STOUGHTON - Monroe junior Carter Sawdey scored 14 points and the Cheesemakers clamped down defensively in the second half for a comeback 54-45 win over Baraboo in a Badger Challenge game Friday at Stoughton High School.
The Badger Challenge pits the first-place team from the South against the top team from the Badger North and so on down the line. Monroe (3-10, 1-5 Badger South), the sixth-place team in the South, faced a Thunderbirds team that hit seven 3-pointers and led by eight points early in the second half.
"We talked about playing for pride in the Badger Challenge," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "I was proud of how we battled back. We responded to some adversity. Obviously, you want to see that from the get-go."
The Cheesemakers outscored Baraboo 32-17 in the second half and attacked the Thunderbirds' 1-2-2 zone. Monroe senior Ben Latimer, junior Alex Tordoff and sophomore David Keegan each scored seven points.
"It looked like a 3-2 zopne because they played so deep," Murphy said.
The Cheesemakers made 10 of 18 free throws. The Thunderbirds attempted just four free throws in the game and finished 2 of 4.
"That was a really big stat," Murphy said. 'We were aggressive and we have to build off of that. The guys know what that feeling is like to win again."
The Cheesemakers had 12 offensive rebounds that led to some second-chance scoring opportunities.
"Those are huge," Murphy said.
It also helped that the Cheesemakers stepped up their defense in the second half.
"We are using more full-court man and three-quarters-court press to give teams a different look," Murphy said. "We played a lot harder and smarter. It's nothing too magical. We got out on their shooters."
Monroe will host Oregon on Thursday and look to pick up its second conference win of the season. The Cheesemakers will then host Lena-Winslow Jan. 30.
The Badger Challenge pits the first-place team from the South against the top team from the Badger North and so on down the line. Monroe (3-10, 1-5 Badger South), the sixth-place team in the South, faced a Thunderbirds team that hit seven 3-pointers and led by eight points early in the second half.
"We talked about playing for pride in the Badger Challenge," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "I was proud of how we battled back. We responded to some adversity. Obviously, you want to see that from the get-go."
The Cheesemakers outscored Baraboo 32-17 in the second half and attacked the Thunderbirds' 1-2-2 zone. Monroe senior Ben Latimer, junior Alex Tordoff and sophomore David Keegan each scored seven points.
"It looked like a 3-2 zopne because they played so deep," Murphy said.
The Cheesemakers made 10 of 18 free throws. The Thunderbirds attempted just four free throws in the game and finished 2 of 4.
"That was a really big stat," Murphy said. 'We were aggressive and we have to build off of that. The guys know what that feeling is like to win again."
The Cheesemakers had 12 offensive rebounds that led to some second-chance scoring opportunities.
"Those are huge," Murphy said.
It also helped that the Cheesemakers stepped up their defense in the second half.
"We are using more full-court man and three-quarters-court press to give teams a different look," Murphy said. "We played a lot harder and smarter. It's nothing too magical. We got out on their shooters."
Monroe will host Oregon on Thursday and look to pick up its second conference win of the season. The Cheesemakers will then host Lena-Winslow Jan. 30.
