EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.

By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal / Fennimore Times / Boscobel Dial

Carver Fitzsimons, Jr., Darlington boys basketball
DARLINGTON — Darlington junior Carver Fitzsimons late game heroics saved the day in last Thursday SWAL showdown of Division 4 top-10 teams. Fitzsimons hit a game-tying 3-pointer at the final buzzer of regulation to send the game to overtime and finished with a game-high 28 points to lead the #6-ranked Redbirds to a 73–70 victory over #4 ranked previously undefeated Mineral Point.

Darlington improved to 13–1 overall and remained perfect in the SWAL at 5–0 with its 11th straight win, while the Pointers fell to 10–1 overall and 4–1 with its first loss of the season.

Fitzsimons also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds and was nearly perfect from the field going, 12 of 15 from the floor, including the buzzer-beating game-tying triple at the end of regulation.

Fitzsimons also posted a double–double of 17 points and 10 rebounds in last Tuesday's dominating 72–35 non-conference win over River Valley. He also had 11 points and seven rebounds in Tuesday's 48–43 win at Fennimore. The Darlington senior is averaging 14.3 points and a SWAL-best 9.9 rebounds through 15 games while shooting a 54.2 percent from the field. 

HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Jenna Dailey, Sr., G, Cuba City girls basketball
Dailey made 4 of 9 three-point attempts and finished with a season team-high 16 points in last Tuesday's key 55–49 SWAL victory at Mineral Point (11–4, 6–1) as the #3-ranked Cubans (14–0, 7–0) remained undefeated and took over sole possession of first place in the SWAL.

Max Lucey, Sr., G, Cuba City boys basketball
Lucey erupted for a career-high 34 points and had three rebounds and three assists in Tuesday's 89–56 SWAL win at Riverdale. Lucey also posted a game-high 24 points, six boards and three assists in last Thursday's 79–56 win over visiting Fennimore (8–6, 3–3). The 6-foo-5 Lucey is averaging a conference-best 23.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for the Cubans (9–3, 5–1), who are currently in a second-place tie with D4 #6-ranked Mineral Point (12–1, 5–1).

Lizzie Poller, Sr., G, Platteville girls basketball
Poller is averaging 14.8 points per game during Platteville's current six-game winning streak. She poured in 19 points on just nine field goal attempts (as well as 9 of 13 at the free throw line) to go along with four steals and three assists in a 86–44 SWC blowout of River Valley last Friday night. She then scored 16 points in a 79–41 win at Evansville Saturday, before scoring 13 points in Tuesday's 61–52 non-conference win over Wisconsin Dells.

Andrew Puls, Sr., G, Richland Center boys basketball
Puls made six 3-pointers and finished with 22 points and five rebounds in the Hornets' 54–39 SWC victory over River Valley last Thursday night. Puls also scored a team-high 13 points in last Monday's 51–49 win over Lancaster. Puls and the Hornets improved to 6–6 overall and 2–1 in the SWC with last week's back-to-back wins.

Rylee Rogers, Sr., G, Belmont girls basketball
Roger scored a game-high 18 points and had five assists in the Braves' 59–43 win over Highland Tuesday night. Rogers also had 11 points, four assists, three steals and three rebounds to lead the first-place Braves (13–2, 5–0 SRW) in Friday's SRW win at Shullsburg.

Landon Thousand, Jr., PG, Mineral Point boys basketball
Thousand posted a near-triple-double of 18 points (career-high), 10 rebounds and nine assists with two steals and two blocks to lead the shorthanded Pointers (10–1, 4–1) — who were without sophomore standout Eli Lindsey — in last Thursday's 73–70 overtime loss to #6-ranked Darlington (14–1, 5–0). Thousand also had 12 points and nine assists in Saturday's 82–45 win at Mondovi, and nine points, eight rebounds, 10 assists, four steals and three blocks in Tuesday's 73–43 win over Boscobel. Thousand is averaging a 9.4 points, a SWAL-best 9.2 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game for the Pointers (12–1, 5–1 SWAL).

Sam Udelhofen, Sr., PG and Gavin Wunderlin, Jr., F, Potosi boys basketball
Udelhofen poured in a career-high 30 points on 10 of 21 shooting with five 3-pointers, eight rebounds and two assists, while Wunderlin added 17 points, six rebounds and a game-high six steals in last Tuesday's 68–59 win at Lancaster. Wunderlin again scored 17 points, and Udelhofen added 9 points and 8 rebounds in an easy 69–23 rout of Lancaster last Thursday night. The duo then combined for 48 points in a key 73–55 SRW win over Benton Tuesday night with Wunderlin pumping in 31 points on an efficient 12 of 19 from the field, while Udelhofen added 17 points and eight rebounds.