MONTICELLO — After suffering a 5-game losing streak — two of which were Six Rivers East Conference games — Monticello earned a much-needed 37-22 win over Albany on Thursday, Jan. 11. 

With one game left before the second half of the team’s conference schedule, Monticello head coach Mark Olson hopes the victory will give his team confidence in the coming games.

“This is a strong win for us. With the familiarity, it fires up the intensity in what is becoming a rivalry,” Olson said, referencing how the co-op between Albany and Monticello in girls basketball has brought the two schools closer. “Hopefully it gives us confidence that we can defend, find ways to score and win games that aren’t the prettiest.”

The Ponies built up a 12-0 lead before the Comets were able to score. Peyton Smith opened with a pair of free throws, followed by six points from Ryer Indergand. Alex Roe went to the line for two, missed both but went back to the line in the same possession, thanks to his own offensive board. This time, Roe made both shots. Hunter Grossen capped the run with a putback.

Albany got on the board 10 minutes into the game on a bucket from Kaden Zurfluh. The Pony defense left him alone on the block, and Nate Stokstad dished it to Zurfluh for two.

The Comets made just two other field goals in the first half and entered the locker room trailing 14-7.

Although it took Albany ten minutes to score in the first half, Ty Durtschi began the second with a bucket just six seconds in. Brayden Bakken cut the Comets’ deficit to 16-11 with an assist from Tyler Patchen, but that’s the closest Albany got the rest of the night.

Indergand padded Monticello’s lead to 27-13, scoring 10 of the Ponies’ next 11 points. Monticello made quick passes around the perimeter, finding Indergand for an open 3-pointer. The Comets swarmed Mason McCutchin in the lane, leaving Indergand open for two on the block. In another possession, Indergand faked a handoff and drove untouched to the basket. He finished the run with a 3-pointer.

Monticello’s lead reached 20 points, as Indergand grabbed a loose ball and took it down the court for two.

Trailing 37-17, Albany applied a full-court press with extended half-court pressure in the final three minutes. Initially, the tactic led to an easy bucket for Bakken, but Monticello held strong with Indergand at point.

“You can get the ball to a guy like Ryer and feel comfortable knowing that we can still do our stuff — their pressure won’t completely destroy our rhythm,” Olson said. “His scoring and leadership are important, but that is especially important to me as a coach.”

Indergand scored 26 of Monticello’s 37 points, going 4-for-4 from the line with a pair of 3s. Grossen crashed the glass for 10 rebounds, followed by Smith with eight and Indergand seven.

Zurfluh paced the Comets with eight points, while Drew Sertle grabbed seven boards. From Dec. 11 to Jan. 2, Albany won seven straight games. They have since dropped their last two games, both in the Six Rivers East Conference.