MONROE - It wasn't easy, but the Monroe boys basketball team is still in the driver's seat to win the Badger South Conference championship, after withstanding a rally by Fort Atkinson to hang on for a 70-58 win Thursday night.
Monroe senior Brian Schneider scored a team-high 16 points to lead the Cheesemakers. Senior Joe Latimer had a double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds), and senior Alex Barenklau scored 15 points. Senior Trent Wyssbrod added 10 points for the Cheesemakers.
"You feed the fire," Schneider said. "Whoever has the hot hand, you give it to them. (Fort Atkinson) just hung in there. We wanted to stop them a little earlier. In the end, it all worked out."
Schneider had the hot hand early on, scoring 13 of his points in the first half including three 3-pointers in the first quarter. Barenklau scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half to spark the Cheesemakers.
Monroe (14-4, 6-2 Badger South), ranked 10th in the Associated Press Division 2 state poll, made 14 of 18 free throws in the final 4 minutes, 49 seconds to seal the win. Monroe senior Ben Murray, who scored seven points, made 5 of 6 free throws and Wyssbrod made 4 of 4 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter to fend off the Blackhawks.
Fort Atkinson senior Travis Hartmann made five 3-pointers in the second half. The Blackhawks stayed in the game by knocking down eight 3-pointers.
"Every team we play wants to give us their best," Wyssbrod said. "They have always been great at shooting the 3. They showed tonight they can still shoot it. We stepped up our 'D' and held them to 58 points."
The Blackhawks were resilient behind Hartmann and senior Tanner Boos' shooting. Hartmann drilled a 3-pointer with 3:06 left to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 59-53. He knocked down his fifth 3-pointer with 1:43 to go, slice the Cheesemakers' lead again, down to 65-56.
"We needed every one of (the free throws) because they kept making 3's," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "It felt like they made 10. You are a little taken aback when they shoot that high of a percentage. We know (Hartmann) can shoot because he is a senior. I don't know if he has done that all year. They are hard to guard, because they have so many guys who can make plays."
Murphy understands there is no margin for error if the Cheesemakers want to win a conference championship. Monroe has just a half-game lead on Monona Grove, with four games left including one against the Silver Eagles at home Friday, Feb. 8.
"They came in here with a mission to win," Murphy said of Fort Atkinson. "Everyone knows the league is up for grabs."
Wyssbrod said the team always practices free throws even after drills in practice.
"Free throws are always a huge part of the game no matter what the score of the game is," Wyssbrod said. "We shoot free throws a lot in practice and after drills. We ended up showing it."
The Blackhawks had six of their 10 offensive rebounds in the first half. They were able to hang around by getting several second-chance scoring opportunities. Latimer converted a three-point play, and Schneider hit a jumper to give the Cheesemakers a 22-15 lead midway through the second quarter. Schneider ended the period on a high note, scoring on a putback to give the Cheesemakers a 28-22 lead at the half.
"We want to get more offensive rebounds," Murphy said.
The Cheesemakers went on an 11-6 run to start the third quarter. Latimer banked in a shot and Barenklau scored on a layup to give the Cheesemakers a 39-28 lead. Monroe junior Jake Hirsbrunner drilled a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 44-32, but the Blackhawks answered with Hartmann hitting a 3-pointer. Barenklau scored eight points in the third quarter, and Latimer had nine points in the second half.
"It was definitely a complete team effort," Murphy said. "You have to keep playing. You never know what can happen."
Monroe will host Stoughton at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The Vikings are coming off a last-second win against Madison Edgewood.
"Stoughton has been playing really well," Murphy said. "They have been tearing people up. Their big guy has got better, and they have a senior point guard. Every possession matters."
Monroe senior Brian Schneider scored a team-high 16 points to lead the Cheesemakers. Senior Joe Latimer had a double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds), and senior Alex Barenklau scored 15 points. Senior Trent Wyssbrod added 10 points for the Cheesemakers.
"You feed the fire," Schneider said. "Whoever has the hot hand, you give it to them. (Fort Atkinson) just hung in there. We wanted to stop them a little earlier. In the end, it all worked out."
Schneider had the hot hand early on, scoring 13 of his points in the first half including three 3-pointers in the first quarter. Barenklau scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half to spark the Cheesemakers.
Monroe (14-4, 6-2 Badger South), ranked 10th in the Associated Press Division 2 state poll, made 14 of 18 free throws in the final 4 minutes, 49 seconds to seal the win. Monroe senior Ben Murray, who scored seven points, made 5 of 6 free throws and Wyssbrod made 4 of 4 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter to fend off the Blackhawks.
Fort Atkinson senior Travis Hartmann made five 3-pointers in the second half. The Blackhawks stayed in the game by knocking down eight 3-pointers.
"Every team we play wants to give us their best," Wyssbrod said. "They have always been great at shooting the 3. They showed tonight they can still shoot it. We stepped up our 'D' and held them to 58 points."
The Blackhawks were resilient behind Hartmann and senior Tanner Boos' shooting. Hartmann drilled a 3-pointer with 3:06 left to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 59-53. He knocked down his fifth 3-pointer with 1:43 to go, slice the Cheesemakers' lead again, down to 65-56.
"We needed every one of (the free throws) because they kept making 3's," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "It felt like they made 10. You are a little taken aback when they shoot that high of a percentage. We know (Hartmann) can shoot because he is a senior. I don't know if he has done that all year. They are hard to guard, because they have so many guys who can make plays."
Murphy understands there is no margin for error if the Cheesemakers want to win a conference championship. Monroe has just a half-game lead on Monona Grove, with four games left including one against the Silver Eagles at home Friday, Feb. 8.
"They came in here with a mission to win," Murphy said of Fort Atkinson. "Everyone knows the league is up for grabs."
Wyssbrod said the team always practices free throws even after drills in practice.
"Free throws are always a huge part of the game no matter what the score of the game is," Wyssbrod said. "We shoot free throws a lot in practice and after drills. We ended up showing it."
The Blackhawks had six of their 10 offensive rebounds in the first half. They were able to hang around by getting several second-chance scoring opportunities. Latimer converted a three-point play, and Schneider hit a jumper to give the Cheesemakers a 22-15 lead midway through the second quarter. Schneider ended the period on a high note, scoring on a putback to give the Cheesemakers a 28-22 lead at the half.
"We want to get more offensive rebounds," Murphy said.
The Cheesemakers went on an 11-6 run to start the third quarter. Latimer banked in a shot and Barenklau scored on a layup to give the Cheesemakers a 39-28 lead. Monroe junior Jake Hirsbrunner drilled a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 44-32, but the Blackhawks answered with Hartmann hitting a 3-pointer. Barenklau scored eight points in the third quarter, and Latimer had nine points in the second half.
"It was definitely a complete team effort," Murphy said. "You have to keep playing. You never know what can happen."
Monroe will host Stoughton at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The Vikings are coming off a last-second win against Madison Edgewood.
"Stoughton has been playing really well," Murphy said. "They have been tearing people up. Their big guy has got better, and they have a senior point guard. Every possession matters."
