MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (Dec. 12–19)
SWC BOYS BASKETBALL: Dodgeville 59, Prairie du Chien 58
By Derick Kelly, Courier Press
Prairie du Chien boys rally back from 22 point halftime deficit before falling short in overtime
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN — The Hawks hosted Dodgeville on Thursday, Dec. 14, and came out of the gates incredibly flat as the visiting Dodgers dominated their way to a 40–18 halftime lead on the Blackhawks.
What happened next will go down in Prairie du Chien athletic history for years to come as an example of what happens when you don’t give up.
The Hawks used a suffocating defense, key rebounding, and a steady offensive prowess in the second half to completely erase their 22 point halftime deficit when Max Schneider stole a Dodger pass and layed the ball off the glass to tie the game at 53–53 with one minute remaining. The Hawks actually give themselves a chance to win the game in regulation as well when they forced a Dodger turnover with 45 seconds remaining to give the Hawks the opportunity to hold for the final shot. With 3 seconds left, Tyler Harris’ runner in the middle of the lane from about 5 feet out hit off the top of the rim for rolled off and the game went to overtime.
The Dodgers grabbed the lead early in overtime but Schneider hit a free throw with 2:36 to go to tie the game at 54–54. Dodgeville retook the lead 56–54 with 1:23 left on the clock and added a free throw with 1:02 remaining to stretch the score to 57–54 before Schneider once again answered for the Hawks with an up-and-under shot off the glass to make the score 57–56 with 42 seconds remaining.
The Dodgers went to the line with 18 seconds left and the chance to build their but missed both free throws as the Hawks once again came down with the ball and the chance to play for the final shot. Nick McCullick’s shot with 7 seconds left hit the top of the rim, then hit the backboard, and then hit the top of the rim again before bouncing off to the side where it was rebounded by Harris but a questionable traveling call on the rebound by Harris gave the ball back to the Dodgers with 6 seconds left.
The Hawks were forced to foul and the Dodgers sank both shots to make the score 59–56 with 5 seconds remaining. The Dodgers allowed Harris an uncontested layup with one second left to avoid a potential three-point play and make the final score 59-58 in favor of Dodgeville.
