The four-game losing streak that put a black mark on an otherwise successful season is by now a thing of the past for Wayne Jentz’s Platteville girls’ basketball team.
     Last Thursday night the Hillmen put together a dominating effort on both ends of the court turning a six-point game at the half into 62-40 Senior Night blowout over visiting Dodgeville in the regular season finale for both teams.
     The game served a dual purpose for Platteville (13-9, 4-6 SWC), avenging a nine-point loss to the Dodgers that started that mini four-game skid back on Jan. 26, while serving as a quality tune up for the upcoming WIAA playoffs.
     The Hillmen, who have now won three in a row and five of six, opened WIAA Division 3 regional play Tuesday night at home against No. 9 Westfield (10-12). The game was play after press time and finished too late for this edition.
     On this rare occasion juniors Elisa Bilderback and Julia Lawinger came off the bench to carry the offense load for their celebrating senior teammates while everyone got involved on defense and rebounding the ball. Ten different Hillmen had at least one rebound or one steal.
     Bilderback, a 5-11 forward, made 8-of-16 shots from the floor and another 6-of-8 from the free throw line for a game-high 22 points. She scored the first four points of the second half and  11 of Platteville’s points in a 15-5 third-quarter run. Bilderback also grabbed four rebounds and passed out four assists.
     Lawinger added 14 points, a team-high nine rebounds, three assists and three steals for the winners. The sharp shooting wing made three, 3-pointers in the game, including one with 10 seconds left in the first half that sent the Hillmen to the locker room with a 31-25 lead.
     The Hillmen had 13 steals in the game and converted five of those directly into breakaway layups, including two by senior guard Tisia Muzinga, who started Thursday’s game with fellow 12th graders Tess Stecklein, Megan Moss, Katie Lucas and Sam Hamer.
     Muzinga finished the game with six points, as did freshman Ashley Budden. Freshman Cassie Hamer added four points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
Platteville 62, Dodgeville 40
(from Thursday, March 1 @ Platteville)
Dodgeville    13    12    8    7     -  40
Platteville    16    15    15    16     -   62
Dodgeville (10-12, 4-6) - Pope 10, Crowley 8, Neil 1, McConnell 4, Ley 8, Zoet 1, Stanek 8. Totals - 12 18-26 40.
Platteville (13-9, 4-6) - Sam Hamer 2, Stephanie Philipps 3, Laura Donovan 2, Elisa Bilderback 23, Cassie Hamer 4, Tisia Muzinga 6, Ashley Budden 6, Julia Lawinger 14. Totals - 27 10-16 62.
3-point goals - D: 2 (Pope 1, Crowley 1); P: 3 (Lawinger 3). Team fouls - D: 15; P: 20. Fouled out - none.