MONROE - Senior guard Brent Edmunds and the other members of the Monroe High School boys basketball team know what kind of heartbreak can come from a tight overtime game. Edmunds didn't want to repeat the gut-wrenching feeling of losing a second straight overtime game.
Edmunds scored eight of his 11 points in overtime as Monroe stormed back from a 15-point second-half deficit to knock off New Glarus 74-62 Tuesday night. The win for Monroe (2-6, 1-3 Badger South) came on the heels of a triple-overtime loss to Janesville Parker.
"It feels good that we were able to fight back and play with a lot more heart," Edmunds said. "We are starting to learn how to close out games. It's a big win that will be important down the road."
The Cheesemakers made 12 of 16 free throws in the overtime to ice the win. Monroe junior Carter Sawdey scored a game-high 15 points. Junior Alex Tordoff and sophomore David Keegan each added 13 points. Junior teammate Dylan Beaver scored six points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds. Junior Jake Kind also chipped in six points.
"We have really been working to capitalize on our free throws," Edmunds said. "We have been working hard on our free throws in practice. It's good to see our hard work paying off."
The Cheesemakers' team play overshadowed the short-lived return of 6-foot-5 Ben Latimer. Latimer scored four points in the first half but then didn't play in the second half and spent the time icing his foot in the training room.
Monroe coach Pat Murphy said he wasn't sure if Latimer re-injured the foot he broke before the season or if it was just sore from playing for the first time this year.
"I'm not sure if he re-injured it, but I know it's really sore," Murphy said. "Without one of our captains in the second half, I'm just happy we won a close game in overtime. It's a good way to end 2015."
New Glarus freshman Zach Feller had the hot shooting hand early on scoring 11 points and drilling three 3-pointers in the first half to help the Glarner Knights go on a 14-4 run to open up a 14-point lead.
"With the way New Glarus shot it in the first half, it wasn't looking very good," Murphy said. "Feller ate us up in the first half. For a freshman he's really good. We were not helping off him in the second half. You want to make someone else beat you. You never want to get ate up by the same kid."
Edmunds guarded Feller in the second half and held him scoreless.
No one would question the heart of the Cheesemakers late at the end of regulation.
The Knights (5-5) had a couple of back-breaking turnovers at the end of regulation that allowed the Cheesemakers to force the extra session. Tordoff had a steal that led to two free throws by Sawdey to slice the Knights' lead to 56-54 with 1 minute, 58 seconds left. Monroe sophomore Brayden Zettle then came up with a steal that led to a Tordoff layup that tied the game at 56 with 1:24 to go that sent the game to overtime.
"I thought we lost our composure a little bit," New Glarus coach Travis Sysko said. "We had a couple of uncharacteristic turnovers and that led to four points. That is a big swing."
The Cheesemakers wasted no time in the extra session. Tordoff and Edmunds both knocked down jumpers to give the Cheesemakers a 60-56 lead. The Knights had eight of their 13 turnovers in the second half. The Knights also struggled to stay within striking distance in the extra session missing five free throws in the final 2 minutes.
New Glarus senior Gavin Binger had 11 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore teammate Cullen Brooks had 10 points, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
Feller hit three 3-pointers during New Glarus' 14-4 first half surge that gave the Knights a 26-12 lead. Keegan scored eight of his 13 points in the first half and hit three 3-pointers in the game to keep the Cheesemakers within striking distance.
"We said at halftime we had to stop the freshman," Beaver said. "Feller is a really good player."
Playing without Latimer in the second half and pulling out a win was a big step.
"It just shows our team is really tough and fighting to get better," Beaver said. "Having Ben back was a big thing to keep us going. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going and keep getting better as a team."
Trey Taylor hit a jumper with 13:10 left in the second half to give the Knights their biggest lead at 46-31. The Cheesemakers answered with their own run.
"A lot of things we did right in the first half we didn't do in the second half," Sysko said. "I think we took too many quick 3s in the second half."
New Glarus will open up Capitol South Conference play Jan. 7 at Belleville.
"We have played some good competition, and it has exposed some of our weaknesses," Sysko said. "Hopefully, that will help in the long run."
Edmunds scored eight of his 11 points in overtime as Monroe stormed back from a 15-point second-half deficit to knock off New Glarus 74-62 Tuesday night. The win for Monroe (2-6, 1-3 Badger South) came on the heels of a triple-overtime loss to Janesville Parker.
"It feels good that we were able to fight back and play with a lot more heart," Edmunds said. "We are starting to learn how to close out games. It's a big win that will be important down the road."
The Cheesemakers made 12 of 16 free throws in the overtime to ice the win. Monroe junior Carter Sawdey scored a game-high 15 points. Junior Alex Tordoff and sophomore David Keegan each added 13 points. Junior teammate Dylan Beaver scored six points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds. Junior Jake Kind also chipped in six points.
"We have really been working to capitalize on our free throws," Edmunds said. "We have been working hard on our free throws in practice. It's good to see our hard work paying off."
The Cheesemakers' team play overshadowed the short-lived return of 6-foot-5 Ben Latimer. Latimer scored four points in the first half but then didn't play in the second half and spent the time icing his foot in the training room.
Monroe coach Pat Murphy said he wasn't sure if Latimer re-injured the foot he broke before the season or if it was just sore from playing for the first time this year.
"I'm not sure if he re-injured it, but I know it's really sore," Murphy said. "Without one of our captains in the second half, I'm just happy we won a close game in overtime. It's a good way to end 2015."
New Glarus freshman Zach Feller had the hot shooting hand early on scoring 11 points and drilling three 3-pointers in the first half to help the Glarner Knights go on a 14-4 run to open up a 14-point lead.
"With the way New Glarus shot it in the first half, it wasn't looking very good," Murphy said. "Feller ate us up in the first half. For a freshman he's really good. We were not helping off him in the second half. You want to make someone else beat you. You never want to get ate up by the same kid."
Edmunds guarded Feller in the second half and held him scoreless.
No one would question the heart of the Cheesemakers late at the end of regulation.
The Knights (5-5) had a couple of back-breaking turnovers at the end of regulation that allowed the Cheesemakers to force the extra session. Tordoff had a steal that led to two free throws by Sawdey to slice the Knights' lead to 56-54 with 1 minute, 58 seconds left. Monroe sophomore Brayden Zettle then came up with a steal that led to a Tordoff layup that tied the game at 56 with 1:24 to go that sent the game to overtime.
"I thought we lost our composure a little bit," New Glarus coach Travis Sysko said. "We had a couple of uncharacteristic turnovers and that led to four points. That is a big swing."
The Cheesemakers wasted no time in the extra session. Tordoff and Edmunds both knocked down jumpers to give the Cheesemakers a 60-56 lead. The Knights had eight of their 13 turnovers in the second half. The Knights also struggled to stay within striking distance in the extra session missing five free throws in the final 2 minutes.
New Glarus senior Gavin Binger had 11 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore teammate Cullen Brooks had 10 points, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
Feller hit three 3-pointers during New Glarus' 14-4 first half surge that gave the Knights a 26-12 lead. Keegan scored eight of his 13 points in the first half and hit three 3-pointers in the game to keep the Cheesemakers within striking distance.
"We said at halftime we had to stop the freshman," Beaver said. "Feller is a really good player."
Playing without Latimer in the second half and pulling out a win was a big step.
"It just shows our team is really tough and fighting to get better," Beaver said. "Having Ben back was a big thing to keep us going. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going and keep getting better as a team."
Trey Taylor hit a jumper with 13:10 left in the second half to give the Knights their biggest lead at 46-31. The Cheesemakers answered with their own run.
"A lot of things we did right in the first half we didn't do in the second half," Sysko said. "I think we took too many quick 3s in the second half."
New Glarus will open up Capitol South Conference play Jan. 7 at Belleville.
"We have played some good competition, and it has exposed some of our weaknesses," Sysko said. "Hopefully, that will help in the long run."
