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Another in a long line of games this season that has one coach shaking his head and the other liking the way his team is responding in the midst of tough challenges with a target on their back.
Such is the case in River Valley's 46-40 win over Dodgeville in a SWC boys game Friday.
For the Dodgers, it was one more game in a one win season that could be categorized in the "almost" column once again. The Dodgers have enough close game losses to be having a .500 season if the ball would drop a couple more times in their favor.
"I sound like a broken record," said Dodgeville coach Matt McGraw. "We did a lot of really good things and put ourselves in position but can't find a way to finish. People that watch us play keep saying we can be extremely dangerous when we find a way to finish off games. I still have faith that they are right."
McGraw also knows that the two game match-up between the Hawks and the Dodgers is always interesting to say the least. The Hawks have wins in both games to their credit and McGraw feels River Valley's coaching has something to do with it as the Hawks are undefeated in the SWC at this time.
"As always Luke (Thatcher) did a great job of having his team ready to play and did what they had to do to win," McGraw said.
Dodgeville had a pair of players who performed their roles and kept the game close until the end. Sophomore Dillon Garthwaite led with 16 points and put in what could have been the game winner from three point land as the final minutes clicked off the clock. He also was instrumental in keeping the Dodgers in it with 13 of his 16 points the second half.
Senior Brandon Brennum came off the bench to spark the Dodgers with a 12 point performance. He had six each half which was key the first half as the Dodgers only totaled 13.
It was Garthwaite that gave the Hawks the biggest problem according to how River Valley coach Luke Thatcher saw it.
"We didn't give him the respect we should have," Thatcher said. "His size created a real match-up problem for us an he stepped up big time for them. He did not play like a sophomore."
That was especially true when Garthwaite gave the Dodgers a lead in the second half, breaking a 26 all tie. Dodgeville had taken the lead at 11:51 but the Hawks tied it before Garthwaite struck and turned it into a chase by the Hawks until the end.
The score was tied at 34 all with 6:51 left and at 36 all a little more than a minute later. The Dodgers then had the upper hand at 38-36 at 4:16.
It took until 1:58 before the Hawks got the lead back on a basket by Joe Ryan that made it 39-38. Tyler Nachreiner's two throws set the score at 41-38 then Ryan kept the run going with a basket from the left side of the key.
Brennum scored for the Dodgers to make it a one point game at 41-40 before the Hawks closed it out with two free throws by Josh Maier, one by Ryan and a rebound basket by Zach Gloudeman just short of the buzzer.
Maier was the lone Hawk to reach double figures and had the best shooting individual percentage for his team. He was eight for 14 from the field on a night when the ball refused to drop for the Hawks. The entire team was 18 for 55 for 32% overall and had only one three pointer drop in 10 tries. They missed all three ball tries the first half and only made one of nine the second 18 minutes.
"Dodgeville came right at us after halftime and erased our 10 point lead just like that," Thatcher said. "But the good thing is our kids responded. We didn't play well but the kids stepped up at the end. It was an ugly win but we will take it."
The Hawks were without the services of Will Bailey who rolled his ankle the game before. Brandon Springer got the start and filled in well.
"Brandon did a good job for us," said Thatcher, adding that Bailey was in a boot and is a game time decision.
SCORE BY HALVES
Dodgeville. 13 27 40
River Valley 23 23 46
BOX SCORE
DODGEVILLE 40: (fg-ft-tp) Buchanan 1-0-2, Garthwaite 5-4-16, Weier 0-0-0, Jacobson 0-0-0, Busch 0-0-0, Halverson 0-1-1, Brennum 5-2-12, Berg 0-0-0, Borne-Mumm 1-0-2, Tranel 1-4-7 Totals 13-11/17-40. Fouls-18 Fouled out-Garthwaite
RIVER VALLEY 46: Aron 1-0-3, Ryan 2-1-5, Nachreiner 3-1-7, Baenen 0-0-0, Bl. Springer 1-0-2, Jewell 01-1, Esser 0-0-0, Br. Springer 2-0-4, Gloudeman 2-0-4, Maier 8-6-22. Totals 18-9/20-46 Fouls-16
3 point goals:D-Garthwaite 2, Tranel 1
RV-Aron 1