GAME OF THE WEEK (Nov. 28–Dec. 4)
BOYS BASKETBALL: Platteville 105, Wisconsin Heights 91
PLATTEVILLE — Thirty-six minutes wasn’t enough to decide a victor in Tuesday’s non-conference boys basketball game between Platteville and visiting Wisconsin Heights. Neither was 40 minutes or 44 or 48 or 52 or 56.
Finally, at the end of six overtime periods, after 60 minutes of play, Isaiah Oswald and his Platteville teammates prevailed 105–91. Oswald, who finished regulation with just five points, scored 13 in the sixth extra session and finished with a career-high 41 points, making 21 of 24 free throw attempts in 58 minutes of play.
“To say it was a crazy game would be an understatement,” said Platteville head coach Mike Huser. “I thought it was a struggle for us to find any rhythm on offense the whole game because of foul trouble, but we really dug deep and showed some serious resilience against a very good opponent.”
The marathon game began at 7:15 p.m. and ended three hours later at 10:15 p.m. The two teams combined to make 24 3-pointers, shot a staggering 80 combined free throws (making 52) and committed 64 total fouls. Ten players fouled out in the game, five from each team, including one reserve on each team. Oswald was one of just two starters starters left standing for either team. Heights’ Camden Brown was the other. He finished with a team-high 21 points in defeat.
Oswald hit a 3-pointer and a 15-foot jumper to open the sixth OT, then added eight free throws to close out the wild, head-scratching victory as the Hillmen (2–1) outscored the Vanguards 16–2 in the final four-minute overtime period.
“Isaiah played 58 of the possible 60 minutes,” said Huser. “It was just crazy. As all the guys around him, guys on both teams, fouled out or got too tired, he just kept on going. Isaiah was really big to say the least in the overtimes, and really took steps forward on both ends of the floor with other guys fouling out. Our depth was tested and guys that maybe had not played a lot of minutes in the first two games played in some really high-pressure situations and performed their roles really well. This would be the epitome of a team win.”
Senior reserve Austin Wein scored a career-high 10 points — all in the overtimes — and four rebounds off the bench. Senior point guard Cade Rohrbach finished with 18 points and seven rebounds before fouling out at the start of the second overtime. Senior Connor Riley finished with 15 points and five boards before fouling out in regulation. The Hillmen also lost fellow senior forward Trey Bartels to fouls with four minutes to play in regulation. Senior guard Andy Eggers fouled out in the third overtime, and reserve Brandon Weigel picked up his fifth foul in the fourth overtime.
Regulation ended in a 48–48 tie. The teams scored seven points each in the first OT and eight more apiece in the second. Eggers had a chance to win it at the buzzer of the second OT, but his 3-point attempt from the left corner rimmed out and the game stayed tied at 63–63. Brown hit a 3-pointer at the end of the third or fourth over time — no one can remember for sure — to tie the game and Heights got a stop at the other end to extend the game.
“After the third overtime, it all runs together,” joked Huser.
Heights (3–1) had a chance to win it at the buzzer of the fifth overtime, but missed a three from the left wing and the game remained tied at 89.
“Wisconsin Heights and their coaches and players need to commended also,” said Huser. “This was one of those nights when both teams gave everything they had in themselves and I would hope both schools and communities would be extremely proud of how they represented their schools. It was just an outstanding game and experience to be a part of.
“I am sure it is one we will all remember as time goes on. Of course as coaches we look at what we need to get better at and to get ready for the next game, but this is one that may stick in the memory bank for a while.”
Platteville 105, Wisconsin Heights 91 (6 OT)
(from Tuesday, Dec. 4 @ Platteville)
Wisc. Heights 26 22 7 8 7 11 2 — 91
Platteville... 28 20 7 8 7 11 16 —105
Wisconsin Heights (3–1) — Rhead Jacobus 9, Demond Barsness 9, Shravan Parman 18, De’Shawn Barsness 18, Clayton Caminiti 16, Camden Brown 21. Totals – 31 18-37 91.
Platteville (2–1) — Andy Eggers 6, Austin Wein 10, Cade Rohrbach 18, Nathan Busch 4, Isaiah Oswald 41, Brandon Weigel 4, Connor Riley 15, Trey Bartels 2. Totals – 29 34-43 105.
3-point goals — WH: 11 (Jacobus 1, Demond Barsness 2, Parman 3, Brown 5); P: 13 (Eggers 2, Wein 2, Rohrbach 4, Busch 1, Oswald 4). Total fouls — WH: 33, P: 31. Fouled out — WH: Jacobus, Demond Barsness, Parman, De’Shawn Barsness, Flamme; P: Eggers, Rohrbach, Wiegel, Riley, Bartels.
