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By Levi Zimmerman
Dodgeville boys basketball has been on a hot streak since losing to Mineral Point in the first game of the season.
The Dodgers won 12 of their last 13 games and moved into the Associated Press Top 10 poll at ninth in division three.
Tuesday night, the Oregon Panthers came to Dodgeville for a non-conference matchup; Oregon is a division two school.
The Dodgers came out strong in the opening half, going for 41 points, taking a seven-point lead over the Panthers into the break.
Senior Dillon Garthwaite had 14 points to lead Dodgeville in the first, and he was perfect from the free throw line, making six-of-six, to go along with four baskets.
Junior guard Matthew Pittz added nine points, including a three-point field goal.
6'10' junior Chandler Batchelor scored all 10 of his points for the game in the first half; Oregon made ajustments at halftime to shut him down.
Oregon's Ryne Panzer led the Panthers with 13 points in the first half.
The second half of play was a stark difference, as Oregon out-scored Dodgeville, 49-25.
Panzer added nine points to lead Oregon with 22 points, including a couple of three's.
Deaken Bush scored 11 in the second half to tally 15 points for the game.
Evan Miles added 10 points, with two, two's and two, three's.
Although the Dodgers were handed their third loss of the season, it was a historic night for one of its seniors.
Garthwaite hit a milestone, surpassing 1,000 career points.
With 3:46 left in the game, Garthwaite made a free throw, which was his 19th point for the game, to hit 1,000.
He shot the ball very well from the strike, making 11-of-14 attempts.
Garthwaite ended with 27 points and 1,003 points for his career.
Pittz had 15 points for the Dodgers, followed by Batchelor with 10.
Junior LaCarder Walker added nine.
Dodgeville's head coach, Matt McGraw, said he liked what he saw from the Dodgers against a solid opponent.
"It was a really solid first half against a really good team. We had told the guys that on tape we think this will probably be one of the best teams we have played this season. They move really well on offense, can shoot it and create match up problems," said McGraw.
"In The first half, we were able to take them out of their game. We played a little more zone than we had been recently, and I like what we did overall. There was only really one change in the second half. They put a lot more pressure on us, and we didn't handle it as well as we could," he stated.
Despite the loss, McGraw said the Dodgers have the ability to grow and get better.
"It's a great opportunity to learn. We have to play teams like this that make us play at a different level. Even though the second half didn't go the way that we wanted it to, we will watch the film and handle that type of pressure the next time. It will help us in the long run to get where we want to be."
Dodgeville will return to SWC play Thursday, Jan. 27 when they travel to Prairie du Chien.
SCORE BY HALVES
Oregon 34 49 83
Dodgeville 41 25 66
BOX SCORE
OREGON 83: (fg-ft-tp)
Taylor 2-0-4, Bry. Kerns 0-3-3, Bra. Kerns 3-0-7, Panzer 9-2-22, Kessenich 1-0-3, McCorkle 1-0-3, Weink 0-0-0, Bush 5-3-15, Miles 4-0-10, Patterson 0-1-1, Schoenecker 1-0-2, Rulseh 4-0-8, Brockman 1-0-2, Gates 1-0-2. Totals- 32-11/12-83 Fouls- 18
DODGEVILLE 66: Pittz 5-3-15, Walker 4-1-9, Keith 1-0-2, Garthwaite 8-11-27, Wasley 1-0-2, Busch 1-0-2, McVay 0-1-1, Batchelor 5-0-10. Totals- 25-16/23-66 Fouls- 10
3 point goals:
OREGON (7)- Panzer 2, Miles 2, Bra. Kerns 1, McCorkle 1, Kessenich 1
DODGEVILLE (2)- Pittz 2