If their loss to Potosi on Jan. 17, didn’t take the River Ridge varsity boys’ basketball team out of contention for this year’s Six Rivers West conference title, last Tuesday night’s double overtime loss to visiting Shullsburg certainly did.

With the loss, coach Nate Copsey’s squad dropped to 5-3 in league play, two games behind league-leading Potosi (7-1), and one and a half behind Cassville (6-1).

Only four conference games remain on River Ridge’s schedule, including a Feb. 15th meeting at Cassville.

Against the visiting Miners last Tuesday night, the Timberwolves held a halftime lead of 27-18, and went into the fourth quarter up 42-35.

Shullsburg then made their move in the fourth quarter, where they outscored River Ridge 12-5 in the final eight minutes of regulation, sending the game into overtime.

Neither team got much going in the first overtime session, both adding just five points to their score.

The second overtime had even less scoring, as River Ridge managed just two points to Shullsburg’s four.

The game-winning basket proved to be a layup by Shullsburg’s Kyle Hoppman with 1.3 seconds to play, helping the visiting Miners knock off River Ridge, 56-54.

River Ridge senior Cody Witzig led the Timberwolves with 15 points and four assists, while fellow senior Joel Mezera added 14 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Spencer White pulled down a team-high six rebounds, while Alex Breuer had five.

On the Following Friday night, coach Copsey’s squad suffered a 60-41 loss to host Black Hawk as part of the Six Rivers cross-over games.

The Timberwolves actually held a 14-7 edge at the end of the first quarter, but were then outscored 15-6 in the second quarter and 26-9 in the third.

Witzig netted a team-high 11 points, while Mezera managed 10.

This Thursday night, River Ridge (5-3, 8-9) heads to Pecatonica (0-7, 4-11) for a non-conference contest, then will host Benton (2-5, 4-12) on Tuesday, Feb. 5.

Shullsburg 56,
River Ridge 54 (2OT)
(from Tuesday, Jan. 22)
Shullsburg       11    7    17    12    5    4 - 56
River Ridge    14    13    15    5    5    2 - 54
Shullsburg - Hauser 6, Russell 13, Crotty 22, Meyer 2, Schwartz 4, Trejo 2, Hoppman 7. Totals - 21 10-15 56.
River Ridge - Martin 5, Mezera 14, Witzig 15, Langmeier 7, White 7, Breuer 6. Totals - 21 9-12 54.
3-point goals - S: Russell 3, Crotty 1, RR: Martin 1, Witzig 1, Langmeier 1. Team fouls - S: 11, RR: 16. Fouled out - None.

Black Hawk 60,
River Ridge 41
(from Friday, Jan. 25)
River Ridge    14    6    9    12 - 41
Black Hawk    7    15    26    12 - 60
River Ridge - Martin 1, Mezera 10, Witzig 11, Langmeier 4, White 6, Breuer 5, Ertz 4. Totals - 13 14-23 41.
Black Hawk - Peterson 3, Meier 7, Lovelace 2, Seth Butler 22, Meythaler 13, Heath Butler 8, Piefer 3, Bond 2. Totals - 20 16-21 60.
3-point goals - RR: Mezera 1, BH: Peterson 1, Meier 1, Seth Butler 1, Meythaler 1. Team fouls - RR: 19, BH: 15. Fouled out - White (RR), Piefer (BH).