SOUTH WAYNE – Wins don’t come easy in the Six Rivers Conference, so if you have to win ugly on occasion you happily leave with the W.
    Black Hawk opened Six Rivers East play by grinding out a 54-42 victory over the visiting Juda Panthers in boys’ basketball action at BHHS on Tuesday, Dec. 8.
    “It’s always a grind against Juda. They play so aggressive and they have so much energy. We did a good job of doing just enough to pull out a victory,” said Black Hawk head coach Charlie Anderson.
    The Panthers (2-3 overall, 0-2 SRE) got on the scoreboard first, but the Warriors (3-0, 2-0) answered back by breaking off a 12-2 scoring run to grab control of the game.
    Juda never got closer than five points the rest of the night as the Warriors used a strong defensive effort and a balanced offensive attack to hold off every attempt by the Panthers to get back into the game.
    “Our defense prevented them from getting into any type of rhythm to get close to us. They had a hard time scoring on our 1-3-1 zone,” admitted Anderson. “Josh Meier made a bunch of big shots in the second half, and he and CJ Leuzinger hit some big threes to kind of cool off (Juda’s) runs.”
    Leuzinger hit two of his three treys and scored eight of his 11 points in the first half to send the Warriors into the break sporting a 24-16 advantage, while Meier netted 11 of his game-high 15 points after the intermission to keep the Warriors ahead by double digits.
    Black Hawk opened the second half on a 14-9 run to push their lead to 38-25, and the Panthers were unable to get closer than 10 the rest of the way.
    Sophomore Jett Rufenacht added 10 points and seven rebounds, and senior Chase Stietz chipped in with eight points and two steals for the Warriors.
    Meier added five rebounds and Leuzinger had two steals, while Jacob Quinn tallied five assists and two steals and Jason Treuthardt contributed three assists and two steals. Connor Meyer registered a team-high two blocked shots.
    At Monticello, on Friday, Dec. 11, the Warriors used a strong first-half effort to saddle the host Ponies, 58-47, in a SRE affair.
    Black Hawk built up a 32-21 halftime lead, and then matched the Ponies (0-5, 0-2) point-for-point in the second half to remain unbeaten on the season.
    “We’re excited right now. We’re a young group of kids who have a lot of potential,” Coach Charlie Anderson commented.
    Sophomore guard CJ Leuzinger led three Warriors in double figures with 15 points and he added four rebounds and three steals.
    Guard Chase Stietz had 13 points and six steals, while junior forward Josh Meier provided 11 points and three assists.
    Jacob Quinn had eight steals and Jett Rufenacht pulled down four rebounds for the Warriors.
    Black Hawk faces Albany in a Six Rivers East game at the Six Rivers Conference boys’ basketball jamboree to be held at UW-Platteville’s Williams Fieldhouse on Friday, Dec. 18, starting at 7:45 p.m. The Warriors also have a non-conference make-up game at Darlington on Saturday, Dec. 19, beginning at 2:30 p.m.

Juda………….  16   26 – 42
Black Hawk…  24   30 – 54
    Juda – Haffele 6, Stuckey 6, Rackow 6, Fortney 9, Bouc 9, Morris 6. Totals – 16  10-19  42.
    Black Hawk – Jason Treuthardt 2, CJ Leuzinger 11, Jett Rufenacht 10, Josh Meier 15, Michael Flanagan 2, Seth Paulson 2, Chase Stietz 8, Connor Meyer 4. Totals – 20  2-12  54.
    3-point goals– J 0, BH 4 (Leuzinger 3, Meier 1). Total fouls– J na, BH 18.

Black Hawk…  32   26 – 58
Monticello…..  21   26 – 47
    Black Hawk – Jacob Quinn 5, Jason Treuthardt 6, CJ Leuzinger 15, Jett Rufenacht 6, Josh Meier 11, Michael Flanagan 2, Chase Stietz 13. Totals – 22  9-14  58.
    Monticello – Gafner 4, Errthum 4, Price 9, Hanenberger 6, Marty 15, team 9. Totals –47.
    3-point goals– BH 5 (Quinn 1, Treuthardt 2, Leuzinger 1, Stietz 1), M na (). Total fouls– BH na, M na.