Platteville junior Nick Tashner has found his groove.
     After scoring a career-high 18 points in a 59-44 victory at Lancaster on Jan. 13, the junior guard was even better four nights later at Galena.
     Tashner bettered his varsity career-high by pouring in a game-high 24 points, including the first 10 points of the third quarter in a 66-59 victory over the host Pirates in a boys’girls’ double-header at Galena High School. Tashner also had fiver rebounds.
     Dylan Tranel added 13 points and eight rebounds, and Derek Schambow had 10, including two key free throws in the final 18 seconds as the Hillmen improved to 5-6 overall with the win.
     Tashner made three 3-pointers in the opening minutes of the second half and converted one into a four-point play as Platteville built a 47-31 advantage.
     But host Pirates pulled within two at 61-59 with 30 seconds remaining and missed a possible game-tying 3-pointers with 18 seconds left.
     Logan Emendorfer made 1-of-2 from the line, and Schambow closed out the win with a pair of freebies.
     Last Thursday night Tashner once again carried the offensive load scoring a team-high 16 points, but Platteville fell to league-leading Prairie du Chien, 47-35.
     Platteville was within three with three minutes to play, 34-31, but Connor Morovits, who scored a game-high 15, made back-to-back 3-pointers then the Blackhawks closed out the win by making 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
     Prairie du Chien improved to 10-3 overall and remained perfect at 5-0 in the Southwest Wisconsin Conference.        Platteville fell to 5-7 overall and 2-3, three games back of PdC, in the league.
     The Hillmen will return to action Friday when they host the Richland Center Hornets (10-4, 3-2).

Platteville 66, Galena 59
(from Tuesday, Jan. 17 @ Galena)
Platteville    16    10    21    19     -   66
Galena           6      9    16    28     -   59
Platteville (5-6) - Kevin Wruble 3, Jesse Heer 6, Logan Emendorfer 6, Garrison Jones 2, Derek Schambow 10, Dylan Tranel 13, David Bast 2, Nick Tashner 24. Totals - 23 13-21 66.
Galena - Phillips 3, Montgomey 22, Buss 1, Schultz 16, Long 6, Hesselbacher 9, Smith 2. Totals - 23 10-19 59.
3-point goals - P: 7 (Tashner 4, Wruble, Schambow, Tranel): G: 3 (Montgomery 2, Hesselbacher 1). Team fouls - P: 16; G: 18. Fouled out - P: David Bast; G: Hesselbacher.

Prairie du Chien 47, Platteville 35
(from Thursday, Jan. 19 @ Prairie)
Platteville    9    10    8    8     -   35
Prairie du Chien    10    8    13    16     -   47
Platteville (5-7, 2-3) - Logan Emendorfer 5, Derek Schambow 6, Dylan Tranel 2, David Bast 6, Nick Tashner 16. Totals - 13 4-8 35.
Prairie du Chien (10-3, 5-0) - Graewin 4, Riebe 8, Morovits 15, Garrity 12, Mezera 3, David 3, Nack 1. Totals - 15 12-14 47.
3-point goals - Pla: 5 (Emendorfer 1, Schambow 1, Tashner 3); PdC: Morovits 3, Garrity 2). Team fouls - Pla: 12; PdC: 15. Fouled out - none.