PLATTEVILLE — The 2016–17 Platteville girls basketball team is a work in progress, chock full of potential.

Junior Skye Digman is the unquestioned leader, and seniors Brelynn Updike and Sami Brookens, and junior Rachel Bailie are more than capable supporting players, but the Hillmen are starting a pair of freshman and bringing two more ninth-graders off the bench this season.

There are sure to be growing pains, but so far so good for coach Brandon Temperly’s new-look squad.

Friday night Digman dominated the paint posted her second double–double of the season with a game-high 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Updike scored a career-high 17 points to lead the Hillmen to an easy 68–41 victory over visiting Lancaster in the opening game Southwest Wisconsin Conference play.

The game was also the first of 10 SWC Friday night girls–boys doubleheaders.

Platteville (3–1, 1–0 SWC) opened the game on a 12–1 run and never let up. Updike hit scored five points in the opening two minutes and freshman point guard Josie Nies buried a triple to make it 8–1. Digman scored on a layup, then feed 6’0” freshman forward Sami Martin deep in the post to make it 12–1 six minutes into the game.

Lancaster pulled within eight at 16–8 on a jumper by sophomore Devin Wagner, but Digman converted a three-point play to jump start a 14–2 Hillmen run.

Updike continually attacked the basket and made the most of her free throw opportunities, converting 7 of 8 from the charity stripe to score 14 of her 17 points in the first half.

The Arrows crept back in the game and trimmed the deficit to nine at 32–23 with 43 seconds left in the half, but a pair of Updike free throws made pushed the lead back to double digits, 34–23, going into halftime.

Then Hillmen buckled down in the second half  and went on a 25–8 run to open the final 18-minute period that put the game away. Digman scored back-to-back baskets to make it 59–31 with 6:33 left in the game.

Martin finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. Nies chipped in eight points, six assists and three steals. Junior Sami Knockel made three free throws and Bailie, Brookens, Hanna Langmeier, and freshmen Izzy Carroll and Becca Hoyer each scored two points in the win.

Platteville hosted Darlington Tuesday night and will never travel to River Valley Friday for another SWC girls–boys doubleheader. The girls tip off at 6:30, followed by the boys game.

Platteville 68, Lancaster 41
(from Friday, Dec. 2 @ Platteville)
Lancaster            23    18     —  41
Platteville            34    34     —  68
Platteville (3–1, 1–0) — Josie Nies 8, Brelynn Updike 17, Rachel Bailie 2, Sami Brookens 2, Becca Hoyer 2, Hanna Langmeier 2, Sami Martin 10, Izzy Carroll 2, Sami Knockel 3, Skye Digman 18. Totals — 23-54 17-24 66.
Lancaster (3–2, 0–1) — Morelia Galvan 4, Lauren Thole 2, Lydia Murphy 13, Carly Chadd 4, Kristina Larson 5, Devin Wagner 12. Totals –13 15-25 41.
3-point goals — P: 2 (Nies 2, Updike 1); L: none. Total fouls — L 16, P 21. Fouled out — none.