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Alex Mortimer proved he could do a lot but he couldn't do it all as the Mineral Point boys basketball team held off the SWC leading Richland Center Hornets in a non-conference game Saturday.
Mortimer put in 28 points and scored all of the Richland Center points in the third quarter. He was the only Hornet to reach double figures.
The Pointers countered with four double figure scorers and got timely contributions from the eight who saw action. They had to overcome some foul problems as Turner Poad and Tarek Oellerich both fouled out and Sy Staver sat several minutes with three early ones but they had the depth to handle the adversity.
Staver led the Pointers with 17 points with Trevor Wendhausen adding 15 and Chanler Leonard 10. Staver and Wendhausen closed out the game with a couple press breaking fast break lay-ups. Leonard slammed down a dunk for one of his five baskets.
Staver had seven points in the first quarter to help the Pointers to a 22-14 lead but picked up his third foul with 13 seconds left in the frame.
Leonard broke lose on the inside to put up four points the second quarter and Alec Schmitz nailed a deep three near the end of the frame. Poad also had four points as the Pointers took a 35-28 halftime lead.
Leonard's dunk answered a Mortimer basket to start the second half in a battle of the 6-6 players. Wendhausen hit a three pointer before a Mortimer three cut the lead to three at 40-37. But the Pointers pushed it back to 10 on a five point run, three by Oellerich and two by Leonard. The Pointers held a 47-37 lead after three.
Staver had eight and Wendhausen five to help put the game away with a 19-12 fourth quarter margin.
If the Pointers had anything out of sync in the game it was at the free throw line where they were six for 18. They did not make a free throw until there were 14 seconds left in the third quarter when Oellerich sunk one to complete a three point play. The Pointers had missed seven before Oellerich found the range.
It was not an easy night for the Pointers as they started the game with a player not feeling well and with another just coming off an ankle injury.
"We did a nice job fighting through adversity tonight," said coach Dan Burreson. "Trevor Wendhausen was at less than 100% but was still very productive with 15 points along with 6 assists. Tarek Ollerich had his best all around game of the year coming off an injury sustained against Black Hawk."
Burreson said Chanler Leonard had double digits in scoring and rebounding for a double double and also contributed six assists.
"Sy Staver and Turner Poad both played well despite limited minutes," said, and added that Alec Schmitz also continues to play well."
"We moved the ball against them pretty well and when our shots weren't falling our defense was able to create some offense."
The SWAL leading Pointers improved to 10-0 on the season. They are state's second ranked team in Division 4.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
MP 22 13 12 19 66
RC 14 14 9 12 49
BOX SCORE
MINERAL POINT 66: (fg-ft-tp) Schmitz 3-1-8, Staver 7-2-17, Wendhausen 6-1-15, Oellerich 4-1-9, Leonard 5-0-10, Poad 3-0-6, Gorgen 0-1-1, Zimmerman 0-0-0 Totals 28-6/18-66 Fouls-18 Fouled out-Poad, Oellerich
RICHLAND CENTER 49: Morti-mer 12-2-28, Breninger 3-3-9, Anderson 2-0-4, Johnson 1-0-3 Stanek 2-0-5 Totals 20-5/8-49 Fouls-16 Fouled out-Anderson
3 point goals:
MP-Wendhausen 2, Staver 1, Schmitz 1
RC-Mortimer 2, Johnson 1, Stanek 1