UW-P guard Charlie Lohoff drives against Kyle Koski of UW-Whitewater during their Feb. 13 conference showdown. The Warhawks came out victorious in the game by the final of 70-66. The Pioneers also fell on the road against UW-Superior on Feb. 16. UW-P currently sits in fourth place in the WIAC with two conference games remaining before the WIAC playoffs begin on Feb. 25.

The 1998 UW-Platteville Pioneers basketball team went 30-0, finishing with an unblemished record and a national title. In the 10 years since, the Pioneers won another national title in 1999 and another WIAC conference title in 2005. After 10 years on the cusp of returning to that form, the 2007 - 08 Pioneers are ready to return to glory.

The past week has been a trying one for the players as they suffered a tough home loss to bitter rival UW-Whitewater on Feb. 13 and followed that up with a loss to UW-Superior on Feb. 16. In both games the Pioneers struggled with what they had done so well all season, playing with great consistency.

Against the Warhawks, a slow start coupled with inconsistent shooting in the first half was too much to overcome against the No. 2-ranked team in the country. The Pioneers stormed back to take a lead in the second half, but another shooting drought led to UW-P facing another double digit deficit it could not overcome.

Fueled by a great home crowd that was with the team every step of the way, they again made things close in the final minutes. But in the end superior foul shooting by the Warhawks proved to be the final nail in the coffin as they escaped Bo Ryan Court with the first win by an opposing team during the entire 2007 - 08 campaign.

Two days later, still stinging from a tough loss and a long trip to Superior, the Pioneers came out flat and trailed by two at the half. Cold shooting plagued the Pioneers, who shot only 36 percent, far under their average on the season.

The Yellowjackets came out firing in the second half, and stretched their lead up to 10 points with under 12 minutes to go. As the half went on the Pioneers did as all good teams do, making a run to come within four points with two and a half minutes to go. But timely free throw shooting and the Pioneers ineffectiveness on offense spelled an upset victory for the Yellowjackets.

So with just two regular season games left, the Pioneers sit at a crossroads. They face two tough conference opponents at home to close out the regular season. Needing wins in both games to assure themselves a good spot in the WIAC playoffs, the time is now for this young team.

Following in history’s footsteps would not be bad for this team. Much like the 1998 and 1999 championship teams this UW-P team is fueled by great guard play and timely contributions from their inside players. With two more home games, the team needs your support more than ever before.

This team is primed for greatness. They are the perfect storm in many ways. They do so many things well, from pushing the action on offense to playing swarming, smothering defense that frustrates opponents. Best of all their offensive balance will always keep them in the game. Whether they are getting production from potential All-American center Jeff Skemp or guard play from Curt Hanson, Josh Langenfeld or Charlie Lohoff, this team can run with any other in the country.

So this is where the UW-P student population comes into play. Get out there and be at the games, decked out in Pioneer orange and blue, ready to make a difference. If you look at the premier basketball programs in Division I basketball, schools like Duke University, the University of North Carolina, Kansas University and Syracuse University, they all have one thing in common: outstanding student sections that fuel their teams to greatness.

So this is a call to arms. Push back hanging out with friends in your dorm rooms, apartments and houses for a while and support your fellow student-athletes. Get out there and lets take back Bo Ryan Court during these last couple of games and push the Pioneers into the NCAA tournament so we can chase the NCAA title that needs to come home to Platteville. The time is now. Are you going to answer the call for your Pioneers?