MONROE - In a 3-point shootout, Monroe senior Logan Weckerly scored a team-high 12 points, but Fort Atkinson knocked off Monroe 45-34 on Senior Night Thursday.
Weckerly made 4 of 7 shots including 4 of 5 on 3-pointers to lead the Cheesemakers. Monroe (9-13, 4-8 Badger South) hit eight 3-pointers as a team, but made just two other baskets in the regular season finale against Fort Atkinson.
"It feels good to have a good game, especially on Senior Night," Weckerly said. "We have one of the best student sections in the world. They are behind us even when things are going bad."
Weckerly understands the importance of getting the ball inside to score and draw fouls. One game after not shooting a free throw in a 46-32 loss to Oregon, the Cheesemakers made 6 of 8 free throws Thursday.
"We need to get the ball inside the paint," he said. "We need someone to dominate the post. We have to figure out how to get better in the post."
The Cheesemakers will enter the tournament next week with a four-game losing streak.
"There is no time to mope and cry about it," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "We have to learn from it and get better. Senior Night came and went quick. Now, it's time to get ready for March."
The Cheesemakers started out strong. Monroe senior Desmond Ford drilled a 3-pointer from the wing and scored on a layup to give the Cheesemakers an early 5-0 lead in the first quarter. Weckerly then knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers an 8-3 lead.
Monroe junior Ben Latimer picked up two fouls in the first quarter and was forced to the bench. Despite shooting 26.6 percent in the first half (4 of 15), the Cheesemakers trailed just 17-14 at the half.
The Blackhawks went on a 12-3 run in the third quarter to open up a 14-point lead. Fort Atkinson junior Dylan Bernard, who scored a game-high 16 points, nailed a 3-pointer and senior Clay Gerds hit a jumper to give the Blackhawks a 29-17 lead late in the third quarter.
The Cheesemakers rallied from a 12-point deficit. Monroe sophomore Alex Tordoff drained a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to cut the Blackhawks' lead to 29-20.
Weckerly knocked down a 3-pointer with 7:02 left in the fourth quarter to trim the Blackhawks' lead to 32-26. Monroe senior Kevin Noriega then made two free throws to slice the Blackhawks' lead to 32-28. That is as close as the Cheesemakers would get. The Blackhawks answered with an 11-0 run to put the game away. Gerds hit a 3-pointer and Bernard drilled a 3-pointer to give the Blackhawks an insurmountable 40-28 lead with 3:22 to go.
"Gerds got open and he's a hell of a shooter," Weckerly said. "He hit a 3-pointer and they had someone else (Bernard) hit a 3-pointer. That just killed us."
Murphy said Bernard hurt the Cheesemakers throughout the game with his shooting.
"Their first five guys are as good as anyone in our conference," Murphy said.
Monroe shot 35 percent in the second half and finished 21 percent for the game (10 of 32). The Cheesemakers took care of the basketball committing just nine turnovers.
The Blackhawks shot 63.6 percent in the first half (7 of 11) and finished the game at 48.3 percent (10 of 31). Murphy was excited by the Cheesemakers' defensive work.
"Defensively, one of our goals is to hold teams below 47 points per game and we did that," he said. "Our guys gave great effort."
Ford scored eight points and Noriega and Tordoff each added five points. Monroe senior Jacob Flannery had a team-high five rebounds.
Monroe played Portage in the Badger Challenge last year and the Cheesemakers beat the Warriors 60-46. This time the two teams will meet in a regional quarterfinal game where the loser goes home.
"At this point in the year everyone will try to extend their season," Murphy said.
Weckerly made 4 of 7 shots including 4 of 5 on 3-pointers to lead the Cheesemakers. Monroe (9-13, 4-8 Badger South) hit eight 3-pointers as a team, but made just two other baskets in the regular season finale against Fort Atkinson.
"It feels good to have a good game, especially on Senior Night," Weckerly said. "We have one of the best student sections in the world. They are behind us even when things are going bad."
Weckerly understands the importance of getting the ball inside to score and draw fouls. One game after not shooting a free throw in a 46-32 loss to Oregon, the Cheesemakers made 6 of 8 free throws Thursday.
"We need to get the ball inside the paint," he said. "We need someone to dominate the post. We have to figure out how to get better in the post."
The Cheesemakers will enter the tournament next week with a four-game losing streak.
"There is no time to mope and cry about it," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "We have to learn from it and get better. Senior Night came and went quick. Now, it's time to get ready for March."
The Cheesemakers started out strong. Monroe senior Desmond Ford drilled a 3-pointer from the wing and scored on a layup to give the Cheesemakers an early 5-0 lead in the first quarter. Weckerly then knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers an 8-3 lead.
Monroe junior Ben Latimer picked up two fouls in the first quarter and was forced to the bench. Despite shooting 26.6 percent in the first half (4 of 15), the Cheesemakers trailed just 17-14 at the half.
The Blackhawks went on a 12-3 run in the third quarter to open up a 14-point lead. Fort Atkinson junior Dylan Bernard, who scored a game-high 16 points, nailed a 3-pointer and senior Clay Gerds hit a jumper to give the Blackhawks a 29-17 lead late in the third quarter.
The Cheesemakers rallied from a 12-point deficit. Monroe sophomore Alex Tordoff drained a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to cut the Blackhawks' lead to 29-20.
Weckerly knocked down a 3-pointer with 7:02 left in the fourth quarter to trim the Blackhawks' lead to 32-26. Monroe senior Kevin Noriega then made two free throws to slice the Blackhawks' lead to 32-28. That is as close as the Cheesemakers would get. The Blackhawks answered with an 11-0 run to put the game away. Gerds hit a 3-pointer and Bernard drilled a 3-pointer to give the Blackhawks an insurmountable 40-28 lead with 3:22 to go.
"Gerds got open and he's a hell of a shooter," Weckerly said. "He hit a 3-pointer and they had someone else (Bernard) hit a 3-pointer. That just killed us."
Murphy said Bernard hurt the Cheesemakers throughout the game with his shooting.
"Their first five guys are as good as anyone in our conference," Murphy said.
Monroe shot 35 percent in the second half and finished 21 percent for the game (10 of 32). The Cheesemakers took care of the basketball committing just nine turnovers.
The Blackhawks shot 63.6 percent in the first half (7 of 11) and finished the game at 48.3 percent (10 of 31). Murphy was excited by the Cheesemakers' defensive work.
"Defensively, one of our goals is to hold teams below 47 points per game and we did that," he said. "Our guys gave great effort."
Ford scored eight points and Noriega and Tordoff each added five points. Monroe senior Jacob Flannery had a team-high five rebounds.
Monroe played Portage in the Badger Challenge last year and the Cheesemakers beat the Warriors 60-46. This time the two teams will meet in a regional quarterfinal game where the loser goes home.
"At this point in the year everyone will try to extend their season," Murphy said.
