MONROE - The box score from Friday night's game between Fort Atkinson and Monroe will make it look like a two-man show by Michael Barrett and Bryan Tordoff. What a box score doesn't show is that there is more to the game of basketball than just who scores the points.
"We've been trying to preach that all year - we're definitely not two guys," Cheesemakers coach Pat Murphy said after his team's 56-34 conference win. "Any time our guys are doing a shooting drill, some of our other guys have to be ready to step up. It's a work in progress, but as long as you get the ball inside and hit some shots around the perimeter, you give yourself a chance."
Monroe (11-0, 6-0 Badger South) received 25 points from Barrett and another 16 from Tordoff, but the rest of the team turned the ball over, grabbed rebounds, and kept Fort Atkinson (5-9, 2-4) from putting the ball in the basket.
"My teammates give me really good looks," said Tordoff, who hit four 3-pointers. "Sometimes it's all about the pass, and I think that's definitely the case tonight, because none of my shots came off the dribble."
The Cheese-makers led by five after the first quarter 11-6, and 16 at halftime, 28-12. In the game, Monroe shot 50 percent (22-for-44) from the field and 60 percent (6 of 10) from beyond the arc. But what Murphy was mostly pleased with was his team's defense.
"We came out the way we needed to come out. Defense was a huge factor. We kept holding them to one shot and kept them out of a rhythm. That's big because they've got some good shooters," Murphy said.
In the second half, as the game reached 20- to 24-point differential, Fort Atkinson's players started getting a little physical.
"Obviously Fort wanted to come in here and win, and they got a little chippy out there towards the end," Tordoff said.
Barrett said he and his teammates didn't let the physical play affect their game.
"We don't pay much attention to that. We just kind of block that out and don't get caught up in it. We've got too much at risk to play like that," Barrett said.
In just over a minute of game action, the Blackhawks had Logan Schwandt called for an intentional foul on a breakaway layup by Barrett, and Brian Beaudo was ejected for elbowing Tordoff.
"I thought it got a little rough, but I thought we kept our cool for the most part," Murphy said.
Monroe's cooler heads prevailed and in the final 2 1/2 minutes, the Cheesemakers were able to get every player onto the floor.
"It's nice to have everyone play on Parent's Night," Murphy said. "And I've got to give some credit to the fans too. Our crowd was really good and it makes for a really fun environment. We want this place to be a really hard place for other teams to come and play."
The Cheesemakers, ranked No. 2 in both the Associated Press Poll and No. 3 WisSports.net Coaches Poll, now gets to take on Waunakee (10-0, 7-0 Badger North), ranked third and second, in the Badger Conference Crossover Challenge next week.
"With Waunakee, we're going to have to find a way to hit some inside shots. They're going to be a little bit bigger," Murphy said. "We're going to be tested."
Tordoff, who's been on varsity all four years of his high school career, said he is still growing as a player and learning how to be a leader.
"Murph always says we're here to learn and if we've learned everything, we're in trouble because the only way to go is down," Tordoff said. "I'm learning from other guys too. They show me how to go for boards hard and to go at it possession by possession.
"Waunakee's going to be a really good challenge. Then we'll have more games in conference. I don't think these games are do-or-die, but they're definitely big for us."
"We've been trying to preach that all year - we're definitely not two guys," Cheesemakers coach Pat Murphy said after his team's 56-34 conference win. "Any time our guys are doing a shooting drill, some of our other guys have to be ready to step up. It's a work in progress, but as long as you get the ball inside and hit some shots around the perimeter, you give yourself a chance."
Monroe (11-0, 6-0 Badger South) received 25 points from Barrett and another 16 from Tordoff, but the rest of the team turned the ball over, grabbed rebounds, and kept Fort Atkinson (5-9, 2-4) from putting the ball in the basket.
"My teammates give me really good looks," said Tordoff, who hit four 3-pointers. "Sometimes it's all about the pass, and I think that's definitely the case tonight, because none of my shots came off the dribble."
The Cheese-makers led by five after the first quarter 11-6, and 16 at halftime, 28-12. In the game, Monroe shot 50 percent (22-for-44) from the field and 60 percent (6 of 10) from beyond the arc. But what Murphy was mostly pleased with was his team's defense.
"We came out the way we needed to come out. Defense was a huge factor. We kept holding them to one shot and kept them out of a rhythm. That's big because they've got some good shooters," Murphy said.
In the second half, as the game reached 20- to 24-point differential, Fort Atkinson's players started getting a little physical.
"Obviously Fort wanted to come in here and win, and they got a little chippy out there towards the end," Tordoff said.
Barrett said he and his teammates didn't let the physical play affect their game.
"We don't pay much attention to that. We just kind of block that out and don't get caught up in it. We've got too much at risk to play like that," Barrett said.
In just over a minute of game action, the Blackhawks had Logan Schwandt called for an intentional foul on a breakaway layup by Barrett, and Brian Beaudo was ejected for elbowing Tordoff.
"I thought it got a little rough, but I thought we kept our cool for the most part," Murphy said.
Monroe's cooler heads prevailed and in the final 2 1/2 minutes, the Cheesemakers were able to get every player onto the floor.
"It's nice to have everyone play on Parent's Night," Murphy said. "And I've got to give some credit to the fans too. Our crowd was really good and it makes for a really fun environment. We want this place to be a really hard place for other teams to come and play."
The Cheesemakers, ranked No. 2 in both the Associated Press Poll and No. 3 WisSports.net Coaches Poll, now gets to take on Waunakee (10-0, 7-0 Badger North), ranked third and second, in the Badger Conference Crossover Challenge next week.
"With Waunakee, we're going to have to find a way to hit some inside shots. They're going to be a little bit bigger," Murphy said. "We're going to be tested."
Tordoff, who's been on varsity all four years of his high school career, said he is still growing as a player and learning how to be a leader.
"Murph always says we're here to learn and if we've learned everything, we're in trouble because the only way to go is down," Tordoff said. "I'm learning from other guys too. They show me how to go for boards hard and to go at it possession by possession.
"Waunakee's going to be a really good challenge. Then we'll have more games in conference. I don't think these games are do-or-die, but they're definitely big for us."
