NEW GLARUS — Senior Jaden Kreklow has completed some major accomplishments on the court in his time as a Glarner Knight. He was all-state as a junior and is the school’s all-time leader in scoring and assists. 

Kreklow added to those feats with a 42-point barrage in a 71-51 win over Monroe Dec. 28. 

“Heck of a performance tonight offensively by Jaden — 42 — that’s a pretty special performance,” New Glarus head coach Travis Sysko said.

Kreklow came up just two points shy of the school’s single game record of 44, held by his uncle Kevin Bright. Kreklow’s 16 field goals tied Bryan Wierwill’s single-game record for baskets made.

“First of all, shots are falling, so that’s always nice. When that starts going it’s easier to get to the hoop. Things start to connect and everyone was playing good,” Kreklow said, admitting he didn’t know just how close he was to his uncle’s record. “I thought I was in the 30s — I didn’t know I was that high. It’s pretty cool. Hopefully I’ll have a game where I get a chance to beat his record, but we’ll see.”

Monroe came into the game expecting to use their size to pick up a nonconference win over the state’s top-ranked team in Division 4. The Cheesemakers (4-6) boast five players 6-3 or larger in their normal playing rotation, while New Glarus (8-1) has just one.

“We’re all pretty small, so it’s nice to play against these bigger teams. This is probably the biggest team we’ll play all year and it’s good to know that we can handle it,” Kreklow said.

Size didn’t matter for the fleet-of-foot 5-10 guard. Kreklow scored 22 points in the first half and 20 in the second. He hit three 3-pointers and was 7 of 12 from the free throw line. Much of his damages came from penetrating directly into the lane that was occupied by Monroe’s bigs and flipping layup after layup around the outstretched hands of the Cheesemakers. When he wasn’t driving, Kreklow was hitting jumpers and fadeaways as if he was alone in his driveway.

“The game plan, we know Kreklow is one of the best point guards in the state and he has amazing quickness,” Monroe senior center Kade King said. “I got a couple fouls early on the help side and unfortunately he used his speed and quickness and got around some of our guys.”

Monroe opened the game with a bang, as Michael Lange hit a 3 just 18 seconds into the contest. It would be the Cheesemakers’ only lead of the game.

Over the next 49 seconds Monroe would find itself in a frustrating situation — star center King (6-6) picked up two fouls, while sophomore big man Cade Meyer (6-7) also was called for a reach-in violation. 

“Foul trouble was definitely a key — especially when between them they get two fouls together for an entire game (Meyer and King). They are never off the floor, so it completely changes everything we do,” Monroe head coach Brian Bassett said.

Kreklow went right to work, scoring his team’s first five points to go up 5-3. Monroe’s Max Golembiewski hit a jumper to tie the game at 5-5, but it was the last time the Cheesemakers would be that close. After five points from Knights big man Mason Martinson, Kreklow rattled off 11 straight points and New Glarus found itself ahead 21-9 just 8:21 into the game.

Monroe also struggled breaking the suffocating press that the Knights ran all night.

“We had a game plan where they were going to bring the ball up the court and throw it over the top of them, and when (those fouls) happened it changed everything,” Bassett said.

King re-entered the game, and he and Meyer helped the Cheese go on an 8-3 run. But King left his feet on a pump-fake by Martinson on the block and picked up his third foul. Moments later, Meyer was tagged with his second foul on a charge call that erupted the crowd in a mixture of boos and cheers. Monroe head coach Brian Bassett then picked up his first technical foul in his three years at the helm. New Glarus would rip off an 8-0 run to close the half in the final three minutes to lead 40-26 at the break.

“Our guys were good at halftime. We felt pretty good about where we were at. The first thing I said was ‘great first half, gentlemen,’” Sysko said.

Monroe opened the second half on a mission, with King scoring twice in the paint and Nick Schumacher driving to the dish.

“That first half I got into foul trouble and had to sit. I couldn’t really get into a rhythm,” King said.

The short burst of life brought Monroe back to within eight, but then Kreklow took over once again, hitting floaters in the paint seemingly at will.

After Kreklow’s 42, Nathan Strieff had seven points for New Glarus. Senior sharpshooter Zach Feller had just two points in the contest.

Lange led Monroe with 12, while Meyer and King each had 11.