MONROE - After losing three of their last four games, the Cheesemakers picked up a much needed win - in nearly uncontested fashion.
"We needed something like this," coach Pat Murphy said after Monroe's 58-43 win over Freeport (Ill.) in the annual Snack Bowl Saturday. "Young kids like this, it's easy to lose a little bit of confidence (losing), but it's nice to go back (and win). We rolled up our sleeves a little bit and got dirty in there getting some loose balls. You scrap, you dig and fight for everything. I'm really proud of how we went about our business."
There were two key reasons the Cheesemakers (13-3, 6-2 Badger South) came out on top - senior leaders Michael Barrett and Bryan Tordoff combined for 45 points and the team as a whole played the type of staunch defense Murphy has preached in his 10 seasons at the helm.
"Sometimes you have to be just a half of a step quicker. I think Michael Barrett was a whole lot different than he was (Friday)," Murphy said of his senior guard, who had 10 points in a stunning loss to Oregon the night before. "I can't say enough about my seniors - these are high-character kids."
Barrett led the charge on offense with 30 points. The senior standout was 11-for-16 from the field in the contest and 7 of 8 in the second half. Tordoff knocked down three big 3-pointers and had 15 points.
"It feels great to play this well," Barrett said. "We would have beat Oregon if we played like this. If we play like this for four quarters every game, we're hard to beat. We were all just focused right from the beginning. You have to do that to be a contender."
Defensively, Monroe looked to key on Freeport's Luke Norman and Quavion Scott. Monroe junior Tyler Barta was thrown out to hold Norman down, and he succeeded. Norman scored just five points, his second-lowest total of the season. Scott was a non-factor until the fourth quarter, when he scored 12 of his 18 points - well after the game was decided.
"He (Barta) is going to have to do that again Thursday," Murphy said. "He's got a huge heart. That's what we call on him to do. We thought he was going to guard Scott, but Scott ended up not starting so we put him on Norman. I don't think Luke really shot the ball very well, and that's a credit to team defense and Tyler getting up on him and making him uncomfortable."
The Cheesemakers, ranked in the top 10 in both the Associated Press and WisSports.net Coaches polls, opened the game on a 9-2 run against their border rival Pretzels (8-13) and led 16-9 after the first quarter.
"I always say the first two or three minutes of every game is crucial. Because one team is going to come away with some confidence and the other not so sure what they're all about. I was proud of the way we came out of the gate," Murphy said.
The lead escalated in the second quarter, as Barrett scored seven of Monroe's first 10 points in the frame. Tordoff also hit a 3-pointer in that stretch and the Cheesemakers held Freeport to just four points in the period, taking a 29-13 halftime lead.
"We were having kind of a tough stretch there (the past two weeks) and we got back to Monroe basketball," Tordoff said. "Everyone stepped it up and got involved."
Barrett and Tordoff continued their inside-out clinic in the third. Barrett dished the ball to Tordoff for a jumper a minute into the second half and then Barrett hit a baseline 'J' himself just over a minute later. Tordoff then pulled up and buried a long 3 and found Barrett on the paint a possession later.
Alex Barenklau was then left wide open on a half-court inbounds pass under the hoop to make it 40-17 with 3:36 left in the frame. Monroe held a 43-27 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
The Pretzels only could make it back to within 14 points three times in the fourth, with Barrett slashing and hitting free throws each time to cool any type of run.
When the Cheesemakers pulled their starters with 1:24 to go, Monroe led by 21 points at 58-37.
"There are some big things coming up now that we obviously have to prepare for coming up," Murphy said.
The Cheesemakers have conference games against co-leader Madison Edgewood and Milton, as well as non-conference games against Manitowoc Lincoln and DeForest coming up in the next two weeks.
"After losing three of four, this just gives us confidence with our conference games coming up. And they are huge conference games because we control our own destiny," Barrett said.
"We needed something like this," coach Pat Murphy said after Monroe's 58-43 win over Freeport (Ill.) in the annual Snack Bowl Saturday. "Young kids like this, it's easy to lose a little bit of confidence (losing), but it's nice to go back (and win). We rolled up our sleeves a little bit and got dirty in there getting some loose balls. You scrap, you dig and fight for everything. I'm really proud of how we went about our business."
There were two key reasons the Cheesemakers (13-3, 6-2 Badger South) came out on top - senior leaders Michael Barrett and Bryan Tordoff combined for 45 points and the team as a whole played the type of staunch defense Murphy has preached in his 10 seasons at the helm.
"Sometimes you have to be just a half of a step quicker. I think Michael Barrett was a whole lot different than he was (Friday)," Murphy said of his senior guard, who had 10 points in a stunning loss to Oregon the night before. "I can't say enough about my seniors - these are high-character kids."
Barrett led the charge on offense with 30 points. The senior standout was 11-for-16 from the field in the contest and 7 of 8 in the second half. Tordoff knocked down three big 3-pointers and had 15 points.
"It feels great to play this well," Barrett said. "We would have beat Oregon if we played like this. If we play like this for four quarters every game, we're hard to beat. We were all just focused right from the beginning. You have to do that to be a contender."
Defensively, Monroe looked to key on Freeport's Luke Norman and Quavion Scott. Monroe junior Tyler Barta was thrown out to hold Norman down, and he succeeded. Norman scored just five points, his second-lowest total of the season. Scott was a non-factor until the fourth quarter, when he scored 12 of his 18 points - well after the game was decided.
"He (Barta) is going to have to do that again Thursday," Murphy said. "He's got a huge heart. That's what we call on him to do. We thought he was going to guard Scott, but Scott ended up not starting so we put him on Norman. I don't think Luke really shot the ball very well, and that's a credit to team defense and Tyler getting up on him and making him uncomfortable."
The Cheesemakers, ranked in the top 10 in both the Associated Press and WisSports.net Coaches polls, opened the game on a 9-2 run against their border rival Pretzels (8-13) and led 16-9 after the first quarter.
"I always say the first two or three minutes of every game is crucial. Because one team is going to come away with some confidence and the other not so sure what they're all about. I was proud of the way we came out of the gate," Murphy said.
The lead escalated in the second quarter, as Barrett scored seven of Monroe's first 10 points in the frame. Tordoff also hit a 3-pointer in that stretch and the Cheesemakers held Freeport to just four points in the period, taking a 29-13 halftime lead.
"We were having kind of a tough stretch there (the past two weeks) and we got back to Monroe basketball," Tordoff said. "Everyone stepped it up and got involved."
Barrett and Tordoff continued their inside-out clinic in the third. Barrett dished the ball to Tordoff for a jumper a minute into the second half and then Barrett hit a baseline 'J' himself just over a minute later. Tordoff then pulled up and buried a long 3 and found Barrett on the paint a possession later.
Alex Barenklau was then left wide open on a half-court inbounds pass under the hoop to make it 40-17 with 3:36 left in the frame. Monroe held a 43-27 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
The Pretzels only could make it back to within 14 points three times in the fourth, with Barrett slashing and hitting free throws each time to cool any type of run.
When the Cheesemakers pulled their starters with 1:24 to go, Monroe led by 21 points at 58-37.
"There are some big things coming up now that we obviously have to prepare for coming up," Murphy said.
The Cheesemakers have conference games against co-leader Madison Edgewood and Milton, as well as non-conference games against Manitowoc Lincoln and DeForest coming up in the next two weeks.
"After losing three of four, this just gives us confidence with our conference games coming up. And they are huge conference games because we control our own destiny," Barrett said.
