MONROE - The Monroe boys basketball team's hopes of winning a Badger South Conference title outright were dealt a blow with a 40-36 loss to Milton Thursday night.
With the Cheesemakers trailing the Red Hawks 38-36, Milton junior Brandon Farnsworth was fouled with 4.3 seconds left. After a break in action, Milton allegedly came back on the court with six players. Monroe coach Pat Murphy lobbied the officials for a technical, but his demand was rejected.
"They broke the huddle and had six guys on the floor," Murphy said. "It was after the second horn had blown."
Monroe senior Mitch Tordoff, who scored a team-high 17 points, knows the Cheesemakers are still in position for a Badger South title. With the loss Monroe (10-6, 7-2) drops and into a tie atop the conference with Madison Edgewood (11-4, 7-2).
"We still have a chance to share the conference championship," Tordoff said. "This one hurts. We are still in control of our destiny. We just have to bounce back for our last three conference games."
The game had the makings of one that would come down to the wire. Monroe senior Mitch McArdle drilled a 3-pointer at the start of the fourth quarter that gave the Cheesemakers their biggest lead at 31-27.
Milton's Mason Walters, a 6-foot-7 senior, scored a game-high 19 points and was a thorn in the side of the Cheesemakers all night. Walters grabbed two clutch offensive rebounds and putback his own miss to give the Red Hawks a 35-33 lead with 2:41 left. Mitch Tordoff answered for Monroe draining a 3-pointer from the wing to give the Cheesemakers a 36-35 lead. Walters then hit a jumper with 1:27 to go to give the Red Hawks a 38-36 lead.
"We gave up two offensive rebounds and he hit a shot," Murphy said. "That is why he is one of the top five players in the conference."
The Cheesemakers went scoreless the last 2 minutes, 10 seconds and turned the ball over with 53.9 seconds left. The Cheesemakers final chance came on a drive by Mitch Tordoff, who zipped a pass to Jake Grinnell who missed a shot down low. He tipped the ball into the air and almost came away with a thrilling putback, but the ball bounced off the rim. That set the stages for a wild finish.
"We are not getting stronger as the season goes on," Murphy said. "It's a little disheartening. The game is played by players and not by coaches. They are the ones who have to shoot it. The coaches can't do it."
Early on Monroe didn't have its shooting touch, going 0-for-6 from the field in the first three minutes, as the Red Hawks scored seven consecutive points. Monroe sophomore Michael Barrett nailed a jumper in the lane, but the Red Hawks surged out to a 12-2 lead. The Cheesemakers caught fire at the end of the first quarter, closing the period on a 7-0 spurt highlighted by a 3-pointer by Tordoff. Barrett and McArdle each added six points in the game for the Cheesemakers.
It became difficult to penetrate the Red Hawks' defense in the second half as the Cheesemakers and Milton played to a 5-5 tie in the period.
"It's just hard to attack their zone with the big guys down there," Tordoff said. "I thought we put up the defensive effort we wanted to. It just comes down to putting the ball in the hole. We just didn't do that tonight."
Monroe will have a quick turnaround as the Cheese play at Monona Grove at 1:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
"We just have to get better. Everyone of us," Murphy said.
With the Cheesemakers trailing the Red Hawks 38-36, Milton junior Brandon Farnsworth was fouled with 4.3 seconds left. After a break in action, Milton allegedly came back on the court with six players. Monroe coach Pat Murphy lobbied the officials for a technical, but his demand was rejected.
"They broke the huddle and had six guys on the floor," Murphy said. "It was after the second horn had blown."
Monroe senior Mitch Tordoff, who scored a team-high 17 points, knows the Cheesemakers are still in position for a Badger South title. With the loss Monroe (10-6, 7-2) drops and into a tie atop the conference with Madison Edgewood (11-4, 7-2).
"We still have a chance to share the conference championship," Tordoff said. "This one hurts. We are still in control of our destiny. We just have to bounce back for our last three conference games."
The game had the makings of one that would come down to the wire. Monroe senior Mitch McArdle drilled a 3-pointer at the start of the fourth quarter that gave the Cheesemakers their biggest lead at 31-27.
Milton's Mason Walters, a 6-foot-7 senior, scored a game-high 19 points and was a thorn in the side of the Cheesemakers all night. Walters grabbed two clutch offensive rebounds and putback his own miss to give the Red Hawks a 35-33 lead with 2:41 left. Mitch Tordoff answered for Monroe draining a 3-pointer from the wing to give the Cheesemakers a 36-35 lead. Walters then hit a jumper with 1:27 to go to give the Red Hawks a 38-36 lead.
"We gave up two offensive rebounds and he hit a shot," Murphy said. "That is why he is one of the top five players in the conference."
The Cheesemakers went scoreless the last 2 minutes, 10 seconds and turned the ball over with 53.9 seconds left. The Cheesemakers final chance came on a drive by Mitch Tordoff, who zipped a pass to Jake Grinnell who missed a shot down low. He tipped the ball into the air and almost came away with a thrilling putback, but the ball bounced off the rim. That set the stages for a wild finish.
"We are not getting stronger as the season goes on," Murphy said. "It's a little disheartening. The game is played by players and not by coaches. They are the ones who have to shoot it. The coaches can't do it."
Early on Monroe didn't have its shooting touch, going 0-for-6 from the field in the first three minutes, as the Red Hawks scored seven consecutive points. Monroe sophomore Michael Barrett nailed a jumper in the lane, but the Red Hawks surged out to a 12-2 lead. The Cheesemakers caught fire at the end of the first quarter, closing the period on a 7-0 spurt highlighted by a 3-pointer by Tordoff. Barrett and McArdle each added six points in the game for the Cheesemakers.
It became difficult to penetrate the Red Hawks' defense in the second half as the Cheesemakers and Milton played to a 5-5 tie in the period.
"It's just hard to attack their zone with the big guys down there," Tordoff said. "I thought we put up the defensive effort we wanted to. It just comes down to putting the ball in the hole. We just didn't do that tonight."
Monroe will have a quick turnaround as the Cheese play at Monona Grove at 1:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
"We just have to get better. Everyone of us," Murphy said.
