Richland Center came to town Thursday night and handed the Platteville girls basketball team its first Southwest Wisconsin Conference loss of the season.
Senior forward Brooke Peterson scored a team-high 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Hornets to an 80–64 victory. Peterson also went a perfect 14 for 14 from the free throw line.
Sophomore Madison Rizner added 21 points and junior Brooklyn Liegel finished with 15 points for the winners. Richland Center (8–6, 4–1 SWC) went on to defeat River Valley in a make-up game Saturday night to pull into a first place tie with Platteville (10–3, 4–1).
Liegel scored nine points in a RC 13–2 run late in the first half to give the Hornets a 30–21 halftime lead.
Center scored the first six points of the second half to extend its lead to 16 points at 37–21, but Platteville rallied behind the inspired play of sophomore forward Skye Digman.
Digman, who came off the bench for the first time this year, scored in the post then converted back-to-back three-point plays to ignite a 17–4 Hillmen run. Digman finished with a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds.
Senior Claire Tashner hit a three-pointer and senior Sierra Brecke converted a fast break layup after a Rachel Emendorfer steal to pull Platteville within three at 41–38 with 12:28 left.
The Hillmen had a shot to tie, but Brecke’s three-pointer rimmed out. The Hornets went on a 10–3 run over the next three minutes to regain control of the game and made 9 of 12 from the free throw line in the final three minutes to close out the win.
“Richland Center played with some grit and toughness Thursday night,” said Platteville head coach Brandon Temperly. “They had 14 offensive rebounds that led to 18 second chance points, and we turned the ball over too many times. Our girls are going to continue to get better in those areas and be ready for our next opponent.”
Monday’s non-conference game at Southwestern was postponed by below zero temperatures and will be made up on Saturday, Feb. 13 at 2:30 p.m. The Hillmen suffered a 55–50 non-conference loss to Shullsburg on Tuesday night and will return to conference action Friday at home against River Valley (4–8, 1–4 SWC).
Richland Center 80, Platteville 64
(from Thursday, Jan. 14 @ Platteville)
Richland Center 30 50 — 80
Platteville 21 33 — 64
Richland Center (7–6, 3–1) — Whitney 9, Erving 3, Perkins , Rizner 21, Kinney 3, Liegel 15, Ruetten 4, Peterson 24. Totals — 25 27-38 80.
Platteville (10–3, 4–1) — Claire Tashner 16, Sami Brookens 3, Allison Woodworth 9, Sierra Brecke 11, Skye Digman 25. Totals — 22 17-25 64.
3-point goals — RC: 3 (Whitney 1, Liegel 2); P: 3 (Tashner 1, Brookens 1, Brecke 1). Team fouls — Pla: 14, PdC: 28. Fouled out — PdC: Trautsch, Welter, Paige Rickleff.
