MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (Feb. 20–27)
SWAL BOYS BASKETBALL: Boscobel 55, Cuba City 52

By Jason Nihles, Boscobel Dial

Bosobel boys beat Cuba City for the first time since 1964!

CUBA CITY — Boscobel’s regular-sending ending 55–52 SWAL victory at Cuba City was certainly historic.

As far as resident Bulldog athletics historian Jimmie Kaska can tell, it was the Boscobel boys first basketball victory over the Cubans since 1964.

Boscobel rallied from a five-point halftime deficit by out-scoring the Cubans 29–21 in the second half to pull out a three-point win.

Senior Hunter Gunderson hit five first-half 3-pointers to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance at the half, 26–31, but it took an entire team effort to end the 60-year losing streak to Cuba City.

The Cubans led 43–37 with 9:47 left after a pick-and-roll basket, but the Bulldogs wouldn’t go away.

Senior point guard Gabe Davis hit a 3-pointer from the left win with 2:42 left to give the Bulldogs a 48–47 lead, their first advantage since the score was 4–2.

Cameron Loos made it 50–47 with a driving layup at the two-minute mark and Cuba City quickly called time out. Cuba’s Henry Kruser converted an uncontested layup with 1:08 to make it 50–49. Then Gunderson hit a huge 3-pointer — his sixth of the game — from the right corner to make it a two-possession game at 53–49 with 46 seconds to play. 

After another Cuba City time out, missed back-to-back 3-pointers, but each time grabbed the offensive rebounds and Gavin Vaassen finally connected from the left win with 13 seconds left to make it a one-point game.

After a Boscobel timeout, Davis was fouled and hit a pair of clutch one-and-one free throws with 8 seconds left on the clock to account for the final score.

After a Cuba City time out, the referees inexplicable decided to take both made free throws off the scoreboard and revert the game to prior to the Cuba City foul on Davis, because apparently the Cubans only had six teams fouls and it was not supposed to be a bonus situation. 

The clock was reset to 6.9 seconds and play resumed with Boscobel still in possession under its own hoop.

This time senior Tucker Schmid-Cox waas fouled — for what was Cuba City’s actual seventh foul —and the Bulldog guard came through in the clutch as Davis did moments earlier, making both at the free throw line to once again give the Bulldogs a 55–52 lead with 5.4 seconds left.

Cuba City had one final chance to send the game to overtime, but a heavily contested 3-pointer hit the top of the backboard and Loos grabbed the rebound as time expired. 

“It was a much needed win for not only our team, but for our program as a whole,” said first-year Boscobel head coach Joe Childs.  “We battled through adversity with clock malfunctions and Cuba City going on runs from time to time. I am extremely proud of this team and am excited to see where the program goes.”

Gunderson finished with 18 points and five rebounds to lead the Bulldogs, who improved to 6–18 overall and finished 2–12 in the SWAL.

Davis had 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists, and Schmid-Cox finished with seven points, six assists and five rebounds. Jonah Knowles added eight points and seven rebounds.

The Bulldogs had lost all 37 conference meetings to Cuba City over the past 19 seasons, since the old SWAL split apart and the Cubans moved from the old SWAL 1 to the current eight-team SWAL with Boscobel.

Prior to the 2005–06 season, Boscobel and Cuba City only met sporadically on the hardwood as they were part difference conferences from 1971–2005. 

The Bulldogs were part of the SWAL 2 from 1987–2005 and the original Southwest Wisconsin Athletic League before that, while Cuba City played in the SWAL 1 from 1987–2005 and the old Southern 8 from 1971–86.

Boscobel and Cuba City played together in the old 10-team Southwest Wisconsin Conference from 1925–1960, and in the hold 12- and later 14-team old SWAL from 1961–70.

Back in 1964, Boscobel overcame a 13–point halftime deficit to beat host Cuba City 74–66, behind a game-high 25 points and 12 points from Dave Molldrem, and 16 points from big man Con Molldrem. Center Bob O’Donnell added 15 points and 12 rebounds in the win.

Boscobel opened WIAA D4 regional play Tuesday night at Westby (9–15). The winner advances to face No. 3 seed Belleville in a regional semifinal Friday at 7 p.m. 

Boscobel 55, Cuba City 52  
(from Thursday, Feb. 22 @ Cuba City)
Boscobel......26 29 — 55
Cuba City.....31 21 — 52  
Boscobel (6–18, 2–12) — Stewart Trumm 3, Cameron Loos 6, Gabe Davis 13, Tucker Schmid-Cox 7, Hunter Gunderson 18, Jonah Knowles 8. Totals — 22 2-2 55.
Cuba City (11–13, 7–7) — Henry Kruser 16, Tyson Richard 2, Gavin Vaassen 15, Miles Hinderman 3, Trevor Van Natta 6, Hudson Kieler 3, Andy Miller 2. Totals — 20 2-7 52.
3-point goals — B: 9 (Gunderson 6, Trumm 1, Davis 1, Schmid-Cox 1); CC: 5 (VanNatta 2, Vaassen 1, Hinderman 1, Kieler 1). Team fouls — B: 9, CC: 10. Fouled out — none.