SOUTH WAYNE - In a battle of Six Rivers conference champions, the Black Hawk boys basketball team routed Potosi 73-46, capturing a Division 5 regional title and advancing to the Division 5 sectional semifinals.
The Warriors took control of the game from the get-go, outscoring the Chieftains 19-6 in the first quarter. Black Hawk's early surge was led in large part by sophomore forward Heath Butler, who scored seven of the team's first nine points.
"We succeeded in what we needed to do," Butler said. "When we got the ball in the paint, we finished."
Butler ultimately made eight field goals and was perfect from the line for a team-high 17 points, and Black Hawk coach Corey Manlick had plenty of praise for his big man.
"He's a great kid," Manlick said. "He works hard every night at practice, he wants to get better, he wants to do a lot of good things, and tonight it showed. He excelled."
Going into the game, Manlick said he was expecting one of his players to step up, and Butler was that guy Monday night.
"Heath Butler was one of the kids that did step up," he said. "Credit the kids around him, too, for getting him the rock down low. He was able to capitalize."
After jumping out to the early lead, the Warriors kept the momentum going in the second quarter, outscoring Potosi 16-9. Black Hawk capped the quarter by milking the last minute and a half off the clock across two possessions and making back to back shots for the last six points of the half.
The second half was a continuation of the first, with Black Hawk playing tight defense, corralling Potosi misses and turning them into points at the other end. By the end of the third quarter, the Warriors' lead was 25.
"Our defense played outstanding tonight," Manlick said. "We recognized who their three shooters were ... and we did a nice job on not allowing them any clean looks or open looks."
Spencer Hawes was the leading scorer for Potosi, with 12 points, and most of his points came at the free throw line, where he converted 5 of 7 attempts.
In all, the Warriors had four players score in double figures, including Seth Butler (13), Cory Rupnow (13) and Tyler Peterson (10). Seth Butler scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half, including 4-of-4 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.
"We broken them down offensively," Manlick said. "We punched some gaps, guys made shots."
The Warriors were also efficient from the line, converting 10 of 15 free throw attempts as a team.
With the persistent defense and the consistent scoring, Black Hawk pushed its lead to 34 points with 5:39 left in the game. That was about when Manlick started pulling his starters off the floor to cheers from the packed-house crowd.
"They wanted it bad," Manlick said, of the win. "Last year we lost to (Potosi). In football (Potosi) beat them last year and in football this year. They have their conference plaque for football. Guess what? They're not getting our regional plaque that we wanted so bad."
When asked how the win feels coming against Potosi and in Black Hawk's home gym, Heath Butler had to agree.
"It feels awesome," he said.
Regional championship trophy in hand, Black Hawk's attention will now shift to the sectional semifinals, where Division 5 juggernaut, and No. 1 seed, Randolph awaits.
Manlick understands the task ahead of him and his boys at the next level, but he believes the Warriors belong there.
"They're a great team; they're historically good," Manlick said, of Randolph. "Coach Haffele has a great program, his kids are fundamentally sound. They're there for a reason, but I believe we're there for a reason as well."
Thursday's sectional semifinal will be held in Waunakee, with tip off at 7 p.m.
The Warriors took control of the game from the get-go, outscoring the Chieftains 19-6 in the first quarter. Black Hawk's early surge was led in large part by sophomore forward Heath Butler, who scored seven of the team's first nine points.
"We succeeded in what we needed to do," Butler said. "When we got the ball in the paint, we finished."
Butler ultimately made eight field goals and was perfect from the line for a team-high 17 points, and Black Hawk coach Corey Manlick had plenty of praise for his big man.
"He's a great kid," Manlick said. "He works hard every night at practice, he wants to get better, he wants to do a lot of good things, and tonight it showed. He excelled."
Going into the game, Manlick said he was expecting one of his players to step up, and Butler was that guy Monday night.
"Heath Butler was one of the kids that did step up," he said. "Credit the kids around him, too, for getting him the rock down low. He was able to capitalize."
After jumping out to the early lead, the Warriors kept the momentum going in the second quarter, outscoring Potosi 16-9. Black Hawk capped the quarter by milking the last minute and a half off the clock across two possessions and making back to back shots for the last six points of the half.
The second half was a continuation of the first, with Black Hawk playing tight defense, corralling Potosi misses and turning them into points at the other end. By the end of the third quarter, the Warriors' lead was 25.
"Our defense played outstanding tonight," Manlick said. "We recognized who their three shooters were ... and we did a nice job on not allowing them any clean looks or open looks."
Spencer Hawes was the leading scorer for Potosi, with 12 points, and most of his points came at the free throw line, where he converted 5 of 7 attempts.
In all, the Warriors had four players score in double figures, including Seth Butler (13), Cory Rupnow (13) and Tyler Peterson (10). Seth Butler scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half, including 4-of-4 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.
"We broken them down offensively," Manlick said. "We punched some gaps, guys made shots."
The Warriors were also efficient from the line, converting 10 of 15 free throw attempts as a team.
With the persistent defense and the consistent scoring, Black Hawk pushed its lead to 34 points with 5:39 left in the game. That was about when Manlick started pulling his starters off the floor to cheers from the packed-house crowd.
"They wanted it bad," Manlick said, of the win. "Last year we lost to (Potosi). In football (Potosi) beat them last year and in football this year. They have their conference plaque for football. Guess what? They're not getting our regional plaque that we wanted so bad."
When asked how the win feels coming against Potosi and in Black Hawk's home gym, Heath Butler had to agree.
"It feels awesome," he said.
Regional championship trophy in hand, Black Hawk's attention will now shift to the sectional semifinals, where Division 5 juggernaut, and No. 1 seed, Randolph awaits.
Manlick understands the task ahead of him and his boys at the next level, but he believes the Warriors belong there.
"They're a great team; they're historically good," Manlick said, of Randolph. "Coach Haffele has a great program, his kids are fundamentally sound. They're there for a reason, but I believe we're there for a reason as well."
Thursday's sectional semifinal will be held in Waunakee, with tip off at 7 p.m.
