LANCASTER — Three nights after suffering its first loss of the season, Platteville got back on track with a 56–47 Southwest Wisconsin Conference road Friday night at Lancaster in the first game of  SWC boys’–girls’ double header.

Senior Donovan Blevins and  junior Cade Rohrbach combined to score 16 points in tide-turning 18–7 second-half run that lifted coach Mike Huser’s Hillmen to a comeback victory.

“I thought our guys handled a tough environment with poise and really played together throughout the game and our reserves gave us a lift either with scoring or coming in and playing solid defense,” said Huser. “It is tough to win at Lancaster because they play so hard, but to get a second road win in the conference will be good for us moving forward.”

Lancaster took a 36–32 lead on sophomore guard Dawson Bowen’s 3-pointer with 13:23 left.

Rohrbach answered with a spinning pull-up jumper in the lane, then after a pair of Lancaster free throws, Belvin scored in the post.

Junior guard Isaiah Oswald made 1 of 2 from the line to cut the Platteville deficit to one with just over 10 minutes to play, then Blevins scored five straight points on a three-point play and a pair of free throws to give Platteville a 42–38 lead with 8:06 to play.

Blevins had been 0 of 6 from the charity strip up to that point, but knocked down three straight clutch free throws to put Platteville in front.

After Lancaster point guard Jalen Schmitz made it a one-possession game with a short jumper, Rohrbach drilled a clutch 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 45–40.

Then after junior Conner Riley split a pair of free throws, Rohrbach came up with a steal and a breakaway layup that made it 48–40.

Evan Gates made a 3-pointer form the corner to keep Lancaster within striking distance, but Blevins scored a drive to the hoop (pictured on 12A) and Riley scored in the post to make it 52–43 with 3:15 remaining.

Platteville made enough from the free throw line (4 of 8) in the final 1:29 to close out the win.

The Hillmen (4–1, 2–0 SWC) jumped out to an early 6–2 lead, but Lancaster used a 13–6 run to grab the lead and held into most of the half.

Oswald hit a floater in the lane, Rohrbach made a 3-pointer and Riley scored in the paint as Platteville closed the first half on a 7–2 run to take a 28–26 lead at intermission.

“I thought we did a better job in the second half of really attacking the basket and playing through our post players,” said Huser. “We were able to get the free throw line and get them in some foul trouble and that helped out our post players to be able to get some room to work around the basket.

“We took care of the basketball with only five turnovers and played efficient basketball. We still have work to do on the offensive end of the floor from a smoothness standpoint, but overall we were much more efficient on Friday than we were on Tuesday night at Wisconsin Heights.”

Platteville shot just 33 percent (17 of 51), including 5 of 18 (27.8 percent) from beyond the arc in a two-point 48–46 non-conference loss at Wisconsin Heights on Tuesday.

Oswald was the hero once, tying the game with a 3-pointer with 36 seconds left, but couldn’t duplicate the magic moments later.

Carson Hughes made a pair of free throws with 18 seconds left to give the Vanguards (3–0) a 48–46 lead.

Oswald got a good look with time winding down, but his potential game-winning 3-pointer rimmed out at the buzzer.

Oswald finished with nine points. Blevins led the Hillmen with 14 points and four rebounds.

Rohrbach was held scoreless on 0 of 11 from the field, but grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds and passed out six assists.

Senior Zach White scored a season-high eight points and grabbed four boards.

NEXT: Platteville will host Prairie du Chien (2–2, 1–1 SWC) in another SWC boys’–girls’ doubleheader Friday night beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Wisconsin Heights 48, 

Platteville 46

(from Tuesday, Dec. 5 @ Mazomanie)

Platteville 20 26 —  46

Wisconsin Heights 22 26 —  48

Platteville (3–1) — Andy Eggers 2, Donovan Blevins 14, Brock Schambow 2, Isaiah Oswald 9, Zach White 8, Connor Riley 5, Trey Bartels 4, Gerret Heer 2. Totals — 17-51 7-8 48.

Wisconsin Heights (3–0) — Shraven Parman 18, Camden Brown 1, Carson Hughes 10, Grady Geishirt 3, Joan Ayala 4, D.J. Geishirt 10, Clayton Caminiti 2. Totals — 48.

3-point goals — P: 5 (Oswald 3, White 2), WH: n/a. Total fouls — P: n/a, WH: n/a. Fouled out — none.

Platteville 56, Lancaster 47 

(from Friday, Dec. 8 @ Lancaster)

Platteville 28 28 —  56

Lancaster 26 21 —  47

Platteville (4–1, 2–0) — Andy Eggers 3, Donovan Blevins 11, Cade Rohrbach 13, Isaiah Oswald 6, Zach White 2, Connor Riley 13, Trey Bartels 8. Totals — 22-43 9-21 56.

Lancaster (3–2, 0–2) — Dawson Bowen 5, Evan Gates 3, Austin Mumm 9, Jordan Reuter 14, Jalen Schmitz 2, Nate Timmerman 14. Totals — 18 6-8 47. 

3-point goals — P: 3 (Egges 1, Rohrbach 2); L: 5 (Reuter 2, Bowen 1, Gates 1, Mumm 1). Total fouls — P: n/a, L: n/a. Fouled out — none.