MONROE - Senior Hunter Ward and the Monroe boys basketball team spent practice time working on guarding the post in anticipation of playing against Monona Grove 6-foot-7-inch senior Jake Schroeckenthaler.
Monroe limited Schroeckenthaler to 8 points and six rebounds after he averaged 27 points per game in two games against the Cheesemakers last year. However, the Silver Eagles drilled 11 three-pointers and their lights-out shooting sparked an 85-62 win over Monroe Tuesday.
The Silver Eagles led by as many as 37 points in the second half. Monona Grove junior Caden Nelson scored 19 of his game-high 21 points in the first half.
"In practice we mainly worked on Schroeck in the post," Ward said of the defense against one of two 6-7 players for the Silver Eagles. "We really wanted to be in the lane for help defense. We still have to be able to get out and get a hand on their shooters because they have a load of them. They hit some shots where we didn't even contest them. We definitely have to get out and get a hand up."
Monona Grove (5-0, 3-0 Badger South), ranked No. 7 in the WisSports.net Division 2 Coaches Poll, opened the game with a 13-2 run in the first half. Nelson scored on a layup and then knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Silver Eagles an 8-0 lead with 16 minutes, 3 seconds left in the first half. Monona Grove junior Sam Hepp, the other 6-7 starter for the Silver Eagles, buried a 3-pointer and Schroeckenthaler scored on a putback to give the Silver Eagles a 13-2 lead with 14:50 left in the half.
Ward, who scored a team-high 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds, scored on a layup and senior Brayden Zettle had a layup that cut the Silver Eagles' lead to 13-7 with 12:52 left. The Cheesemakers rallied from a 14-point deficit later in the game when junior Nick Schumacher hit a 3-pointer to cut the Silver Eagles' lead to 21-14 with 8:10 left. That's as close as the Cheesemakers would get.
With the loss, Monroe drops to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the Badger South.
"He (Ward) was the one person who came ready to play," Bassett said. "I think that is as well as a team has ever executed against a Monroe team. They executed their game plan to perfection. They are the most athletic team we will play this year."
Zettle added 12 points and Schumacher chipped in 9.
After Monroe junior Kade King picked up his second foul with 7:09 to go in the first half and went to the bench, Monona Grove went on a 9-0 spurt capped by Hepp, who scored down low, and the Silver Eagles extended their lead to 30-14. Monona Grove led 51-28 at the half.
"I think it was a key stretch," Bassett said.
Monona Grove opened the second half with an 18-7 run to put the game away. Monona Grove senior Max Nelson knocked down two 3-pointers during the surge. Schroeckenthaler and Hepp each had layups to extend the Silver Eagles' lead to 69-35. Monona Grove junior Henry Huston hit a 3-pointer to give his team its largest lead of the game at 74-37.
Max Nelson added 13 points and Hepp had 12 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots. The Cheesemakers had 16 turnovers and made 19 of 35 free throws.
"We refuse to throw the ball inside to the post and cutters," Bassett said. "We just dribble too much. It's not supposed to be a dribble drive offense. That is what they are turning it into. We are trying to dribble people open. If we can stop and look we will get some chances with skip passes."
Monroe limited Schroeckenthaler to 8 points and six rebounds after he averaged 27 points per game in two games against the Cheesemakers last year. However, the Silver Eagles drilled 11 three-pointers and their lights-out shooting sparked an 85-62 win over Monroe Tuesday.
The Silver Eagles led by as many as 37 points in the second half. Monona Grove junior Caden Nelson scored 19 of his game-high 21 points in the first half.
"In practice we mainly worked on Schroeck in the post," Ward said of the defense against one of two 6-7 players for the Silver Eagles. "We really wanted to be in the lane for help defense. We still have to be able to get out and get a hand on their shooters because they have a load of them. They hit some shots where we didn't even contest them. We definitely have to get out and get a hand up."
Monona Grove (5-0, 3-0 Badger South), ranked No. 7 in the WisSports.net Division 2 Coaches Poll, opened the game with a 13-2 run in the first half. Nelson scored on a layup and then knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Silver Eagles an 8-0 lead with 16 minutes, 3 seconds left in the first half. Monona Grove junior Sam Hepp, the other 6-7 starter for the Silver Eagles, buried a 3-pointer and Schroeckenthaler scored on a putback to give the Silver Eagles a 13-2 lead with 14:50 left in the half.
Ward, who scored a team-high 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds, scored on a layup and senior Brayden Zettle had a layup that cut the Silver Eagles' lead to 13-7 with 12:52 left. The Cheesemakers rallied from a 14-point deficit later in the game when junior Nick Schumacher hit a 3-pointer to cut the Silver Eagles' lead to 21-14 with 8:10 left. That's as close as the Cheesemakers would get.
With the loss, Monroe drops to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the Badger South.
"He (Ward) was the one person who came ready to play," Bassett said. "I think that is as well as a team has ever executed against a Monroe team. They executed their game plan to perfection. They are the most athletic team we will play this year."
Zettle added 12 points and Schumacher chipped in 9.
After Monroe junior Kade King picked up his second foul with 7:09 to go in the first half and went to the bench, Monona Grove went on a 9-0 spurt capped by Hepp, who scored down low, and the Silver Eagles extended their lead to 30-14. Monona Grove led 51-28 at the half.
"I think it was a key stretch," Bassett said.
Monona Grove opened the second half with an 18-7 run to put the game away. Monona Grove senior Max Nelson knocked down two 3-pointers during the surge. Schroeckenthaler and Hepp each had layups to extend the Silver Eagles' lead to 69-35. Monona Grove junior Henry Huston hit a 3-pointer to give his team its largest lead of the game at 74-37.
Max Nelson added 13 points and Hepp had 12 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots. The Cheesemakers had 16 turnovers and made 19 of 35 free throws.
"We refuse to throw the ball inside to the post and cutters," Bassett said. "We just dribble too much. It's not supposed to be a dribble drive offense. That is what they are turning it into. We are trying to dribble people open. If we can stop and look we will get some chances with skip passes."
