After playing one of the toughest schedules in coach Pat Murphy's tenure, the Monroe boys basketball team won't be overwhelmed by tight games once the WIAA tournament begins tonight.
Monroe (13-7) won't be intimidated by clutch free throws late in games or fourth-quarter deficits. That's because the Cheesemakers have been there before. The Cheesemakers are shooting for their third straight state trip. However, with a loaded Sun Prairie sectional, the Cheesemakers will face a battle.
Division 2
The Cheesemakers' Division 2 road includes a potential regional semifinal against Brodhead and a Verona regional title game against either Edgerton or Evansville.
However, I believe the biggest threats to preventing a return to state will come from River Valley, Madison Edgewood and Catholic Memorial. The Cheesemakers could face an unheralded River Valley team in the sectional semifinal. River Valley (18-2), the champion of the Southwest Wisconsin Conference, has been a dangerous postseason team, which features several scorers. The Blackhawks have four players averaging double figures, led by 6-foot, 4-inch sophomore Alex Richard (14.9 points per game), Noah Baryenbruch (13.3), Craig Johnson (12.4) and another 6-4 big man in Justin Bindl (10.8).
If the Cheesemakers survive a sectional semifinal game, a Sun Prairie sectional title game against either Catholic Memorial or Madison Edgewood probably would be the matchup. Catholic Memorial already beat Monroe 54-43 in the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Shootout in Milwaukee Dec. 26.
DIVISION 2 PREDICTIONS
Regional quarterfinal:
Monroe over Mount Horeb
Brodhead over McFarland
Best local match-up:
Monroe over Brodhead in the regional semifinals. The Cardinals have the potential to upset Monroe, but the Cheesemakers' smothering defense and clutch free throw shooting will be too much to overcome.
Biggest upset to watch for:
McFarland over Brodhead
Regional championship:
Monroe over Edgerton
Despite a big game from Bryan Gregory, who is averaging 22.2 points per game, the Cheesemakers will roll behind a 30-point game from Mitch Tordoff. Edgerton has lost five of its last six games entering the tournament, including two to East Troy. The Crimson Tide have defeated Milton, Brodhead and Evansville earlier this season.
Sectional semifinal:
River Valley over Monroe
The Blackhawks' only two losses are to Sauk Prairie and Prairie du Chien. My heart says pick Monroe, but I have a feeling the Blackhawks will win on a last-second buzzer beater to beat the Cheesemakers 55-53.
DIVISION 2
New Glarus, which has been ranked in the Associated Press Division 3 state poll for portions of the season, will face a tough test. After the Glarner Knights open the regional against Belleville, a regional semifinal against Darlington awaits. The Redbirds are a sleeper, the only team to knock off No. 2 ranked Cuba City, 67-60, on Jan. 17 at UW-Platteville. This game has all the makings of a shootout. The Redbirds are led by sophomore Alex Erickson (21.5 points per game) and senior Ethan Pickett (11.9).
The Glarner Knights will upset the No. 2 Cubans behind 23 points from Jake Bast and 17 from Cassidy Flannery. The Knights will advance to a Baraboo sectional semifinal in Sauk Prairie, where they will play a third game against Marshall this year.
The Knights won their first eight games with impressive wins over Monticello and Barneveld. However, Marshall swept the season series and the Knights settled for a second-place finish in the Capitol South Conference. There's no better shooting team than New Glarus when the Knights are on. The Knights have about five players who can step up and make clutch 3-pointers. They have a balanced offensive attack with four players averaging almost 10 points per game, including Bast (14), Flannery (10.8), Logan Lockard (9.4) and Ryan Bright (8.5). In the tournament, it will come down to defense and free throw shooting.
DIVISION 3 PREDICTIONS
Regional quarterfinals:
New Glarus over Belleville
Darlington over Mineral Point
Best local match-up:
New Glarus over Darlington
Biggest upset to watch for:
Darlington over New Glarus
Regional championship:
New Glarus over Cuba City
Sectional semifinal:
Marshall over New Glarus
DIVISION 4
The six teams from the Six Rivers East - Black Hawk, Argyle, Monticello, Pecatonica, Juda and Albany - will pull off some upsets. In the regional opener, Monticello will host Pecatonica. Monticello (13-7) could receive a scare from the Vikings if Pecatonica senior guard Kaleb Feller plays. The Vikings (6-14) split with the Ponies this season, beating them 54-48 in Blanchardville Jan. 8. Pecatonica is looking to snap an eight-game losing streak, which included a three-point loss to Black Hawk and a one-point heartbreaker to Argyle.
If the Ponies get past the Vikings, a regional semifinal game against the Southwestern-Argyle winner awaits. Black Hawk (12-8) with coach Jerry Mortimer in his final season will beat Shullsburg to open regional play, but have a tough test in a regional semifinal at Benton.
Juda (5-14) will get another chance to knock off Albany (10-10) in a regional quarterfinal game tonight. The Comets have won five of their past six games, including big road wins at Black Hawk and Barneveld. The Juda-Albany winner will play on the road at No. 1 seed Catholic Central on Thursday.
DIVISION 4 PREDICTIONS
Regional quarterfinals:
Black Hawk over Shullsburg
Southwestern over Argyle
Monticello over Pecatonica
Juda over Albany
Best local match-up:
Juda-Albany
Biggest upset to watch for:
Argyle over Southwestern
Darlington regional
championship:
Benton over Monticello
- Mark Nesbitt is a sports reporter for The Monroe Times. He can be reached at mnesbitt@themonroetimes.com.
Monroe (13-7) won't be intimidated by clutch free throws late in games or fourth-quarter deficits. That's because the Cheesemakers have been there before. The Cheesemakers are shooting for their third straight state trip. However, with a loaded Sun Prairie sectional, the Cheesemakers will face a battle.
Division 2
The Cheesemakers' Division 2 road includes a potential regional semifinal against Brodhead and a Verona regional title game against either Edgerton or Evansville.
However, I believe the biggest threats to preventing a return to state will come from River Valley, Madison Edgewood and Catholic Memorial. The Cheesemakers could face an unheralded River Valley team in the sectional semifinal. River Valley (18-2), the champion of the Southwest Wisconsin Conference, has been a dangerous postseason team, which features several scorers. The Blackhawks have four players averaging double figures, led by 6-foot, 4-inch sophomore Alex Richard (14.9 points per game), Noah Baryenbruch (13.3), Craig Johnson (12.4) and another 6-4 big man in Justin Bindl (10.8).
If the Cheesemakers survive a sectional semifinal game, a Sun Prairie sectional title game against either Catholic Memorial or Madison Edgewood probably would be the matchup. Catholic Memorial already beat Monroe 54-43 in the Wisconsin Basketball Yearbook Shootout in Milwaukee Dec. 26.
DIVISION 2 PREDICTIONS
Regional quarterfinal:
Monroe over Mount Horeb
Brodhead over McFarland
Best local match-up:
Monroe over Brodhead in the regional semifinals. The Cardinals have the potential to upset Monroe, but the Cheesemakers' smothering defense and clutch free throw shooting will be too much to overcome.
Biggest upset to watch for:
McFarland over Brodhead
Regional championship:
Monroe over Edgerton
Despite a big game from Bryan Gregory, who is averaging 22.2 points per game, the Cheesemakers will roll behind a 30-point game from Mitch Tordoff. Edgerton has lost five of its last six games entering the tournament, including two to East Troy. The Crimson Tide have defeated Milton, Brodhead and Evansville earlier this season.
Sectional semifinal:
River Valley over Monroe
The Blackhawks' only two losses are to Sauk Prairie and Prairie du Chien. My heart says pick Monroe, but I have a feeling the Blackhawks will win on a last-second buzzer beater to beat the Cheesemakers 55-53.
DIVISION 2
New Glarus, which has been ranked in the Associated Press Division 3 state poll for portions of the season, will face a tough test. After the Glarner Knights open the regional against Belleville, a regional semifinal against Darlington awaits. The Redbirds are a sleeper, the only team to knock off No. 2 ranked Cuba City, 67-60, on Jan. 17 at UW-Platteville. This game has all the makings of a shootout. The Redbirds are led by sophomore Alex Erickson (21.5 points per game) and senior Ethan Pickett (11.9).
The Glarner Knights will upset the No. 2 Cubans behind 23 points from Jake Bast and 17 from Cassidy Flannery. The Knights will advance to a Baraboo sectional semifinal in Sauk Prairie, where they will play a third game against Marshall this year.
The Knights won their first eight games with impressive wins over Monticello and Barneveld. However, Marshall swept the season series and the Knights settled for a second-place finish in the Capitol South Conference. There's no better shooting team than New Glarus when the Knights are on. The Knights have about five players who can step up and make clutch 3-pointers. They have a balanced offensive attack with four players averaging almost 10 points per game, including Bast (14), Flannery (10.8), Logan Lockard (9.4) and Ryan Bright (8.5). In the tournament, it will come down to defense and free throw shooting.
DIVISION 3 PREDICTIONS
Regional quarterfinals:
New Glarus over Belleville
Darlington over Mineral Point
Best local match-up:
New Glarus over Darlington
Biggest upset to watch for:
Darlington over New Glarus
Regional championship:
New Glarus over Cuba City
Sectional semifinal:
Marshall over New Glarus
DIVISION 4
The six teams from the Six Rivers East - Black Hawk, Argyle, Monticello, Pecatonica, Juda and Albany - will pull off some upsets. In the regional opener, Monticello will host Pecatonica. Monticello (13-7) could receive a scare from the Vikings if Pecatonica senior guard Kaleb Feller plays. The Vikings (6-14) split with the Ponies this season, beating them 54-48 in Blanchardville Jan. 8. Pecatonica is looking to snap an eight-game losing streak, which included a three-point loss to Black Hawk and a one-point heartbreaker to Argyle.
If the Ponies get past the Vikings, a regional semifinal game against the Southwestern-Argyle winner awaits. Black Hawk (12-8) with coach Jerry Mortimer in his final season will beat Shullsburg to open regional play, but have a tough test in a regional semifinal at Benton.
Juda (5-14) will get another chance to knock off Albany (10-10) in a regional quarterfinal game tonight. The Comets have won five of their past six games, including big road wins at Black Hawk and Barneveld. The Juda-Albany winner will play on the road at No. 1 seed Catholic Central on Thursday.
DIVISION 4 PREDICTIONS
Regional quarterfinals:
Black Hawk over Shullsburg
Southwestern over Argyle
Monticello over Pecatonica
Juda over Albany
Best local match-up:
Juda-Albany
Biggest upset to watch for:
Argyle over Southwestern
Darlington regional
championship:
Benton over Monticello
- Mark Nesbitt is a sports reporter for The Monroe Times. He can be reached at mnesbitt@themonroetimes.com.
