MONROE — The emotions in the locker room after Monroe’s 62-51 victory over Waunakee Jan. 14 were about more than just basketball. While beating a solid Division 1 team was a big deal for the seventh-ranked Cheesemakers, getting assistant coach Jake Grinnell back on the sidelines meant even more.

Grinnell had stepped away from the program briefly after his father, Jim Grinnell, died Jan. 5.

“It was a big game for the program, but, you know, just getting him (Coach Grinnell) back yesterday was a huge lift and then having him here today,” Monroe coach Brian Bassett said. “He told the guys after the game he is so thankful because his dad hated Waunakee more than anybody.”

Jake Grinnell, or JG as the team calls him, was a member of the Cheesemakers when Monroe last made a run to the state championship in 2009. The players connect with Grinnell in part because he’s closer to their age than Bassett, who joined the district 20 years ago. Grinnell is also the “yin” to Bassett’s “yang” on the sidelines.

“He’s the even keel guy, whereas I lose my marbles,” Bassett said. 

The Waunakee game also marked the first home game this season the Cheesemakers had fans in the gym, which brought a little more liveliness to the crowd.

“I don’t think the crowd noise made a whole lot of difference other than Toby Golembiewski yelling at the guys to have their masks on — which I loved,” Bassett said.

The Cheesemakers took its first lead of the game at the 12:28 mark of the first half on a putback by senior Caleb Bunker. Moments later Max Golembiewski found Carson Leuzinger for a 3-pointer to make it 9-5. Waunakee countered with a 3-pointer by Casey Fischer and a jumper from Jaxson Zibell to take a brief 10-9 advantage, but Golembiewski hit back-to-back 3s to put the Cheesemakers ahead for good.

Using an 11-3 run to close out the half, Monroe went into the locker room with a 26-16 advantage.

The Cheesemakers opened the second half like gangbusters, scoring six straight points — including a tip-in and drive to the hoop from Tyler Matley. Matley’s “moxie” — as Bassett puts it — played the role of difference-maker in the game. Matley is known in the program as the guy that hustles to every loose ball, on defense sticks to his man like gorilla glue, and isn’t afraid to battle with the bigs in the post.

“I texted him earlier in the day and said, ‘Hey, I don’t know how they’re going to play, but take whoever’s got you, because there’s nobody that can guard you,’” Bassett said.

The double-digit lead held for the entire second half, except for a brief 12-second window with around 8 minutes to play after a free throw.

“Those are the games we lost last year. We’ve done a pretty good job of finishing them out so far this season. I think we’re starting to share the ball a lot more,” Bassett said. “They (Waunakee) are good — holy cow are they good. They’ve got 11 guys that would start most places.”

Matley’s career-high 15 points paced the Cheesemakers, with Leuzinger adding 17. Golembiewski and JT Seagreaves each had 9 for Monroe, while Meyer finished with 8. Caden Nelson led Waunakee with 13.

“They bottled up Cade pretty good, and I thought our other guys reacted really well,” Bassett said.

Two days later, on Jan. 16, the Cheesemakers suffered their second loss of the season, 67-62, in double overtime against Janesville Parker.

Monroe had a 2-point lead in the final minute of the first overtime, but Parker tied the game on a pair of free throws and Meyer’s shot at the buzzer was off. In the second overtime, Monroe took a 62-60 lead with 1:43 to play off a reverse layup by Meyer, but Parker scored the final seven points of the contested unanswered.

Meyer led all scorers with 24 points, while Seagreaves added 17 for Monroe. Matley had 8 and Golembiewski 7, while Leuzinger was bottled up to just a single point — a free throw in the first overtime.

The Cheesemakers (5-1) were scheduled to host Stoughton Jan. 18 and then Monona Grove Jan. 21.