JUDA - For more than one half Tuesday, the Juda boys basketball team played even with Barneveld.
But the Golden Eagles scored a 67-52 victory.
Barneveld (18-2, 10-0 Six Rivers East), ranked third in the Associated Press Division 5 state poll, hit some clutch free throws down the stretch when Juda was within nine points. Barneveld's Matthew Myers scored a game-high 21 points and made 8 of 9 free throws in the final 3 minutes.
"In the first half, we kind of wanted to disrupt the tempo and flow of the game," Juda coach James Pickett said. "Our kids did a good job of forcing the tempo and scoring in transition. We tried to make them work as much as we could when we didn't have an open shot."
The Golden Eagles went on a 6-0 spurt to build on their advantage in the second half.
"We just took some early shots and that led to some easy transition points for them," Pickett said. "We got behind and had to foul and they made their free throws."
Senior Matt Schmitt scored a team-high 17 points for Juda (13-7, 5-5 Six Rivers East). Junior Keagen Haffele added 15 points, and senior Skylar Stuckey chipped in nine points.
Barneveld's Mike Zouski added 18 points, and Malcolm Reed had 12 points.
Darlington 83, Boscobel 51
DARLINGTON - Senior Trevor Johnson scored a game-high 19 points and the Redbirds remain unbeaten after cruising past Boscobel.
Darlington (20-0, 12-0 SWAL) clinched at least a share of the SWAL title with the win. The Redbirds, who are beating teams by an average of 32 points per game, have a two-game lead on Mineral Point with two league games left. It was Senior Night for Darlington and every senior player scored.
The Redbirds opened the game with a trapping zone press and built a 53-27 lead at the half.
"It led to a lot of transition points in the first half," Darlington coach Tom Uppena said. "All of our seniors were able to score so that was good to see."
The Redbirds, ranked second in the Associated Press Division 4 state poll, have won every game by 10 points or more except one. The three closest games they have played are a 72-67 win over Mineral Point Feb. 3, a 71-55 win over New Glarus Jan. 3 and a 49-33 win over Barneveld Jan. 23.
"We have been tested in our own ways a little bit," Uppena said. "We have always really responded well."
Uppena said he's not concerned about Darlington not playing in many tight games.
"We make our practices really competitive, and they are competitive by nature," he said.
Darlington junior Stryker Fitzsimons added 12 points, and senior Josh Soper chipped in 10 points.
Monticello 47, Argyle 34
MONTICELLO - Monticello used a big surge in the second half to knock off Argyle for the second time this season.
Argyle (3-17, 0-10 Six Rivers East) led 28-21 with 11 minutes, 15 seconds left in the second half. Monticello (4-17, 2-9) closed the game with a 26-6 run.
Monticello junior Jon Errthum scored a game-high 21 points and was 11 of 16 from the free-throw line. Freshman Reece Rufer added 12 points, and senior Zach Price pitched in eight points.
Argyle's Brent Ritschard scored a team-high 18 points and drilled five 3-pointers. Senior Collin Argue added 10 points.
New Glarus 63, Belleville 49
NEW GLARUS - Sophomore Jaden Kreklow scored a game-high 21 points to propel the Glarner Knights to a win over Belleville.
New Glarus (16-3, 9-0 Capitol South) had a 33-15 lead at the break.
With the win, New Glarus clinches the conference championship.
New Glarus junior Cullen Brooks added 10 points. Senior Christian Arnett and sophomore Zach Feller each chipped in nine points. Both Kreklow and Feller hit two 3-pointers for the Knights.
Belleville's Drew Shrader scored a team-high 17 points.
But the Golden Eagles scored a 67-52 victory.
Barneveld (18-2, 10-0 Six Rivers East), ranked third in the Associated Press Division 5 state poll, hit some clutch free throws down the stretch when Juda was within nine points. Barneveld's Matthew Myers scored a game-high 21 points and made 8 of 9 free throws in the final 3 minutes.
"In the first half, we kind of wanted to disrupt the tempo and flow of the game," Juda coach James Pickett said. "Our kids did a good job of forcing the tempo and scoring in transition. We tried to make them work as much as we could when we didn't have an open shot."
The Golden Eagles went on a 6-0 spurt to build on their advantage in the second half.
"We just took some early shots and that led to some easy transition points for them," Pickett said. "We got behind and had to foul and they made their free throws."
Senior Matt Schmitt scored a team-high 17 points for Juda (13-7, 5-5 Six Rivers East). Junior Keagen Haffele added 15 points, and senior Skylar Stuckey chipped in nine points.
Barneveld's Mike Zouski added 18 points, and Malcolm Reed had 12 points.
Darlington 83, Boscobel 51
DARLINGTON - Senior Trevor Johnson scored a game-high 19 points and the Redbirds remain unbeaten after cruising past Boscobel.
Darlington (20-0, 12-0 SWAL) clinched at least a share of the SWAL title with the win. The Redbirds, who are beating teams by an average of 32 points per game, have a two-game lead on Mineral Point with two league games left. It was Senior Night for Darlington and every senior player scored.
The Redbirds opened the game with a trapping zone press and built a 53-27 lead at the half.
"It led to a lot of transition points in the first half," Darlington coach Tom Uppena said. "All of our seniors were able to score so that was good to see."
The Redbirds, ranked second in the Associated Press Division 4 state poll, have won every game by 10 points or more except one. The three closest games they have played are a 72-67 win over Mineral Point Feb. 3, a 71-55 win over New Glarus Jan. 3 and a 49-33 win over Barneveld Jan. 23.
"We have been tested in our own ways a little bit," Uppena said. "We have always really responded well."
Uppena said he's not concerned about Darlington not playing in many tight games.
"We make our practices really competitive, and they are competitive by nature," he said.
Darlington junior Stryker Fitzsimons added 12 points, and senior Josh Soper chipped in 10 points.
Monticello 47, Argyle 34
MONTICELLO - Monticello used a big surge in the second half to knock off Argyle for the second time this season.
Argyle (3-17, 0-10 Six Rivers East) led 28-21 with 11 minutes, 15 seconds left in the second half. Monticello (4-17, 2-9) closed the game with a 26-6 run.
Monticello junior Jon Errthum scored a game-high 21 points and was 11 of 16 from the free-throw line. Freshman Reece Rufer added 12 points, and senior Zach Price pitched in eight points.
Argyle's Brent Ritschard scored a team-high 18 points and drilled five 3-pointers. Senior Collin Argue added 10 points.
New Glarus 63, Belleville 49
NEW GLARUS - Sophomore Jaden Kreklow scored a game-high 21 points to propel the Glarner Knights to a win over Belleville.
New Glarus (16-3, 9-0 Capitol South) had a 33-15 lead at the break.
With the win, New Glarus clinches the conference championship.
New Glarus junior Cullen Brooks added 10 points. Senior Christian Arnett and sophomore Zach Feller each chipped in nine points. Both Kreklow and Feller hit two 3-pointers for the Knights.
Belleville's Drew Shrader scored a team-high 17 points.
