LANCASTER — The Platteville girls basketball team successfully defended their number one status with a 62–33 road win in a Southwest Wisconsin Conference boys’–girls’ doubleheader at Lancaster Friday night, in their first contest since being voted the top team in the state in Division 3.
Sophomore center Sami Martin scored Platteville’s first five points on a layup and a three-point play to set the tone of Platteville’s dominance in the paint.
Lancaster’s Lydia Murphy made a pair of slashing layups in the first three minutes, but sophomore Josie Nies buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key, senior forward Skye Digman made a pair of free throws, Martin added another three-point play and senior Hanna Langmeier drilled a 3-pointer to make it 16–4 less than seven minutes into the game.
Platteville (4–1, 2–0 SWC) never trailed in the game.
Senior forward Sami Knockel scored in the paint on a nice feed from classmate Rachel Bailie and sophomore Becca Hoyer added a fastbreak layup moments layers. Hoyer made a free throw and later banked in a short jumper to cap a 23–2 Platteville run and extend the lead to 28–6 with 3:30 left in the half.
Digman scored six points in the final three minutes of the half as the Hillmen built a 36–10 halftime advantage.
“Our biggest focus at this point in the season has been team defense, free throws, and valuing the ball,” said Platteville head coach Brandon Temperly. “We are trending in the right direction. We improved our turnover rate at Lancaster and went 15 of 18 from the free throw line.
“Our defense has been great at times and has struggled at times. We are looking for consistent, tough defense. When we play well of the defensive end, it directly benefits our offense. The great thing is, our girls embrace playing defense and are hungry to keep improving. “
Digman finished with a game-high 18 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Martin posted a double–double of 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Nies chipped in eight points, three rebounds and three steals. Hoyer finished with seven points and a pair of steals for the top-ranked Hillmen.
“Being ranked number one at this point in the season is a nice honor but it does not get us one extra point on the scoreboard,” said Temperly. “We are concerned about getting better every day. We’ll keep focusing on strengthening the things we do well and improving the areas we need to work on. We have to keep working but I’m pleased with the direction we are headed at this point.”
Murphy finished with a team-high 15 points for the Arrows, who fell to 4–4 overall and 0–2 in the SWC.
Platteville 62, Lancaster 33
(from Friday, Dec. 8 @ Lancaster)
Platteville 36 26 — 62
Lancaster 10 23 — 33
Platteville (4–1, 2–0) — Josie Nies 8, Rachel Bailie 2, Mia Bernhardt 5, Becca Hoyer 7, Hanna Langmeier 3, Sami Martin 15, Sami Knockel 4, Skye Digman 18. Totals — 22-56 15-18 62.
Lancaster (4–4, 0–2) — Morellia Galvan 5, Lydia Murphy 15, Kiley Kelly 2, Brooklyn Connelly 2, Straka 2, Devin Wagner 7. Totals – 14 4-9 33.
3-point goals — P: 3 (Nies 1, Bernhardt 1, Langmeier 1), L: 1 (Galvan 1). Total fouls — P: 16; L: 14. Fouled out — none.
