MONROE - If the Monroe girls basketball team's 49-39 win over Freeport Saturday was a tune-up for the tournament in March, then the Cheesemakers passed the test.
Monroe senior Kyleigh Sellnow scored a game-high 17 points and had five steals. Fellow senior Kylee Ritschard had a double-double (11 points and 10 rebounds) and junior Brooke McBain chipped in 10.
"We talked before the game that there was a little more buzz with this game with the crowd," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "It's a little more like a tournament atmosphere. Every time we come out we want to play as well as we can, whether it's against Freeport or whoever it is."
Sellnow said that Mathiason stressed the importance another win would have at seeding time for the tournament.
"It was really a tough challenge for us because they really are a bigger school from Illinois," Sellnow said.
The Cheesemakers (8-6, 3-4 Badger South) opened the first quarter with an 11-2 run. Sellnow drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key and McBain scored down low. Monroe freshman Taylor Barrett hit a jumper to give the Cheesemakers an 11-2 lead with 3 minutes, 50 seconds left in the first quarter.
"We started off the game great," Mathiason said. "It was a little too easy. We got those early baskets and we got that false sense of security that it would be easy."
The Cheesemakers went 10 minutes without a field goal. The scoring drought from the field was snapped when junior Abbey Foulker scored down low to give the Cheesemakers a 19-14 lead with 1:05 to go in the second quarter. Even though the Cheesemakers scored just seven points in the period, they had a 20-14 half-time lead.
"We just have to keep finding ways to score," Mathiason said. "I'm just proud of the girls. They kept battling and did the little things we had to do."
Monroe turned up its defensive pressure in the second half. Sellnow knocked down a 3-pointer with 5:28 left in the third quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 30-21 lead.
The Pretzels played most of the second half with sophomore Bryn Buckwalter in foul trouble. However, Buckwalter, who scored 17 points, was able to play through and gave the Pretzels a weapon inside to keep the game within striking distance. Freeport senior Paige Calow scored down low late in the third quarter to slice the Cheesemakers' lead to 30-25. Foulker poked the ball away and Sellnow came up with a steal and cruised in for a layup to give the Cheesemakers a 34-25 lead at the end of the period.
"We talked at halftime that we had to get up on defense a little bit more, go for the steals and get those layups," Sellnow said.
Mathiason is encouraged by the last two games when the Cheesemakers have limited opponents to just 33 points per game.
"Kyleigh did a great job of pressuring (MacKenzie) Wagner and making her uncomfortable with the basketball," Mathiason said. "Any time you can score in transition it makes it easier for everyone else."
Freeport sophomore Ashley Alexander hit a 3-pointer with 7:04 left in the fourth quarter to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 34-28. However, that is as close as the Pretzels would get. McBain answered by hitting a jumper to give the Cheesemakers a 36-28 lead.
It won't get any easier on the Cheesemakers. Monroe plays at Waunakee Tuesday; and at Milton Friday.
"At this time of year you just keep trying to get better," Mathiason said.
Monroe senior Kyleigh Sellnow scored a game-high 17 points and had five steals. Fellow senior Kylee Ritschard had a double-double (11 points and 10 rebounds) and junior Brooke McBain chipped in 10.
"We talked before the game that there was a little more buzz with this game with the crowd," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "It's a little more like a tournament atmosphere. Every time we come out we want to play as well as we can, whether it's against Freeport or whoever it is."
Sellnow said that Mathiason stressed the importance another win would have at seeding time for the tournament.
"It was really a tough challenge for us because they really are a bigger school from Illinois," Sellnow said.
The Cheesemakers (8-6, 3-4 Badger South) opened the first quarter with an 11-2 run. Sellnow drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key and McBain scored down low. Monroe freshman Taylor Barrett hit a jumper to give the Cheesemakers an 11-2 lead with 3 minutes, 50 seconds left in the first quarter.
"We started off the game great," Mathiason said. "It was a little too easy. We got those early baskets and we got that false sense of security that it would be easy."
The Cheesemakers went 10 minutes without a field goal. The scoring drought from the field was snapped when junior Abbey Foulker scored down low to give the Cheesemakers a 19-14 lead with 1:05 to go in the second quarter. Even though the Cheesemakers scored just seven points in the period, they had a 20-14 half-time lead.
"We just have to keep finding ways to score," Mathiason said. "I'm just proud of the girls. They kept battling and did the little things we had to do."
Monroe turned up its defensive pressure in the second half. Sellnow knocked down a 3-pointer with 5:28 left in the third quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 30-21 lead.
The Pretzels played most of the second half with sophomore Bryn Buckwalter in foul trouble. However, Buckwalter, who scored 17 points, was able to play through and gave the Pretzels a weapon inside to keep the game within striking distance. Freeport senior Paige Calow scored down low late in the third quarter to slice the Cheesemakers' lead to 30-25. Foulker poked the ball away and Sellnow came up with a steal and cruised in for a layup to give the Cheesemakers a 34-25 lead at the end of the period.
"We talked at halftime that we had to get up on defense a little bit more, go for the steals and get those layups," Sellnow said.
Mathiason is encouraged by the last two games when the Cheesemakers have limited opponents to just 33 points per game.
"Kyleigh did a great job of pressuring (MacKenzie) Wagner and making her uncomfortable with the basketball," Mathiason said. "Any time you can score in transition it makes it easier for everyone else."
Freeport sophomore Ashley Alexander hit a 3-pointer with 7:04 left in the fourth quarter to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 34-28. However, that is as close as the Pretzels would get. McBain answered by hitting a jumper to give the Cheesemakers a 36-28 lead.
It won't get any easier on the Cheesemakers. Monroe plays at Waunakee Tuesday; and at Milton Friday.
"At this time of year you just keep trying to get better," Mathiason said.
