MONROE — Despite near even marks in fouls, 3-pointers and equal free-throw performances, Monroe saw its season come to an end with a 68-58 loss to Monona Grove in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal on Friday, March 1. 

“We left it all out on the floor,” Monroe head coach Brian Bassett said. “I told the guys after the game, we won 99% of the 50/50 balls. We won the game except for two minutes and ten seconds. I was so proud of our guys.”

The time frame Bassett referred to was the final two minutes of the first half, where the Cheesemakers let an 8-point lead turn into a 3-point deficit thanks in part to three Silver Eagle steals that led to six points. The untimely turnovers, senior James Seagreaves said, was the difference in the game.

“We struggled with their diamond press a bit and had some turnovers there at the end of the half,” he said. “That’s really what hurt us. They got a lot of runouts.”

Early on, the issue wasn’t MG’s press — it was the team’s 3-point shooting that allowed the Eagles to build up a 10-point lead just five minutes into the game. On MG’s first possession, Isaiah Erb drained a 3-pointer, and Lucca Svaldi made two 3s just two minutes apart.

In a 14-4 hole, Monroe slowly worked its way out. Logan Taylor fed Ryan Mathiason in the post for two, and on the Cheesemakers’ next possession, Mathiason scored on a putback. 

The real spark for the Cheese was a technical foul called on MG’s AJ Nelson, who complained to referees for not getting a foul called on his offensive rebound. Brandon Bassett went to the line for Monroe and made both free-throw attempts. Seagreaves then took a loose ball to the hoop for two, followed by a bucket from Taylor.

Monroe had cut Monona Grove’s lead to just two points, 16-14, forcing the first Eagle timeout.

“The crowd got into it after that,” Mathiason said. “They love that. When you get two free throws and the ball, that makes a huge difference.”

It took the Cheesemakers another two minutes to tie the game, but Seagreaves’s bonus free throws knotted the score at 22 with six minutes left in the half. Moments later, Marcus Ott lobbed a pass into Mathiason, who scored as he fell to the floor for Monroe’s first lead, 24-22. 

Although Cal Woerth evened the score with a steal and fast-break bucket, the Cheesemakers regained the lead with a 3-pointer from Ott. Monroe extended its advantage to 32-24 with a score from Taylor and free throws from Seagreaves and Mathiason. 

Just as quickly as Monroe gained a lead, Monona Grove took it back. Erb went to the line for a pair of bonus free throws. The Eagles flustered the Cheesemakers in a full-court press, leading to three straight possessions of MHS turnovers and a 33-32 MG lead. 

Although Seagreaves tied it with a free throw, the Eagles took a 36-33 edge into the locker room thanks to a last-second 3-pointer from Erb.

“Basketball is a game of runs,” Mathiason said of the abrupt momentum shift at the half. “Both teams were making adjustments that worked. They just had a couple more runs than we did.”

Seven minutes into the second frame, MG padded its lead to 11 points. Erb picked up in the second half where he left off in the first, converting an old-fashioned 3-point play. Svaldi and Emmett Toijala also made 3-pointers in the run.

“Three-pointers and three-point plays — those are killers,” coach Bassett said.

Monroe reached double bonus with nine minutes remaining, where Ott drained both shots. Seagreaves then went to the line on two separate occasions two minutes apart. On the first, he made an and-one, and the second — which was Austin Luchetti’s fourth foul — he was 2-for-2. The bonus shots put the Cheesemakers within five at 52-47.

Fouls also plagued Monroe, as MG reached bonus with just under six minutes left of play. Three minutes later, the Eagles shot double bonus to go ahead by double digits again.

Three-pointers from Mekhi Brown and Bassett in the final minute only delayed the inevitable, as the Eagles walked off the court with a win.

Monona Grove forced 22 turnovers against Monroe, who averaged just 10.2 turnovers per game heading into the contest. Those errors led to 27 Eagle points.

Woerth had six steals for eight points. MG’s offensive leaders were Erb and Svaldi with 18 points each. Toijala chipped in 12.

Seagreaves paced Monroe with 21 points, going 9-for-12 from the charity stripe with nine rebounds. Mathiason tallied 12 points with eight rebounds. Bassett finished 50% beyond the arc with 11 points. 

Monroe posted a 17-8 record this season, winning the Rock Valley-Valley Conference. Of its eight losses, half of them came at the hands of former Badger Conference opponents in non-league contests. While Monroe moved to the Rock Valley — which is made up of Division 2, 3 and 4 teams — in anticipation of declining enrollment numbers, they still play in Division 2 for playoffs. 

“It kills (our) boys basketball,” coach Bassett said of the conference move. “I know it’s good for football and other sports. You can’t play Division 4 teams and then go to try and play up. It’s so hard.”