MONROE - Taylor Barrett doesn't need to be convinced of how much of a weapon the 3-point shot has become in girls basketball.
Monona Grove senior Taylor Nelson scored a game-high 22 points, all in the first half, to propel the Silver Eagles to a 57-37 win over Monroe in the regular season finale Thursday. Nelson made four of the Silver Eagles' nine 3-pointers against the Cheesemakers' 2-3 zone.
"They came out shooting absolutely phenomenal," said Barrett, who scored seven points and had eight rebounds in her final home game on Senior Night. "You have to have a lot of respect for her (Nelson). She's a great player. They have two all-state guards."
Monona Grove (20-1, 11-1 Badger South), ranked No. 4 in the Division 2 WisSports.net Coaches poll, scored eight points in the first 44 seconds of the first quarter. Nelson and McKenzie Cary each drilled 3-pointers. Nelson then scored on a layup and that sparked a 22-3 first quarter run. The Silver Eagles made five 3-pointers in the first quarter and were 8 of 13 shooting early on.
"I think we are getting better running the 2-3 zone every day in practice," Barrett said. "They came out and just shot crazy. We just have to start getting a hand up on their shooters."
Monroe sophomore Brooke Adams, who scored a team-high eight points, made the highlight reel shot of the game when she hit a halfcourt 3-pointer right before the end of the first quarter to cut the Silver Eagles' lead to 24-10.
The Cheesemakers (6-16, 3-9 badger South) stayed in the 2-3 zone the entire game.
"I was concerned with our ability to match up with them on the dribble drive," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "I thought playing a zone was our best chance to match up with them. I have seen them score a lot of points. I don't know if I have ever seen them make five 3-pointers in one quarter. They have the kids capable of shooting. They have a lot of people who can score. It's hard to know who you have to take away."
Adams drilled a 3-pointer with 6 minutes, 14 seconds left in the second quarter to slice the Silver Eagles' lead to 26-13. However, that is as close as the Cheesemakers would get. Monona Grove senior Alexa Kelsey hit a 3-pointer and Nelson knocked down a 3-pointer with 3:36 to go in the second to give the Silver Eagles a 34-13 lead. Nelson and Kelsey combined for 30 of the Silver Eagles' 37 points in the first half as they built an 18-point lead at the half.
"She (Nelson) obviously came out ready to play," Mathiason said. "She shot the ball very well in the first half. After she hit the first couple we needed to do a better job of finding her on those shots."
The Cheesemakers committed 22 turnovers, but many of them came in the half court. The Cheesemakers shot just 25 percent in the second half (5 of 20).
"They make you play at a much faster pace," Mathiason said of the Silver Eagles press. "They do a good job of trying to push a faster tempo. A lot of times you are just chasing. MG does a good job of scrambling all over and running two or three people at you on the press. To be able to see that next pass is tough. We looked a lot more comfortable against the press. We just need to be able to convert at a higher rate."
The Silver Eagles led by as many as 25 points in the second half. The Cheesemakers closed strong with junior MacKenzie Hesgard hitting a 3-pointer and Haley Kaiser hitting a jumper. Monroe junior Alacia Keegan also scored on a putback late in the fourth quarter. The Cheesemakers have two sophomores - Maddie Kallgren and Adams - getting a lot of minutes. There are also several other players coming on their first year on the varsity.
"Part of it is experience," Mathiason said. "The more opportunities you get to play at the varsity level hopefully the more comfortable you will be. You just have to try to develop, work hard and get better."
Barrett was emotional after playing her final home game.
"I have played for coach Mathiason for four years," Barrett said. "I have been playing on this court for four years. It's kind of like my second home for me. We have one more game. We just have to try to keep winning."
Monona Grove senior Taylor Nelson scored a game-high 22 points, all in the first half, to propel the Silver Eagles to a 57-37 win over Monroe in the regular season finale Thursday. Nelson made four of the Silver Eagles' nine 3-pointers against the Cheesemakers' 2-3 zone.
"They came out shooting absolutely phenomenal," said Barrett, who scored seven points and had eight rebounds in her final home game on Senior Night. "You have to have a lot of respect for her (Nelson). She's a great player. They have two all-state guards."
Monona Grove (20-1, 11-1 Badger South), ranked No. 4 in the Division 2 WisSports.net Coaches poll, scored eight points in the first 44 seconds of the first quarter. Nelson and McKenzie Cary each drilled 3-pointers. Nelson then scored on a layup and that sparked a 22-3 first quarter run. The Silver Eagles made five 3-pointers in the first quarter and were 8 of 13 shooting early on.
"I think we are getting better running the 2-3 zone every day in practice," Barrett said. "They came out and just shot crazy. We just have to start getting a hand up on their shooters."
Monroe sophomore Brooke Adams, who scored a team-high eight points, made the highlight reel shot of the game when she hit a halfcourt 3-pointer right before the end of the first quarter to cut the Silver Eagles' lead to 24-10.
The Cheesemakers (6-16, 3-9 badger South) stayed in the 2-3 zone the entire game.
"I was concerned with our ability to match up with them on the dribble drive," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "I thought playing a zone was our best chance to match up with them. I have seen them score a lot of points. I don't know if I have ever seen them make five 3-pointers in one quarter. They have the kids capable of shooting. They have a lot of people who can score. It's hard to know who you have to take away."
Adams drilled a 3-pointer with 6 minutes, 14 seconds left in the second quarter to slice the Silver Eagles' lead to 26-13. However, that is as close as the Cheesemakers would get. Monona Grove senior Alexa Kelsey hit a 3-pointer and Nelson knocked down a 3-pointer with 3:36 to go in the second to give the Silver Eagles a 34-13 lead. Nelson and Kelsey combined for 30 of the Silver Eagles' 37 points in the first half as they built an 18-point lead at the half.
"She (Nelson) obviously came out ready to play," Mathiason said. "She shot the ball very well in the first half. After she hit the first couple we needed to do a better job of finding her on those shots."
The Cheesemakers committed 22 turnovers, but many of them came in the half court. The Cheesemakers shot just 25 percent in the second half (5 of 20).
"They make you play at a much faster pace," Mathiason said of the Silver Eagles press. "They do a good job of trying to push a faster tempo. A lot of times you are just chasing. MG does a good job of scrambling all over and running two or three people at you on the press. To be able to see that next pass is tough. We looked a lot more comfortable against the press. We just need to be able to convert at a higher rate."
The Silver Eagles led by as many as 25 points in the second half. The Cheesemakers closed strong with junior MacKenzie Hesgard hitting a 3-pointer and Haley Kaiser hitting a jumper. Monroe junior Alacia Keegan also scored on a putback late in the fourth quarter. The Cheesemakers have two sophomores - Maddie Kallgren and Adams - getting a lot of minutes. There are also several other players coming on their first year on the varsity.
"Part of it is experience," Mathiason said. "The more opportunities you get to play at the varsity level hopefully the more comfortable you will be. You just have to try to develop, work hard and get better."
Barrett was emotional after playing her final home game.
"I have played for coach Mathiason for four years," Barrett said. "I have been playing on this court for four years. It's kind of like my second home for me. We have one more game. We just have to try to keep winning."
