this Tuesday. Wehle had a game-high 17 points, nine steals and four assists in a 69–22 semifinal win over North Crawford, then posted eight points, eight boards and four assists in a 55–33 championship game win over Iowa–Grant.
