BENTON – First-year head coach Tom Neises and his River Ridge boys basketball squad moved one step closer to a conference championship last Tuesday night with a 46-38 victory over the host Zephyrs.

With Tuesday night’s win, the Timberwolves improved to 8-0 in the Six Rivers West conference, with four league games remaining and a two-game lead over second-place Potosi (6-2).

With games against Cassville (0-8), Highland (3-4), Potosi (6-2) and Shullsburg (5-2) remaining on their schedule, the T-Wolves need only win two more games to clinch a share of the title, and three wins to give them the outright championship.

Against Benton last Tuesday night, the Timberwolves turned a 28-16 halftime lead into a 46-38 victory.

(For complete coverage of this game, get your copy of the Feb. 6, 2020 issue of the Grant County Herald Independent.)

River Ridge 46, Benton 38

(from Tuesday, Jan. 28, at Benton)

River Ridge 28 18 - 46

Benton 16 22 - 38

River Ridge - Archie Cooley 4, Ethan Hunt 2, Lance Nichols 2, Brayan Barrita 3, Logan Drone 2, Cole Crubel 22, David Nies 13. Totals - 15-46, 12-18 48.

Benton - Caleb O’Neill 5, Zander Jones 2, Holden Murphy 17, Will Lawrence 11, Dominic Cummins 3. Totals - 13 8-15 38.

3-point goals - RR: (4-15) Barrita 1, Crubel 3; B: Murphy 3, Cummins 1. Team fouls - RR 17, B 15. Fouled out - None.

Monticello 60, 

River Ridge 56

(from Friday, Jan. 31, at Patch Grove)

Monticello 26 34 - 60

River Ridge 24 32 - 56

Monticello - Blohowrak 12, Owen Ace 2, Gustafson 21, Holtz 4, Wicker 4, Rufer 17. Totals - 17 24-42 60.

River Ridge - Archie Cooley 4, Owen Hamilton 4, Brayan Barrita 3, Logan Drone 3, Cole Crubel 37, David Nies 5. Totals - 20-58, 10-16 56.

3-point goals - M: Gustafson 1, Holtz 1; RR: (6-18) Barrita 1, Crubel 4, Nies 1. Team fouls - M 18, RR 27. Fouled out - Crubel (RR).