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MCDONALD'S CO-GAME OF THE WEEK (Boys Basketball): Fennimore 61, Mineral Point 59
Fennimore executes Coach Z’s play to stun Mineral Point at the buzzer
Mason Adkins
Fennimore Senior Mason Adkins scored the game-winning basket at the buzzer in last Tuesday's 61–59 win at Mineral Point.

MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM CO-GAME OF THE WEEK (Jan. 3–10)
BOYS BASKETBALL: Fennimore 61, Mineral Point 59

By Jason Nihles, Fennimore Times

MINERAL POINT — Fennimore boys basketball coach Troy Larson’s credits assistant coach Coby Zwiefelhofer with the assist of the year so far.

After Mineral Point’s Leyton Bowers tied last Tuesday’s Southwest Wisconsin Activities League game with a 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left, Zwiefelhofer had the confidence to ask for the ball so to speak.

“Bowers hit a contested 3 to tied the game and I called a quick timeout,” explained coach Larson. “Koby Z had been saving a play for a last-second situation like that and he asked if he could run his play and I said, “draw it up.”

Senior Mark Kenney and Mason Adkins teamed on the final play to lift the visiting Golden Eagles to a dramatic 61–59 victory.

Kenney, Fennimore starting quarterback last fall, threw a near full-court pass to Adkins near the free throw line on the other end of the court.

Mineral Point senior Joah Fillardo, who was guarding Adkins in a one-on-one situation, stumbled after contact with Adkins and fell down. 

Adkins spun, took two dribbles and laid in the game-winning basket as time expired to lift the Eagles to their fifth win of the season.

“Mark threw a bullet right on the mark to Mason and I think it surprised Joah,” said coach Larson. “Their feet got tangled and Mase took two dribbles to the hoop and put it through just before the buzzer. We took advantage of Mark’s quarterback skills and he delivered a perfect pass.”

Adkins finished with 12 points and five rebounds. Kenney scored a game-high 15 points, had six assists and four rebounds.

Junior Lucas Lendosky (13 points, eight rebounds), senior Austin Horn (11 points, 3 for 3 on 3-pointers) and junior Brady Larson (10 points, three assists) also scored in double figures as Fennimore’s balanced offense led to its most complete game of the season.

Fennimore shot 62.9 percent (22 of 35), including 4 of 5 on 3-pointers, and 13 of 20 (65 percent) at the free throw line in the win.

Fillardo scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Pointers, who fell to 8–2 overall and 1–1 in the SWAL with the loss. Mineral Point went on to upset second-ranked Cuba City (9–1, 3–1) Friday night, 52–50. 

Fennimore’s win at Mineral Point last Tuesday night snapped the Eagles’ three-game losing streak.

“That’s the kind of win that can propel a season,” said coach Larson of his team’s win over Mineral Point. “The previous week we lost a couple tough ones. Dodgeville was not particularly a good one on the scoreboard and I took it upon myself to bench my starters in the second half. I didn’t think they were believing in themselves and what we were trying to do and I wanted to send a message. At Platteville, that one just got away from us at the end. That would have been a nice win. 

“But a win over a team like Mineral Point is a nice confidence boost and shows us we can compete at that level. We just have to seize the moment and not be afraid of the moment.”

Fennimore will host #3 Cuba City (9–1, 3–1) tonight at 7:30 p.m. in what has now become a first-place showdown after the Pointers upset the Cubans 52–50 last Friday night.

Fennimore 61, Mineral Point 59
(from Tuesday, Jan. 4 @ Mineral Point)
Fennimore........27 34 —  61
Mineral Point...29 30 —  59
Fennimore (5–5, 2–1) — Austin Horn 11, Brady Larson 10, Lucas Lendosky 13, Mark Kenney 15, Mason Adkins 12. Totals — 22-35 13-20 61. 
Mineral Point (8–2, 1–1) — Owen Ward 2, Leyten Bowers 12, Dominik McVay 2, Eli Lindsey 10, Tanner Goninen 3, Bodie Bossert 8, Joah Fillardo 18, Bryce Achilman 4. Totals — 23 7-10 59.
3-point goals — F: 4-5 (Horn 3, Larson 1), MP: 6 (Bowers 2, Lindsey 1, Fillardo 2, Goninen 1). Team fouls — F: 16, MP: 22. Fouled out — none.