SOUTH WAYNE - The Six Rivers East title isn't in South Wayne just yet, but Black Hawk's resiliency Thursday night has the Warriors in the drivers seat and speeding to nab it.
Black Hawk senior Taylor Goodman's bucket from the right block with two minutes remaining was the eighth and final lead change in the fourth quarter that put his squad on top of Monticello, 55-53, and the Warriors fended off the Ponies for a rousing 59-55 victory.
Two free throws by Black Hawk's (17-1, 10-1 Six Rivers East) Alex Abraham put Monticello (13-5, 9-2 Six Rivers East) down 47-46 before Ponies sharpshooter D.J. McGowan sparked a quick outburst with four minutes left that had the Warriors momentarily reeling.
McGowan fed a nice pass to Parker Havens who was fouled on the way up by Warriors senior Joey Hartwig. Havens made the first free throw and then missed the second that found its way into the hands of Ryan Fink. The Ponies senior worked the ball from the left baseline back to McGowan who quickly pulled the trigger from beyond the arc and splashed for a 50-47 Monticello lead.
On the next Ponies possession - following a Taylor Goodman turnover - Hartwig jumped a passing lane, intercepted the ball leading and took it back for a layin. After another empty Monticello possession, Hartwig used his big, 6-4 frame to draw contact on Jacob Edge and made both free throws, making it 51-50.
Edge - who finished with a game-high 22 points - returned the momentum needle to the Ponies' end with his third 3-pointer of the game to reclaim a 53-51 lead. But the Warriors' starting five was too much as Abraham tied it with a two and Goodman grabbed the lead for good at 55-53.
"When they hit that three, it was huge," Goodman said. "But we never lack the confidence. We're confident in each other and we're confident everyone will get it done for each other."
Hartwig - who led Black Hawk with 16 points - jumped another pass and took the ball three-fourths of the court for an empathic right-handed layup with 1:41 remaining. Two free throws by Edge and one by Black Hawk junior Shane Jackson - his only point of the game - made it 58-55 with 40 seconds to go. With 16 ticks left, Monticello head coach Brad Pickett called timeout and designed a play for Edge, but his toe was on the arc and the ball fell short of the rim, right into Goodman's hands to effectively end the game.
Hartwig scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half after sitting out most of the second quarter due to foul trouble. Michael Place commanded the paint with nine of his 13 with Hartwig stirring on the bench itching to get back in there.
"I was definitely telling myself that I need to get back in there," Hartwig said. "I had to do something. I had to make a contribution."
"That's a four-year player on varsity," Goodman said. "He showed his leadership right there."
Black Hawk head coach Jerry Mortimer had no qualms riding a refreshed Hartwig in the fourth quarter and gave him a nice motivational speech in the Warriors' huddle.
"I told him in a timeout, 'Take us to the prom. Take us there. Lead us." Mortimer said.
Goodman (14 points, nine rebounds) and Abraham (16 points, two 3-pointers) rounded out the scoring, but Hartwig gives a majority of the credit to Jackson who had one point, but did so much more that doesn't always shine in the box score
"He had that one point, but he had five assists," Hartwig said. "Five assists really helps out and I'm really proud of him.".
The Warriors owned the glass on both ends finishing with 16 offensive and 16 defensive rebounds. If these two teams happen to find themselves squaring off against each other in the Division 4 WIAA regionals in a couple of weeks, Pickett knows what the Ponies will be working on all week in practices.
"We gave them too many second chances and we didn't box them out," Pickett said. "Against a team like that it'll kill us."
All the Warriors have to do is take care of Barneveld at home on Saturday afternoon and the Six Rivers East title will be theirs. If not, the Warriors and Ponies will have to share the honors.
"I'll be the biggest one (Eagles fan) there can be that's for sure," Edge said.
Black Hawk senior Taylor Goodman's bucket from the right block with two minutes remaining was the eighth and final lead change in the fourth quarter that put his squad on top of Monticello, 55-53, and the Warriors fended off the Ponies for a rousing 59-55 victory.
Two free throws by Black Hawk's (17-1, 10-1 Six Rivers East) Alex Abraham put Monticello (13-5, 9-2 Six Rivers East) down 47-46 before Ponies sharpshooter D.J. McGowan sparked a quick outburst with four minutes left that had the Warriors momentarily reeling.
McGowan fed a nice pass to Parker Havens who was fouled on the way up by Warriors senior Joey Hartwig. Havens made the first free throw and then missed the second that found its way into the hands of Ryan Fink. The Ponies senior worked the ball from the left baseline back to McGowan who quickly pulled the trigger from beyond the arc and splashed for a 50-47 Monticello lead.
On the next Ponies possession - following a Taylor Goodman turnover - Hartwig jumped a passing lane, intercepted the ball leading and took it back for a layin. After another empty Monticello possession, Hartwig used his big, 6-4 frame to draw contact on Jacob Edge and made both free throws, making it 51-50.
Edge - who finished with a game-high 22 points - returned the momentum needle to the Ponies' end with his third 3-pointer of the game to reclaim a 53-51 lead. But the Warriors' starting five was too much as Abraham tied it with a two and Goodman grabbed the lead for good at 55-53.
"When they hit that three, it was huge," Goodman said. "But we never lack the confidence. We're confident in each other and we're confident everyone will get it done for each other."
Hartwig - who led Black Hawk with 16 points - jumped another pass and took the ball three-fourths of the court for an empathic right-handed layup with 1:41 remaining. Two free throws by Edge and one by Black Hawk junior Shane Jackson - his only point of the game - made it 58-55 with 40 seconds to go. With 16 ticks left, Monticello head coach Brad Pickett called timeout and designed a play for Edge, but his toe was on the arc and the ball fell short of the rim, right into Goodman's hands to effectively end the game.
Hartwig scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half after sitting out most of the second quarter due to foul trouble. Michael Place commanded the paint with nine of his 13 with Hartwig stirring on the bench itching to get back in there.
"I was definitely telling myself that I need to get back in there," Hartwig said. "I had to do something. I had to make a contribution."
"That's a four-year player on varsity," Goodman said. "He showed his leadership right there."
Black Hawk head coach Jerry Mortimer had no qualms riding a refreshed Hartwig in the fourth quarter and gave him a nice motivational speech in the Warriors' huddle.
"I told him in a timeout, 'Take us to the prom. Take us there. Lead us." Mortimer said.
Goodman (14 points, nine rebounds) and Abraham (16 points, two 3-pointers) rounded out the scoring, but Hartwig gives a majority of the credit to Jackson who had one point, but did so much more that doesn't always shine in the box score
"He had that one point, but he had five assists," Hartwig said. "Five assists really helps out and I'm really proud of him.".
The Warriors owned the glass on both ends finishing with 16 offensive and 16 defensive rebounds. If these two teams happen to find themselves squaring off against each other in the Division 4 WIAA regionals in a couple of weeks, Pickett knows what the Ponies will be working on all week in practices.
"We gave them too many second chances and we didn't box them out," Pickett said. "Against a team like that it'll kill us."
All the Warriors have to do is take care of Barneveld at home on Saturday afternoon and the Six Rivers East title will be theirs. If not, the Warriors and Ponies will have to share the honors.
"I'll be the biggest one (Eagles fan) there can be that's for sure," Edge said.
