MONROE - Freshman Sydney Hilliard scored a game-high 29 points and the Monroe High School girls basketball team played toe-to-toe with Monona Grove, the seventh-ranked team in Division 2, before the Silver Eagles hit some free throws late to pull out a 69-64 win over the Cheesemakers Thursday night.
"I think it just shows our potential, considering how good MG is," Hilliard said. "We didn't get the result we wanted. It was worth it because we played so well."
Monroe drops to 5-8, 2-4 Badger South.
Hilliard scored on a layup with about 7 minutes left in the second half to cut the Silver Eagles' lead to 51-50. Monroe sophomore Sydney Mathiason knocked down a jumper and drilled a 3-pointer with 56 seconds to go to cut the Silver Eagles' lead to 64-59. Monona Grove (11-1, 5-1) made 3 of 4 free throws in the final 45 seconds to seal the win.
Monona Grove senior Autumn Ogden, a North Dakota State University recruit, scored a team-high 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Freshman teammate McKenna Warnock, who has received scholarship offers from the University of Wisconsin, Marquette and UW-Green Bay, was stifled in the first half by the Cheesemakers and scored just two points. Warnock scored 18 of her 20 points in the second half and had 12 rebounds.
"She (Warnock) has the ability to drive by you and find open teammates," Monroe coach Sam Mathia-son said. "She can do it inside and outside. She will find a way. One of the 3-pointers she hit was very deep.
"We were a couple of possessions away. I thought the kids played really hard, kept battling and never went away. I was really proud of our effort."
Sydney Mathiason added 15 points and had seven rebounds. Senior teammate Brooke Adams scored 12 points on four 3-pointers, which all came in the first half.
The Cheesemakers struggled down the stretch from the free-throw line, shooting 31.2 percent in the second half (5 of 16) and finished 15 of 29.
"We are a good free-throw shooting team," Sydney Mathiason said. "Whenever we miss it's a surprise."
Sparked by Hilliard's ability to drive to the basket and Adams' 3-point shooting, Monroe built a 40-35 lead at the half.
"I'm really happy for Brooke to see those 3-pointers go down," Sam Mathiason said. "MG wants to make you play faster than you want. Sometimes you have to take those 10- to 15-foot jump shots. At times, MG will cave down on you with two or three people. Brooke did a great job of hitting those 3-pointers. Hopefully, we can build on those successes."
The Cheesemakers shot 45.6 percent for the game (21 of 46) and made five 3-pointers.
"There are definitely more opportunities for open shots against a team that helps deep in the lane," Sydney Mathiason said of the Silver Eagles. "We were hitting those shots so it was tough to do that against us."
A deep 3-pointer from Warnock and a three-point play from Ogden in the second half helped the Silver Eagles take a 51-48 lead.
"Playing good team defense is always tough no matter how many good players a team has," Sydney Mathiason said. "I thought we continued to play well. She (Warnock) was just able to hit some more shots in the second half."
Monroe will host Oregon in a Badger South Conference game on Tuesday. It will begin the second time through the conference.
"You just have to keep playing to the best of your ability," Sam Mathiason said.
"I think it just shows our potential, considering how good MG is," Hilliard said. "We didn't get the result we wanted. It was worth it because we played so well."
Monroe drops to 5-8, 2-4 Badger South.
Hilliard scored on a layup with about 7 minutes left in the second half to cut the Silver Eagles' lead to 51-50. Monroe sophomore Sydney Mathiason knocked down a jumper and drilled a 3-pointer with 56 seconds to go to cut the Silver Eagles' lead to 64-59. Monona Grove (11-1, 5-1) made 3 of 4 free throws in the final 45 seconds to seal the win.
Monona Grove senior Autumn Ogden, a North Dakota State University recruit, scored a team-high 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Freshman teammate McKenna Warnock, who has received scholarship offers from the University of Wisconsin, Marquette and UW-Green Bay, was stifled in the first half by the Cheesemakers and scored just two points. Warnock scored 18 of her 20 points in the second half and had 12 rebounds.
"She (Warnock) has the ability to drive by you and find open teammates," Monroe coach Sam Mathia-son said. "She can do it inside and outside. She will find a way. One of the 3-pointers she hit was very deep.
"We were a couple of possessions away. I thought the kids played really hard, kept battling and never went away. I was really proud of our effort."
Sydney Mathiason added 15 points and had seven rebounds. Senior teammate Brooke Adams scored 12 points on four 3-pointers, which all came in the first half.
The Cheesemakers struggled down the stretch from the free-throw line, shooting 31.2 percent in the second half (5 of 16) and finished 15 of 29.
"We are a good free-throw shooting team," Sydney Mathiason said. "Whenever we miss it's a surprise."
Sparked by Hilliard's ability to drive to the basket and Adams' 3-point shooting, Monroe built a 40-35 lead at the half.
"I'm really happy for Brooke to see those 3-pointers go down," Sam Mathiason said. "MG wants to make you play faster than you want. Sometimes you have to take those 10- to 15-foot jump shots. At times, MG will cave down on you with two or three people. Brooke did a great job of hitting those 3-pointers. Hopefully, we can build on those successes."
The Cheesemakers shot 45.6 percent for the game (21 of 46) and made five 3-pointers.
"There are definitely more opportunities for open shots against a team that helps deep in the lane," Sydney Mathiason said of the Silver Eagles. "We were hitting those shots so it was tough to do that against us."
A deep 3-pointer from Warnock and a three-point play from Ogden in the second half helped the Silver Eagles take a 51-48 lead.
"Playing good team defense is always tough no matter how many good players a team has," Sydney Mathiason said. "I thought we continued to play well. She (Warnock) was just able to hit some more shots in the second half."
Monroe will host Oregon in a Badger South Conference game on Tuesday. It will begin the second time through the conference.
"You just have to keep playing to the best of your ability," Sam Mathiason said.
