MONTICELLO - Another dramatic chapter can be added to the Highway 69 rivalry between Monticello and New Glarus.
New Glarus erased a seven-point deficit late in the fourth quarter for a thrilling 59-55 overtime win over Monticello Saturday.
After the game, New Glarus coach Travis Sysko's message after a frantic finish was telling.
"We kind of stole one today, but we will take it. We didn't by any means play our best ball today," Sysko said.
Monticello couldn't hang on to a seven-point lead with 1 minute, 44 seconds to go. The Ponies shot 1-for-6 from the free throw line in the last 1:29 allowed the Knights to stay within striking distance.
New Glarus senior Ryan Bright nailed a 3-pointer with 1:14 left to cut the lead to 50-48, then sophomore Tyler Kreklow drilled a floating jumper in the lane with 23 seconds left to tie the game.
On the Ponies' ensuing possession, Nick Stuessy, who had 10 points and six blocked shots, came up with a clutch steal and he was fouled. Stuessy made two free throws with 7.8 seconds left to give the Knights a 52-50 lead. After a New Glarus player slipped at the foul line, Monticello junior Tyler Ritschard, who scored a game-high 17 points, took the inbound pass and drove for a game-tying layup with two seconds left to send the game into overtime.
"We got kind of lucky when one of their players fell down at the free throw line," Monticello coach Mark Olson said. "We wanted the ball in his (Ritschard's) hands. He just read it and thought he could get to the rim and he did."
The Knights outscored the Ponies, 7-3 in the overtime, while making five of their six free throws to seal the comeback win.
The Ponies were in position to win the season opener, according to Olson.
"We have a recipe for success," he said. "We had all the ingredients there except for the free throws. Going forward, I think they will have to take it more seriously."
New Glarus senior Cameron Jeglum scored a team-high 15 points, which included a key fourth-quarter 3-pointer; he was one of four in double figures. Kreklow scored 12 points in his first varsity game.
"This group of guys is set in the mindset (of) whatever it takes to win," Bright said. "This group of guys wants to win so bad this year. We will do whatever it takes. In the overtime, we clamped down as a team. We knew one guy was not going to win it."
Sysko liked how Kreklow played in his first varsity game, he said.
"Tyler is an excellent ballhandler," Sysko said. "We have known that. He's quick. We have been on Tyler all summer to shoot more."
Early on, both the Knights and Ponies got off to cold shooting starts. The Knights limited the Ponies without a field goal in the first quarter. The Ponies didn't make a shot until Tyler Meier, who scored 10 points, made a shot in the second quarter.
Meier hit a running shot midway through the second quarter to spark a 13-8 run that gave the Ponies a 14-13 lead. Monticello senior Jacob Marty added 10 points.
"We were off shooting in the first half," Stuessy said. "I knew our guards would be on eventually. Ryan and Cameron started hitting shots." Monticello led 20-16 at the half, but the Knights made a run in the second half. The Knights went on a 7-1 fourth-quarter spurt highlighted by Jeglum's game-tying 3-pointer. That set the stage for a wild final 2 minutes.
"New Glarus is a good team, a bigger school and it's a tough way to start the season," Olson said. "We gave them everything we got."
New Glarus erased a seven-point deficit late in the fourth quarter for a thrilling 59-55 overtime win over Monticello Saturday.
After the game, New Glarus coach Travis Sysko's message after a frantic finish was telling.
"We kind of stole one today, but we will take it. We didn't by any means play our best ball today," Sysko said.
Monticello couldn't hang on to a seven-point lead with 1 minute, 44 seconds to go. The Ponies shot 1-for-6 from the free throw line in the last 1:29 allowed the Knights to stay within striking distance.
New Glarus senior Ryan Bright nailed a 3-pointer with 1:14 left to cut the lead to 50-48, then sophomore Tyler Kreklow drilled a floating jumper in the lane with 23 seconds left to tie the game.
On the Ponies' ensuing possession, Nick Stuessy, who had 10 points and six blocked shots, came up with a clutch steal and he was fouled. Stuessy made two free throws with 7.8 seconds left to give the Knights a 52-50 lead. After a New Glarus player slipped at the foul line, Monticello junior Tyler Ritschard, who scored a game-high 17 points, took the inbound pass and drove for a game-tying layup with two seconds left to send the game into overtime.
"We got kind of lucky when one of their players fell down at the free throw line," Monticello coach Mark Olson said. "We wanted the ball in his (Ritschard's) hands. He just read it and thought he could get to the rim and he did."
The Knights outscored the Ponies, 7-3 in the overtime, while making five of their six free throws to seal the comeback win.
The Ponies were in position to win the season opener, according to Olson.
"We have a recipe for success," he said. "We had all the ingredients there except for the free throws. Going forward, I think they will have to take it more seriously."
New Glarus senior Cameron Jeglum scored a team-high 15 points, which included a key fourth-quarter 3-pointer; he was one of four in double figures. Kreklow scored 12 points in his first varsity game.
"This group of guys is set in the mindset (of) whatever it takes to win," Bright said. "This group of guys wants to win so bad this year. We will do whatever it takes. In the overtime, we clamped down as a team. We knew one guy was not going to win it."
Sysko liked how Kreklow played in his first varsity game, he said.
"Tyler is an excellent ballhandler," Sysko said. "We have known that. He's quick. We have been on Tyler all summer to shoot more."
Early on, both the Knights and Ponies got off to cold shooting starts. The Knights limited the Ponies without a field goal in the first quarter. The Ponies didn't make a shot until Tyler Meier, who scored 10 points, made a shot in the second quarter.
Meier hit a running shot midway through the second quarter to spark a 13-8 run that gave the Ponies a 14-13 lead. Monticello senior Jacob Marty added 10 points.
"We were off shooting in the first half," Stuessy said. "I knew our guards would be on eventually. Ryan and Cameron started hitting shots." Monticello led 20-16 at the half, but the Knights made a run in the second half. The Knights went on a 7-1 fourth-quarter spurt highlighted by Jeglum's game-tying 3-pointer. That set the stage for a wild final 2 minutes.
"New Glarus is a good team, a bigger school and it's a tough way to start the season," Olson said. "We gave them everything we got."
