BRODHEAD -With some new faces in different roles, the Monroe girls basketball team proved they didn't forget how to close out a game Saturday night.
After Monroe missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw, Brodhead had one last chance. With 6.2 seconds left in the game, Brodhead sophomore Taylor Douglas drove the length of the floor and the Cheesemakers funneled her to the deep baseline where her jumper went awry at the buzzer and the Cheesemakers escaped with a 36-35 season opening non-conference win.
It's Sam Mathiason's second win as a coach and his first as Monroe's head coach. Mathiason filled in for former coach Kevin Keen in one game last year and guided the Cheesemakers to a win.
"It's great to be able to find a way to get that first win," Mathiason said. "You have to be able to find a way to make plays and we did. We made it more difficult than it had to be. We did a good job of getting to the line. We didn't shoot free throws like we usually do."
Brodhead coach Brad Pickett said he wanted Douglas to push the ball to get to the basket or pass to the wing if she drew the defense. Douglas finished with a game-high 15 points to go along with six rebounds and two steals.
"From the angle we were at it looked like it might be good, but it didn't go down," Pickett said. "In the end, you just want to get a shot up."
Pickett said that he loves playing quality programs like Monroe in non-conference games.
"Playing Monroe, you will find out what your weaknesses are," Pickett said.
Monroe senior Kylee Ritschard scored 12 of her 14 points in the first half and she had seven rebounds to lead the Cheesemakers. Ritschard was kicking herself after the game for missing a key free throw in the final minute.
"I was just thinking I need to work on my free throws," Ritschard said. "And second, I thought we had to pick up our 'D' and not let them get any shots off. Molly Hlubek did a great job of helping me out with the double team. She (Douglas) still got a shot off and obviously it still makes you nervous."
Several Monroe players stepped up down the stretch. Monroe senior Abby Jacobson hit a 3-pointer with 5 minutes to go that gave the Cheesemakers a 31-30 lead. Monroe junior Molly Hlubek stepped up and hit two critical jumpers in the final two minutes to give the Cheesemakers a 35-30 lead. Just when it looked like the Cheesemakers would pull away down the stretch, Brodhead sophomore Mariah Ahrens drilled a 3-pointer with 8.3 seconds left that cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 36-35.
Mathiason said that every year there are new roles on a team. The Cheesemakers have had success in the past at feeding the ball inside. Monroe junior Brooke McBain had a lot of touches in the post. Mathiason said the key is developing a feel and confidence that when players in new roles get opportunities, they can take advantage of them.
"I was encouraged by that," Mathiason said of Hlubek's jumpers. "I knew she could do it."
Early on, the game had the makings of one that could come down to the final seconds. The Cardinals opened the game with a 6-0 first quarter run. Douglas scored four of the Cardinals' first six points. The Cheesemakers went through about a three minute scoring drought until Ritschard snapped the cold spell by scoring on a layup.
The Cheesemakers took a 13-12 lead with 6:14 left in the second quarter on Ritschard's layup. Monroe senior Kyleigh Sellnow then buried a 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers a 17-14 lead. Monroe senior Kristin McArdle hit a 3-pointer and Sellnow knocked down a spinning jumper right before the buzzer to give the Cheesemakers a 24-18 halftime lead.
The Cardinals went on a 7-0 third-quarter spurt highlighted by a traditional three-point play by Ahrens, a basket by Carly Mohns and a jumper by Douglas that gave the Cardinals a 25-24 lead. Those plays set the stage for a nail-biting final 6.2 seconds.
Mathiason directed the Cheesemakers to pick up Douglas and the Cardinals at halfcourt.
"We started to play tag with them and it's a little more helter-skelter than I wanted," Mathiason said. "We didn't want to let them go right down the shoot for an easy score. I think we forced them into a challenging shot."
It won't get any easier for the Cheesemakers. Monroe hosts Madison La Follette, a Big Eight Conference school Tuesday and then plays at Madison Edgewood Friday.
After Monroe missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw, Brodhead had one last chance. With 6.2 seconds left in the game, Brodhead sophomore Taylor Douglas drove the length of the floor and the Cheesemakers funneled her to the deep baseline where her jumper went awry at the buzzer and the Cheesemakers escaped with a 36-35 season opening non-conference win.
It's Sam Mathiason's second win as a coach and his first as Monroe's head coach. Mathiason filled in for former coach Kevin Keen in one game last year and guided the Cheesemakers to a win.
"It's great to be able to find a way to get that first win," Mathiason said. "You have to be able to find a way to make plays and we did. We made it more difficult than it had to be. We did a good job of getting to the line. We didn't shoot free throws like we usually do."
Brodhead coach Brad Pickett said he wanted Douglas to push the ball to get to the basket or pass to the wing if she drew the defense. Douglas finished with a game-high 15 points to go along with six rebounds and two steals.
"From the angle we were at it looked like it might be good, but it didn't go down," Pickett said. "In the end, you just want to get a shot up."
Pickett said that he loves playing quality programs like Monroe in non-conference games.
"Playing Monroe, you will find out what your weaknesses are," Pickett said.
Monroe senior Kylee Ritschard scored 12 of her 14 points in the first half and she had seven rebounds to lead the Cheesemakers. Ritschard was kicking herself after the game for missing a key free throw in the final minute.
"I was just thinking I need to work on my free throws," Ritschard said. "And second, I thought we had to pick up our 'D' and not let them get any shots off. Molly Hlubek did a great job of helping me out with the double team. She (Douglas) still got a shot off and obviously it still makes you nervous."
Several Monroe players stepped up down the stretch. Monroe senior Abby Jacobson hit a 3-pointer with 5 minutes to go that gave the Cheesemakers a 31-30 lead. Monroe junior Molly Hlubek stepped up and hit two critical jumpers in the final two minutes to give the Cheesemakers a 35-30 lead. Just when it looked like the Cheesemakers would pull away down the stretch, Brodhead sophomore Mariah Ahrens drilled a 3-pointer with 8.3 seconds left that cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 36-35.
Mathiason said that every year there are new roles on a team. The Cheesemakers have had success in the past at feeding the ball inside. Monroe junior Brooke McBain had a lot of touches in the post. Mathiason said the key is developing a feel and confidence that when players in new roles get opportunities, they can take advantage of them.
"I was encouraged by that," Mathiason said of Hlubek's jumpers. "I knew she could do it."
Early on, the game had the makings of one that could come down to the final seconds. The Cardinals opened the game with a 6-0 first quarter run. Douglas scored four of the Cardinals' first six points. The Cheesemakers went through about a three minute scoring drought until Ritschard snapped the cold spell by scoring on a layup.
The Cheesemakers took a 13-12 lead with 6:14 left in the second quarter on Ritschard's layup. Monroe senior Kyleigh Sellnow then buried a 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers a 17-14 lead. Monroe senior Kristin McArdle hit a 3-pointer and Sellnow knocked down a spinning jumper right before the buzzer to give the Cheesemakers a 24-18 halftime lead.
The Cardinals went on a 7-0 third-quarter spurt highlighted by a traditional three-point play by Ahrens, a basket by Carly Mohns and a jumper by Douglas that gave the Cardinals a 25-24 lead. Those plays set the stage for a nail-biting final 6.2 seconds.
Mathiason directed the Cheesemakers to pick up Douglas and the Cardinals at halfcourt.
"We started to play tag with them and it's a little more helter-skelter than I wanted," Mathiason said. "We didn't want to let them go right down the shoot for an easy score. I think we forced them into a challenging shot."
It won't get any easier for the Cheesemakers. Monroe hosts Madison La Follette, a Big Eight Conference school Tuesday and then plays at Madison Edgewood Friday.
