BRODHEAD - The Cheesemakers opened up the 2010-11 season in a big way Saturday.
Just hours after putting to rest Monsignor Thomas Campion, a stout Monroe fan, the boys basketball team ran away from Brodhead, outscoring the Cardinals 36-25 in the second half for a 65-49 win.
"He (Campion) would have wanted us to play hard no matter what. It's in the back of their minds, obviously," Monroe head coach Pat Murphy said. "I thought we weren't used to the speed of the game. We were a half of a step slow on our block/charges which are tough to call anyway. Stuff like that we have to clean up. It was a good first step."
Points didn't come easy for Monroe early on. The Cheesemakers trailed 9-4 with just 2 minutes, 30 seconds left in the first quarter. Then a flurry of points - a hoop from Michael Barrett and two in the post from Tyler Barta, put the Cheesemakers ahead before the close of the opening frame. It was a lead Monroe would never relinquish.
"Our passing got better I thought," Murphy said. "The result was that we were hitting some shots and then were able to put full-court pressure on them."
One of the players that put on some pressure in the backcourt was senior Evan Brady.
"I thought Evan did a good job just staying within himself. I thought he took some steps forward. Tyler (Barta) gave us a spark too," Murphy said.
Brodhead struggled to get into a rhythm as well. Many of the players on the Cardinals hoops squad played for the state runner-up football team and had just four days of practice before Saturday's game.
"I don't think we're quite in basketball shape. But I told the kids we're not going to use any excuses about playing the game," Brodhead coach Eric Kammerer said. "We could use all of the excuses in the world and it's still not going to help us. We knew it was going to be a dogfight and I was really pleased with some of the things I saw out there - especially coming off a short week."
Kammerer then turned to his team's leader on the court - 6-feet, 10-inch tall senior J.J. Panoske.
"He did almost exactly what I asked him to do," Kammerer said. "I asked him to make sure he got his teammates involved. J.J.'s going to get his points. I thought J.J. did a great job of getting everyone involved and staying inside. He missed a couple of those 3s and knew he had to go back inside. I think he's impossible to stop at 6-10."
Panoske, a UW-Milwaukee recruit, had 22 points for the Cardinals, but did his best to distribute the ball evenly.
"I think I focused on it a little too much," Panoske said. "I'm out there thinking maybe I shouldn't take a shot when I'm open and maybe I should. But I think (distributing) the ball makes us more of a team and the closer we become the skies the limit."
Still, neither team could get away from foul trouble. Several starters on both sides had to sit much of the second and third quarters because they were plagued by penalties. On the Brodhead side, an unlikely source came to the rescue in the second quarter. With Panoske on the bench, backup guard Blair Chapman (the smallest player on the team) provided a spark, scoring nine points in the period and 12 in the game.
"I told him that he's welcome to play like that all year," Kammerer quipped. "Some of those shots kept us in the game going into half. We knew coming in that he would be that guy who would be able to come in and give us a couple of minutes off the bench, but on this night it was hard to take a kid like that out. He might have had his career night."
Monroe had several players bench-ridden with fouls, including Barrett, a senior guard who was asked to guard Panoske.
"He had to play both ends against a really good player," Murphy said. "I think Michael has to slow down. He took some quick shots. He's going to have to get better for us because we are going to need him on the floor."
Bryan Tordoff had 17 points and Barrett 19 - though mostly on free throws. Barta and sophomore Alex Barenklau each added eight points.
"Defense first and Michael really brought that tonight and that's what we needed from him," Tordoff said. "(Brodhead's) just another opponent and (Panoske's) just another player and I thought we played great 'D' on him."
Barrett, Barta and Brodhead's Michael Peterson and Alex Wallace each fouled out of the game and both teams combined for 48 fouls and 58 free throw attempts.
"I've never seen quite that many fouls called," Murphy said. "Thankfully we had the depth to go 10 guys. And those guys contributed, which helped a lot."
Monroe now prepares to travel to Badger South foe Monona Grove Tuesday.
"We're playing these kind of games so we're ready for conference on Tuesday," Kammerer said. "You can't really get a more tough team than Monroe. "
Brodhead also jumps right into conference play with Beloit Turner coming to town Tuesday.
"It's exciting," Panoske said. "(Monroe) was almost like a scrimmage for us. It was good to get out there and play our first game after just four practices. It's going to be a good atmosphere all season long."
Just hours after putting to rest Monsignor Thomas Campion, a stout Monroe fan, the boys basketball team ran away from Brodhead, outscoring the Cardinals 36-25 in the second half for a 65-49 win.
"He (Campion) would have wanted us to play hard no matter what. It's in the back of their minds, obviously," Monroe head coach Pat Murphy said. "I thought we weren't used to the speed of the game. We were a half of a step slow on our block/charges which are tough to call anyway. Stuff like that we have to clean up. It was a good first step."
Points didn't come easy for Monroe early on. The Cheesemakers trailed 9-4 with just 2 minutes, 30 seconds left in the first quarter. Then a flurry of points - a hoop from Michael Barrett and two in the post from Tyler Barta, put the Cheesemakers ahead before the close of the opening frame. It was a lead Monroe would never relinquish.
"Our passing got better I thought," Murphy said. "The result was that we were hitting some shots and then were able to put full-court pressure on them."
One of the players that put on some pressure in the backcourt was senior Evan Brady.
"I thought Evan did a good job just staying within himself. I thought he took some steps forward. Tyler (Barta) gave us a spark too," Murphy said.
Brodhead struggled to get into a rhythm as well. Many of the players on the Cardinals hoops squad played for the state runner-up football team and had just four days of practice before Saturday's game.
"I don't think we're quite in basketball shape. But I told the kids we're not going to use any excuses about playing the game," Brodhead coach Eric Kammerer said. "We could use all of the excuses in the world and it's still not going to help us. We knew it was going to be a dogfight and I was really pleased with some of the things I saw out there - especially coming off a short week."
Kammerer then turned to his team's leader on the court - 6-feet, 10-inch tall senior J.J. Panoske.
"He did almost exactly what I asked him to do," Kammerer said. "I asked him to make sure he got his teammates involved. J.J.'s going to get his points. I thought J.J. did a great job of getting everyone involved and staying inside. He missed a couple of those 3s and knew he had to go back inside. I think he's impossible to stop at 6-10."
Panoske, a UW-Milwaukee recruit, had 22 points for the Cardinals, but did his best to distribute the ball evenly.
"I think I focused on it a little too much," Panoske said. "I'm out there thinking maybe I shouldn't take a shot when I'm open and maybe I should. But I think (distributing) the ball makes us more of a team and the closer we become the skies the limit."
Still, neither team could get away from foul trouble. Several starters on both sides had to sit much of the second and third quarters because they were plagued by penalties. On the Brodhead side, an unlikely source came to the rescue in the second quarter. With Panoske on the bench, backup guard Blair Chapman (the smallest player on the team) provided a spark, scoring nine points in the period and 12 in the game.
"I told him that he's welcome to play like that all year," Kammerer quipped. "Some of those shots kept us in the game going into half. We knew coming in that he would be that guy who would be able to come in and give us a couple of minutes off the bench, but on this night it was hard to take a kid like that out. He might have had his career night."
Monroe had several players bench-ridden with fouls, including Barrett, a senior guard who was asked to guard Panoske.
"He had to play both ends against a really good player," Murphy said. "I think Michael has to slow down. He took some quick shots. He's going to have to get better for us because we are going to need him on the floor."
Bryan Tordoff had 17 points and Barrett 19 - though mostly on free throws. Barta and sophomore Alex Barenklau each added eight points.
"Defense first and Michael really brought that tonight and that's what we needed from him," Tordoff said. "(Brodhead's) just another opponent and (Panoske's) just another player and I thought we played great 'D' on him."
Barrett, Barta and Brodhead's Michael Peterson and Alex Wallace each fouled out of the game and both teams combined for 48 fouls and 58 free throw attempts.
"I've never seen quite that many fouls called," Murphy said. "Thankfully we had the depth to go 10 guys. And those guys contributed, which helped a lot."
Monroe now prepares to travel to Badger South foe Monona Grove Tuesday.
"We're playing these kind of games so we're ready for conference on Tuesday," Kammerer said. "You can't really get a more tough team than Monroe. "
Brodhead also jumps right into conference play with Beloit Turner coming to town Tuesday.
"It's exciting," Panoske said. "(Monroe) was almost like a scrimmage for us. It was good to get out there and play our first game after just four practices. It's going to be a good atmosphere all season long."
