MONROE — The Monroe Cheesemakers didn’t mind an extra four minutes of playing time to get a 72-65 win over the Sauk Prairie Eagles in nonconference boys basketball on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

The Cheesemakers were down, 20-10 with 6:25 to go in the first half but closed within 22-19 with just over a minute left in the half. At halftime, Monroe trailed 25-20. 

The Eagles went ahead 34-26 with 15:00 to go in the second half, but senior Logan Taylor hit a three from the deep left corner, and senior Mekhi Brown connected on a short jumper in the lane, followed by two free throws with 14:16 to go in the game to trim the deficit to 36-33. The Eagles went back up by 10 points at 43-33 with under 13 minutes left but Taylor scored twice from the right baseline to get the Cheesemakers within a possession at 53-51 with 6:27 remaining. 

The Cheesemakers still trailed 60-55 with 70 seconds left when Brown hit a rhythm three from the left corner with 10:08 to go to make it 60-58. The Eagles made two free throws with 40 seconds left to take a 62-58 lead. Senior Miles Versnik got a backdoor layup with 18.7 seconds left to get the Cheesemakers to within a basket at 62-60. After a timeout, Monroe fouled immediately on the inbound and sent Otis Endres of Sauk Prairie to the free throw line where he missed two free throws. The Cheesemakers grabbed the rebound and set up a final shot. Brown tried to win it with a three from the right corner but the ball bounced off the rim and Taylor put it back in at the buzzer to send the game into overtime tied at 62-62. 

Brown gave the Cheesemakers a 65-62 lead in overtime with a three from the right corner. Holding a 65-64 lead with under two minutes left in OT, Brown made a layup on a backdoor cut to give the Cheese a 67-64 lead. Taylor was fouled and made two free throws with 55 seconds left to give Monroe some more breathing room at 69-64. A layup by Taylor and a free throw by senior Marcus Ott finished the scoring as the Cheesemakers won 72-65.

The Cheesemakers shot 50% for the game and out-rebounded the Eagles 37-30. Brown led the Cheesemakers in scoring with 24 points and Taylor had 21. Ott also contributed with 10 points.

Monroe (4-2, 1-1) returned to Rock Valley Conference, Valley Division action with a game scheduled at Jefferson on Friday, Dec. 19.