GAME OF THE WEEK (Feb. 7–Feb. 13)
PREP BOYS BASKETBALL: Shullsburg 57, Potosi 53
POTOSI — The race for the Six Rivers West boys’ basketball championship crown just got really tight after the Shullsburg Miners broke off on a 22-6 second-half scoring run to rally past league-leading and #7-ranked Potosi 57–53 in a Six Rivers West boys’ basketball clash at PHS on Friday, Feb. 8.
The win not only avenged a 59–48 loss to the Chieftains in Shullsburg back on Jan. 3, but also brought the Chieftains back to the pack in the SRW since it was their first conference loss. The Miners (14–4 overall, 7–2 SRW) sit a game and a half behind Potosi (14–4, 9–1) in a second-place tie with Benton (12–5, 7–2) with just three league games remaining on their schedule.
The teams traded the lead like it was a hot potato in the first half of Friday’s game, swapping the advantage nine times with senior Oscar Ortiz netting a late layup to put the Miners ahead 19–18 at the half.
The Chieftains started off the second half with a 14–6 scoring run to open up their largest lead of the night at 32–25 with 14:22 remaining.
Following a timeout, Shullsburg answered back with 10 unanswered points to regain the lead; then, after briefly losing it, the Miners cranked off a 12–2 scoring burst to overtake the Chieftains and build up a 47–38 advantage with 5:01 to play.
Potosi cut the deficit to 50–43 on a 3-pointer by Will Bierman with 2:32 remaining, however senior Jacob Berendes put the game away for the Miners from the foul line by sinking 7-of-10 free throw attempts in the final two minutes of play.
Berendes scored 12 of his team-high 14 points in the second half to rally the Miners to victory.
Senior Alex Wand knocked down a pair of 3s on his way to 11 points, while Ortiz and fellow senior Kyle Klotz dropped in seven points apiece for the Miners. Seniors Isaac Hoppman (six points) and Griffin Wiegel (four) scored all their points in the first half to keep the Miners in the game early.
Bierman hit four treys en route to a game-high 16 points for the Chieftains. Brady Curtis added two 3s on his way to 14 points, and Ryan Kruser recorded three 3s to finish with nine for the hosts.
Shullsburg crossed the border for a non-conference game against Scales Mound (Ill.) on Monday. Feb. 11, and what a game it was as the Miners their winning streak to four games with a 52-51 victory over the Hornets.
Berendes led Shullsburg with 12 points, while Wiegel and I. Hoppman each tallied seven points in the win.
Shullsburg had SRW games against River Ridge and Highland postponed due to the weather last week. The Miners will now host the Cardinals (5-11, 3-6) on Friday, Feb. 15, and the Timberwolves (5-11, 3-6) on Monday, Feb. 18, in make games, and will also host Belmont (2-15, 0-9) in a regularly scheduled SRW game on Thursday, Feb. 14.
Shullsburg…….. 19 38 – 57
Potosi………….. 18 35 – 53
Shullsburg – Jacob Berendes 14, Alex Wand 11, Joseph Turpin 3, Griffin Wiegel 4, Kyle Klotz 7, Oscar Ortiz 7, Brandon Hoppman 5, Isaac Hoppman 6. Totals – 20 11-18 57.
Potosi – Udelhoven 4, Bierman 16, Curtis 14, Carbone 4, Kruser 9, Groom 2, Edge 4. Totals – 19 6-7 53.
3-point goals– S 6 (Berendes 1, Wand 2, Turpin 1, Ortiz 1, B. Hoppman 1), P 9 (Bierman 4, Curtis 2, Kruser 3). Total fouls– S 14, P 14. Fouled out– none.
Shullsburg…….. 6 14 17 15 – 52
Scales Mound… 6 11 15 19 – 51
Shullsburg – Jacob Berendes 12, Nolan Strang 3, Joseph Turpin 3, Dylan Heim 2, Griffin Wiegel 7, Kyle Klotz 4, Oscar Ortiz 3, Brandon Hoppman 11, Isaac Hoppman 7. Totals – 17 10-11 52.
Scales Mound – N. Davis 2, M. Davis 3, Werner 12, Townsend 11, Vandigo 2, Fosler 10, Cocagne 2, Allen 9. Totals – 15 15-19 51.
3-point goals– SH 8 (Berendes 3, Strang 1, Turpin 1, Wiegel 1, Ortiz 1, I. Hoppman 1), SM 6 (M. Davis 1, Townsend 1, Fosler 2, Allen 2). Total fouls– SH 16, SM 13. Fouled out– none.
