MONROE - In one of their ugliest performances of the year, the Cheesemakers still found themselves on top by 18 at the end.
"It was not very good offense by either team," assistant coach Brian Bassett said after Monroe's 50-32 win over Milton Monday night. "Both teams were getting good looks but it seemed like there was a cap on the basket."
The Cheesemakers trailed 22-19 at halftime thanks to a 2-point second quarter. However, Monroe held Milton scoreless in the third and outscored the Red Hawks 25-10 in the fourth quarter alone.
"We always seem to get that false sense of security and started to coast. We were making 3-point shots and then we started relying on 3-point shots. Then we're done," said Bassett, who added that it was his turn to raise his voice on the players in the locker room.
Monroe opened the game on fire, going up 11-0 on three 3-pointers (two by Bryan Tordoff, one by Michael Barrett) and on a putback by Andrew Armstrong. The Cheesemakers (16-3, 8-2 Badger South) started 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and Milton didn't attempt a shot until the 4:05 mark in the first half.
Monroe's lead stretched to as much as 12 points in the first after a steal and coast-to-coast layup by Tordoff. The hoop put Tordoff, a senior, over the 1,000 mark for his career, becoming just the ninth player in program history to reach the mark.
Then Milton (7-11, 2-8) came roaring back.
Monroe's only basket over the final 10 minutes of the first half came on a Tordoff drive putback with 3:25 left in the second to make it 19-15 Monroe.
"We got a little comfortable," Tordoff said. "But got ourselves turned around in the second half. The coaches pretty much put it on us senior captains (at halftime) to get moving in the right direction."
Barrett scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half and went 7-for-8 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. As a team, the Cheesemakers shot 16 of 19 from the stripe in the game, and 14 of 15 in the fourth.
"It's been an eye opener to see that we have to play a solid game and team ball for four quarters if we want to win against anybody," Armstrong said.
Only five Cheesemakers scored in the game, led by Tordoff who had a game-high 20 points and six defensive rebounds. Armstrong had 10 points and seven rebounds, six of them on the offensive end.
"My role is rebounding. I come off the bench and reach up to grab as many boards as I can," Armstrong said.
"It's been a huge impact having him coming off the bench. He sees what's happening in the post with (Austin) Burandt and he understands what's available to him," Bassett said. "And he's not getting those two quick fouls in the first minute or two. Now he's getting into the flow and not fouling immediately."
Bryce Messerli and Michael Turek each had two points for Monroe.
The Cheesemakers (No. 8 AP Division 2 Poll) hit the hardwood again tonight in a non-conference game against DeForest (10-8). Then comes the two final Badger South games - on the road at Fort Atkinson (5-14, 2-7) on Friday; and then home against Monona Grove (13-4, 6-2; No. 10 AP) Feb. 24.
"We're still going strong. It's been a grind these last two weeks or so, but the prize is in sight," Tordoff said.
A conference title would be Monroe's fifth straight, meaning Tordoff would have one for each of his four years on varsity.
"It would be amazing. I know great players who have never won a conference championship or been to sectionals or been to state. To win four straight conference championships, I'd really be blessed," Tordoff said.
"It was not very good offense by either team," assistant coach Brian Bassett said after Monroe's 50-32 win over Milton Monday night. "Both teams were getting good looks but it seemed like there was a cap on the basket."
The Cheesemakers trailed 22-19 at halftime thanks to a 2-point second quarter. However, Monroe held Milton scoreless in the third and outscored the Red Hawks 25-10 in the fourth quarter alone.
"We always seem to get that false sense of security and started to coast. We were making 3-point shots and then we started relying on 3-point shots. Then we're done," said Bassett, who added that it was his turn to raise his voice on the players in the locker room.
Monroe opened the game on fire, going up 11-0 on three 3-pointers (two by Bryan Tordoff, one by Michael Barrett) and on a putback by Andrew Armstrong. The Cheesemakers (16-3, 8-2 Badger South) started 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and Milton didn't attempt a shot until the 4:05 mark in the first half.
Monroe's lead stretched to as much as 12 points in the first after a steal and coast-to-coast layup by Tordoff. The hoop put Tordoff, a senior, over the 1,000 mark for his career, becoming just the ninth player in program history to reach the mark.
Then Milton (7-11, 2-8) came roaring back.
Monroe's only basket over the final 10 minutes of the first half came on a Tordoff drive putback with 3:25 left in the second to make it 19-15 Monroe.
"We got a little comfortable," Tordoff said. "But got ourselves turned around in the second half. The coaches pretty much put it on us senior captains (at halftime) to get moving in the right direction."
Barrett scored 13 of his 16 points in the second half and went 7-for-8 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. As a team, the Cheesemakers shot 16 of 19 from the stripe in the game, and 14 of 15 in the fourth.
"It's been an eye opener to see that we have to play a solid game and team ball for four quarters if we want to win against anybody," Armstrong said.
Only five Cheesemakers scored in the game, led by Tordoff who had a game-high 20 points and six defensive rebounds. Armstrong had 10 points and seven rebounds, six of them on the offensive end.
"My role is rebounding. I come off the bench and reach up to grab as many boards as I can," Armstrong said.
"It's been a huge impact having him coming off the bench. He sees what's happening in the post with (Austin) Burandt and he understands what's available to him," Bassett said. "And he's not getting those two quick fouls in the first minute or two. Now he's getting into the flow and not fouling immediately."
Bryce Messerli and Michael Turek each had two points for Monroe.
The Cheesemakers (No. 8 AP Division 2 Poll) hit the hardwood again tonight in a non-conference game against DeForest (10-8). Then comes the two final Badger South games - on the road at Fort Atkinson (5-14, 2-7) on Friday; and then home against Monona Grove (13-4, 6-2; No. 10 AP) Feb. 24.
"We're still going strong. It's been a grind these last two weeks or so, but the prize is in sight," Tordoff said.
A conference title would be Monroe's fifth straight, meaning Tordoff would have one for each of his four years on varsity.
"It would be amazing. I know great players who have never won a conference championship or been to sectionals or been to state. To win four straight conference championships, I'd really be blessed," Tordoff said.
