MIDDLETON - With Monroe junior all-state point guard Sydney Hilliard on the bench after rolling her ankle, the Monroe girls basketball team came back and knocked off Middleton in a double overtime nail-biter 66-62 Tuesday night in a nonconference game.
Hilliard injured her ankle early in the first half. Monroe senior Sydney Mathiason scored a game-high 27 points and junior Emily Benzschawel and scored all five of the Cheesemakers points in the second overtime to help Monroe pull out the win.
"I'm really proud the girls were able to rally around each other and keep working," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "They had to find a way to stay in the game, rebound and they hit some big shots. The kids didn't feel sorry for themselves even though they lost one of their teammates. They stepped up."
Mathiason said Hilliard rolled her ankle, but he's not sure if it's sprained.
"We will have to evaluate it," he said of the injury. "With a conference game coming up on Friday (at Monona Grove), we took her out and we want her for that game."
Monroe (7-1, 4-0 Badger South), ranked No. 3 in the WisSports.net Division 2 Coaches Poll, trailed the Cardinals by four points late in the second half, 55-51. Mathiason knocked down a 3-pointer with about 15 seconds left to cut the Cardinals' lead to one point. She then made 1 of 2 free throws with 2 seconds to go to send the game to overtime.
In the first overtime, Benzschawel, who finished the night with 21 points, scored on a layup off the tip. Mathiason later hit a shot in the lane late in the first extra session to tie the game at 61 to send it to a second overtime. In the second extra session, Benzschawel hit a 10-foot jumper off the opening tip to give the Cheesemakers a 63-61 lead. She then made 3 of 4 free throws down the stretch to help seal the Cheesemakers' come-from-behind victory.
"I feel like we executed better down the stretch to get the win," Mathiason said.
Monroe will play a Badger South Conference game at Monona Grove Friday.
Hilliard injured her ankle early in the first half. Monroe senior Sydney Mathiason scored a game-high 27 points and junior Emily Benzschawel and scored all five of the Cheesemakers points in the second overtime to help Monroe pull out the win.
"I'm really proud the girls were able to rally around each other and keep working," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "They had to find a way to stay in the game, rebound and they hit some big shots. The kids didn't feel sorry for themselves even though they lost one of their teammates. They stepped up."
Mathiason said Hilliard rolled her ankle, but he's not sure if it's sprained.
"We will have to evaluate it," he said of the injury. "With a conference game coming up on Friday (at Monona Grove), we took her out and we want her for that game."
Monroe (7-1, 4-0 Badger South), ranked No. 3 in the WisSports.net Division 2 Coaches Poll, trailed the Cardinals by four points late in the second half, 55-51. Mathiason knocked down a 3-pointer with about 15 seconds left to cut the Cardinals' lead to one point. She then made 1 of 2 free throws with 2 seconds to go to send the game to overtime.
In the first overtime, Benzschawel, who finished the night with 21 points, scored on a layup off the tip. Mathiason later hit a shot in the lane late in the first extra session to tie the game at 61 to send it to a second overtime. In the second extra session, Benzschawel hit a 10-foot jumper off the opening tip to give the Cheesemakers a 63-61 lead. She then made 3 of 4 free throws down the stretch to help seal the Cheesemakers' come-from-behind victory.
"I feel like we executed better down the stretch to get the win," Mathiason said.
Monroe will play a Badger South Conference game at Monona Grove Friday.
