EDITOR’S NOTE: After four weeks of hype and introduction, the SWNews4U.com Southwest Wisconsin Boys Dream Tournament in finally upon us.
This week we unveil the results and game recaps of the play-in games and first-round matchups of our 68-team Boys Dream Tournament.
The Dream Tournaments are fictional tournaments imagined by sports editors in the Morris Newspapers of Wisconsin group (Jason Nihles, Tom Gunnell and A.J. Gates), featuring the greatest area boys and girls high school basketball teams of the past 50 years.
This is the fifth week of the 10-part SWNews4U.com Southwest Wisconsin Basketball Dream Tournament series.
Last week, we introduced the team capsules of the 34 teams in the North and East regions in the Girls’ Dream Tournament bracket.
Next week, we will publish the fictional results of the play-in games and first round matchups from the 68-team girls’ Dream Tournament.
WEST
16) 1990 Black Hawk 75, 16) 2003 Riverdale 52
SOUTH WAYNE — Senior forward Craig Meyer, a future D1 player at Loyola and UW–Milwaukee, had his way against the smaller Chieftains and their 2–3 zone defense.
Meyer, who finished his career as Black Hawk’s all-time leading scorer, poured in 29 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and swatted seven shots to lead the Warriors (19–4) to a dominating 75–52 victory over the Chieftains (14–8) in the West regional play-in game. Seniors Michael Meier (12 points) and Jayson Haldiman (10 points) combined for 22 points for the winners, who led 49–21 at the half and never trailed.
Senior sharp-shooter Dusty Kasarek scored a team-high 16 points to lead Riverdale. Classmate Andy Miles 14 points and even rebounds in the loss while battling Meyer in the paint.
SOUTH
12) 2000 Boscobel 65, 12) 1977 Richland Center 60
RICHLAND CENTER — The 2000 Bulldogs made 6 of 8 free throws in the final two minutes, including four straight from senior Skylar Reynolds, to hold off 1977 Richland Center in the South regional play-in game.
Six-foot-7 senior Craig Moldrem, who went on to play D1 college baseball and get drafted in the 8th round of the 2004 MLB draft by the Miami Marlins, scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Bulldogs (23–3). Senior Russ Hill posted a double–double of 11 points and 10 rebounds for the winners. Reynolds finished with 12 points for coach Bill Bare’s team.
Senior Craig Kraft was marvelous in defeat for the Hornets (17–5) finishing with a game-high 26 points and led Richland Center to an early 22-14 lead, but the Hornets couldn’t hold off the Bulldogs. Senior Jay Utley added 10 points. Six-foot-5 freshman Leroy Stahl, who would go on to become Richland Center’s all-time leading scorer, finished with eight points and eight boards after being called upon to deal with the 6’7” Molldrem.
NORTH
12) 2000 Southwestern 56, 12) 2007 River Ridge 46
HAZEL GREEN — Senior Brandon Temperly, the 2000 SWAL 2 Player of the Year, scored 16 points to lead four Wildcats in double figures as 2000 Southwestern (22–4) survived a defensive battle from 2007 River Ridge in the North regional play-in game.
Temperly scored on a drive to the basket with 1:31 left to give the Wildcats a 50–44 lead, then assisted on classmate Ron Means’ jumper from the corner on the next possession to help seal the victory.
Means (12 points, 5 ast) and juniors Brandon Kuhl (10 points) and Michael Skemp (10 points, 8 reb) each scored in double figures to help the coach Tim Meyers’ Wildcats advance.
Senior Mason Amundson had 14 points and eight rebounds to lead the Timberwolves (18–7) in defeat. Classmate Jon Martin added 12 points. Fellow seniors Kyle Kauffman and Paul Mumm finished with eight points apiece for coach Scott Plondke’s Timberwolves.
EAST
16) 1992 Argyle 67, 16) 2011 Darlington 65
ARGYLE — Senior Mike Godfrey’s tip-in just before the buzzed lifted 1992 Argyle (21–2) to a dramatic one-point victory in the East region play-in game over 2011 Darlington (22–4).
Future Wisconsin Badgers’ and Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receiver Alex Erickson gave the Redbirds a one-point lead with 12.6 seconds left in the game on a pull-up jumper in the lane.
Argyle turned to senior standout Travis Tuttle, the program’s all-time leading scorer and future D2 standout at North Dakota, on the final possession. Tuttle beat a double-team and fired for the win from deep 3-point land with 4 seconds remaining. The shot lipped off the rim and Godfrey was able to tap it home just before the buzzer sounded sending the Orioles to the round of 64.
Tuttle finished with 42 points, including eight 3-pointers. Godfrey added 16 points and 10 rebounds for coach Tom Tuttle’s the winners.
Erickson finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists for coach Michael Hopkins’ Redbirds. Fellow seniors Bryan Reichling added 12, and Zach Brown had 10 points and 10 boards in the loss.
For more coverage and complete first-round results for the Boys Dream Tournament, get your copy of this week Platteville Journal, Herald Independent, Republican Journal, Fennimore Times, Tri-County Press or Richland Observer today.
