MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM CO-GAME OF THE WEEK (April 12–19)
BASKETBALL: Well Built Humans/Edward Jones Fundraiser Basketball Tournament
By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal
BELMONT — A trio of area businesses have joined forces for a worthy cause.
Well Built Humans and sponsors Foundation Fitness and Nutrition and Platteville Edward Jones (Tyler Dornink) are hosting a 5 on 5 adult basketball tournament this Saturday at Belmont High School in Belmont.
Well Built Humans is a local gym in Potosi, co-owned by Brent Curtis and Matt Eastlick, with wholistic approach to being more healthy in life.
“We are hoping to have a fun and competitive tournament,” said Curtis, who will be also playing in the tournament and sponsoring his team. “Each team is guaranteed three games. We will have referees for every game. Prizes will be given out to the top three teams of the tournament. And most importantly all proceeds for this tournament will be donated to Megan Breuer and family.”
Breuer is a 37-year-old mother of three whose life was forever changed in the early morning hours of Nov. 19, 2021 when a perpetrator forcibly entered her home and shot Breuer in the head/neck area prior to taking his own life.
This incident resulted in a spinal cord injury leaving Breuer paralyzed from the shoulders down and ventilator dependent for her breathing. Breuer initially spent three weeks in the trauma ICU at UW Hospital prior to completing a 61 day stay at a rehabilitation facility in Chicago. She was recently transferred back to the Madison area with the goal of getting things in place to be able to come home in the near future.
“Megan’s sister Paige was a grade above me in school and we were looking for something good we could do for the local area,” said Curtis, who is a 2015 graduate of Potosi High School. “So because I knew Paige and Megan, and it was such a life changing local event, we couldn’t think of a better person to do this for.
“We focus our business on fun, healthy and fitness related workouts. So, we came up with the idea to run a basketball tournament fundraiser for Megan. Nothing like it, that I can think of, is done in this area. We thought people would like it and the idea would go over well.
Besides financial support from his co-sponsors Tyleer Dornink of Platteville Edward Jones and Taylor Thuli and Kelli Richardson of Foundtion Fitness and Nutrition, Curits, also had help from Belmont high school teacher and BHS varsity boys basketball coach Mitch Austin organizing the tournament. Austin will also playing in the tournament on the Belmont team Freak Squad.
Spectators are encouraged to come watch some of the best basketball players Southwest Wisconsin has produced. There is no designated entry fee, but any fan donations are appreciated. There will also be a concession stand throughout the tournament.
Sixteen teams will compete in the tournament, 12 in the men’s division, four in the women’s. Each team paid $320 to play in the tournament and is guaranteed three round robin pool play games.
Men’s pool play begins at 8 a.m. in the Belmont high school and middle school gyms. Women’s pool play games begin at 10 a.m.
The winner of the women’s round robin pool will be crowned the champion.
The winner of the men’s pool B will play the men’s pool C winner in a semifinal game at 6 p.m. with the winner meeting the pool A winner in the men’s championship game at 7 p.m.
Local standouts scheduled to appear in the men’s tournament include:
Well Built Humans: 2015 Potosi graduate Brent Curtis (SRW MVP), 2015 Iowa–Grant graduate Isaac Anderson (SWAL MVP) and 1999 Lancaster graduate Tom Driscoll.
Ballin on A Budget: 2021 All-State selection and future UW–Platteville Pioneer Gavin Ralph (2021 Wauzeka/Steuben grad) and Jacob Bernetzke (Cassville boys head coach).
Freak Squad: Belmont graduates Brady Buchs (2014 Six Rivers West co-Player of the Year) and Raine Voigts (2015 and 2016 All-SRW), and current Belmont varsity baseball coach Trevor Kattre (former UWP baseball standout).
Team Hot Shots: Three-year UW–Platteville starter Corey Vaassen (2012 SWAL Player of the Year at Cuba City), Tim Cummins (1998 state champion at Cuba City) and Trent Denlinger (2012 CCHS grad and former Wisconsin football player),
Pippen Ain’t Easy: UW–Platteville basketball standouts Carter Voelker (2020 WIAC co-Player of the Year) and Kyle Tuma (2022 All-WIAC) and former UW–Platteville football and track standout Dan Arnold, who plays in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Redbirds: Darlington standouts Will Schwatz, Ryan Glenndenning and Hunter Johnson (former Wisconsin football player).
The Friends and Adam: Former Potosi standouts Jeremy Leibfried (2002 Potosi all-state and Six Rivers MVP), Steve Nebel and Adam Kruser.
Team Wendhausen: Mineral Point graduates Frank McGettigan (former UW–Platteville starter and 1999 SWAL II MVP), as well as brothers Trevor Wendhausen (2014 SWAL Player of the Year), Chance Wendhausen, Garrett Wendhausen and Blake Wendhausen.
