MADISON - Monroe High School senior Ben Latimer stepped up when the Cheesemakers boys basketball team needed him most Friday night.
With the game against Badger South rival Madison Edgewood tied, Latimer was fouled with 0.3 seconds to go. After the Crusaders took two timeouts in an effort to ice him, Latimer stepped up to the foul line and made the first free throw to give Monroe a thrilling 73-72 win.
"We told him to miss the second free throw because they would have to tap it," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said of preventing the Crusaders' chance to get off a shot because there was no time to shoot a conventional shot. "We have been a part of some really big wins. I'm just proud of the way they persevered. It's a starting point not an ending point."
Latimer scored a game-high 22 points and was one of four Cheesemaker players to reach double figures. Junior teammate Alex Tordoff added 15 points, and senior Brent Edmunds had 12 points. Junior Jake Kind chipped in 10 points. Junior Carter Sawdey had nine points.
The Cheesemakers are now 1-8 in games decided by six points or less.
"We had really good balance," Murphy said.
Monroe (5-16, 2-9 Badger South) made more than two times the free throws than the Crusaders even attempted. The Cheesemakers shot 76.9 percent from the free-throw line (20 of 26); the Crusaders made 8 of 9.
"That's a good recipe," Murphy said.
The Cheesemakers grabbed 14 offensive rebounds in the second half, and they took advantage of second-chance scoring opportunities.
"That just tells you about the level they played at tonight," Murphy said.
Monroe limited Edgewood junior Alex Arians to 11 points. Arians came into the game averaging 20 points per game. Edgewood senior Sam Noyce scored a team-high 19 points.
Monroe will close out the regular season with a conference game at Milton on Thursday.
With the game against Badger South rival Madison Edgewood tied, Latimer was fouled with 0.3 seconds to go. After the Crusaders took two timeouts in an effort to ice him, Latimer stepped up to the foul line and made the first free throw to give Monroe a thrilling 73-72 win.
"We told him to miss the second free throw because they would have to tap it," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said of preventing the Crusaders' chance to get off a shot because there was no time to shoot a conventional shot. "We have been a part of some really big wins. I'm just proud of the way they persevered. It's a starting point not an ending point."
Latimer scored a game-high 22 points and was one of four Cheesemaker players to reach double figures. Junior teammate Alex Tordoff added 15 points, and senior Brent Edmunds had 12 points. Junior Jake Kind chipped in 10 points. Junior Carter Sawdey had nine points.
The Cheesemakers are now 1-8 in games decided by six points or less.
"We had really good balance," Murphy said.
Monroe (5-16, 2-9 Badger South) made more than two times the free throws than the Crusaders even attempted. The Cheesemakers shot 76.9 percent from the free-throw line (20 of 26); the Crusaders made 8 of 9.
"That's a good recipe," Murphy said.
The Cheesemakers grabbed 14 offensive rebounds in the second half, and they took advantage of second-chance scoring opportunities.
"That just tells you about the level they played at tonight," Murphy said.
Monroe limited Edgewood junior Alex Arians to 11 points. Arians came into the game averaging 20 points per game. Edgewood senior Sam Noyce scored a team-high 19 points.
Monroe will close out the regular season with a conference game at Milton on Thursday.
