SHULLSBURG — Junior forward Brent Curtis powered Potosi to a 42–34 victory over host Shullsburg last Saturday in a Six Rivers West boys’ basketball make-up game.
     Curtis finished the night with a game-high 21 points, 13 of which came in the second half of Saturday’s ball game.
     “Brent had a nice game. He got into a rhythm, which I think the other guys knew, and they did a good job of getting him the ball,” coach Mike Uppena said.
     The win gives coach Uppena’s squad a conference record of 3–1 and an overall mark of 5–6, and propelled Potosi into second place in the current league standings.
     Unbeaten Cassville (8–0, 3–0) sits atop the standings, while River Ridge (4–4, 2–1) holds the third spot, and Shullsburg (6–4, 2–2) the fourth.
     Against the Miners on Saturday, the two teams played nearly even in the first half, as Shullsburg held a slim 16–15 lead over Potosi at intermission.
     Shullsburg then opened the third quarter off with a 6–1 scoring run and extended its lead to 22–16 before Curtis fueled the Chieftains’ back.
     Behind nine points from Curtis, Potosi used a 12–3 scoring run of their own to take a 28–25 lead. The Chieftains never trailed again.
     Curtis hit a 3-pointer to put Potosi up 37–31 midway through the fourth.
     Shullsburg senior Connor Crotty had an answer with an old-fashioned 3-point play of his own, pulling Shullsburg to within one possession at 37–34.
     But that was as close as the Miners would get, as the Chieftains closed out the game by making 5-of-8 free throw attempts down the stretch.
     “Our guys became really unselfish,” Uppena said. “They were looking for each other and dribbling to get each other open. I think that was the key.”
     The fourth-quarter showing was welcomed by coach Mike Uppena, who watched his team go 5 of 14 from the line in the first three quarters.
     Junior guard Riley Hawes, knocked down 3-of-6 free throw attempts down the stretch to finish with six points. Also finishing with six points for Potosi were senior Chase Kruser and junior Dan Post.
     Curtis also led the Chieftains on the glass, pulling down eight rebounds, and in steals with three of his team’s seven.
Post contributed with seven rebounds and three assists, while Josh Parkins also dished out three assists in the win.
     Following this past Tuesday night’s showdown with visiting Cassville, the Potosi boys will travel to Benton on Friday night.

Potosi 42, Shullsburg 34
(from Saturday, Jan. 11 @ Shullsburg)
Potosi         10    5    14    13    —  42
Shullsburg    8    8    11     7     — 34
Potosi (5–6, 3–1) — Brent Curtis 21, Chase Kruser 6, Riley Hawes 6, Dan Post 6, Jake Udelhoven 2, Nate Friederick 1. Totals — 14 10-22 42.
Shullsburg (6–4, 2–2) — Matye 7, Houtakker 4, Meyer 6, Crotty 4, Meyer 13. Totals — 12 9-15 34.
3-point goals — P: 4 (Curtis 2, Kruser 1, Hawes 1); S: 1 (Matye 1).  Team fouls — P: 18, S: 21. Fouled out — none.