MONTICELLO — The Ponies improved to 10-2 on the season thanks to some hot shooting in the first half and lock down defense all night in a 59-21 win over Juda Jan. 15.

“I thought even though the score was close last time we played these guys (Jan. 4, 59-29), I thought we played better — and then Monticello, it’s just like they’re lights out,” Juda coach David Wiemiller said.

Monticello’s Ellie Gustafson and Harley Disch put on a show in the first half. The players combined to hit five 3-pointers and 25 total points as the Ponies jumped out to a 34-10 halftime lead.

In fact, Monticello led 8-0 through the first 4:15 of the game, and after Juda scored its first bucket on a Lavinia Rufer putback at the 12:57 mark, the Ponies ran off on a 14-2 run to go up 26-4.

“We talked to the girls about the last time we played Juda we didn’t shoot well. In fact, we haven’t been shooting well in the last few weeks,” Monticello coach Mark Gustafson said. “A lot of it tonight was because we got some post touches — the inside-out game usually helps you with your shooting.”

Disch is one of the state’s top 3-point shooters in Division 5. She entered the week third in the entire division with a 44.4% mark from deep on 45 tries, just behind Black Hawk’s Bailey Butler (46.3%) and McDonnell Central’s Emily Cooper (47.9%).

“She is one of the top 3-point shooters in D5 right now, and we expect her to make them, even though she struggled a bit in the second half,” coach Gustafson said.

In the second half, Juda started to secure the ball better on offense and moved the rock around to find the open shot. While first half was marred by airballs and turnovers for the Panthers, the second half effort could not be overlooked.

“Maybe a couple of calls go our way and a couple of those 3-pointers go and it would have been different,” Wiemiller said. “I learned some things about (our players) today.”

Ellie Gustafson led all scorers with 20 points, while Disch had 17. Mackie Errthum added 8 for Monticello, scoring 4 points in each half, and Katelyn Eyler scored all 7 of her points in the second half.

While the scoring output for Monticello was plus, the highlight of the night might have been the grind of the role players on the floor for the Ponies. McKenna Pfeuti consistently got her hands on the ball through deflections, steals, rebounds and blocked shots, as did Errthum, who grabbed 10 rebounds. Despite struggling shooting, Alexis Siegenthaler found a way to move the ball around and play tough defense while picking up just one foul.

“We talk about the plus-minus that we keep track of, and points is a part of it, but it’s just one part,” coach Gustafson said. “Kenna worked her butt off down there getting steals and rebounds. Plus-minus is all the good things you’re doing, and her hustle tonight got her tons of positive points for us. That’s the hidden statistic that you don’t see in the box score.”

Anna Skoumal led Juda with 10 points, and Maddie Smith had 7.

Juda, in its first season under Wiemiller, also ran an impromptu zone defense that slowed down the Ponies — a sign to the coaching staff that more wrinkles could be put in over the next few weeks as the program hunts for its first win of the season.

“It’s the little bit of moving off the ball that we have to work with them,” Wiemiller said. “These girls are working hard and listening. In the classroom, and I’ve taught 20 years at a lot of different schools, this is some of the best-behaved kids I’ve ever taught in a classroom and on the court.”