MONROE - Alex Barenklau wanted to be remembered as a champion on his home court.
The senior and the Monroe boys basketball team will go down in the scorebook as just that after hanging on to knock off Reedbsurg 38-32 to win a WIAA Division 2 regional championship Saturday night. It's the first regional title for the Cheesemakers since 2009.
"It's the first piece of hardware we got in a long time," Barenklau said. "None of us have ever won a regional before. It was the last home game for the seniors. It's playoffs so it's win or go home. It's the first major accomplishment we have had. Hopefully, we can just make it bigger and better things."
The Cheesemakers made 4 of 6 free throws in the final 53.9 seconds to seal the victory. Monroe senior Trent Wyssbrod, who scored 13 points, was 4 of 4 during the fourth-quarter stretch.
Wyssbrod and senior Brian Schneider did a strong job bottling up Reedsburg senior Caprice Salinas, who entered the game as the second leading scorer in the Badger North Conference at 15.9 points per game. The Cheesemakers limited him to just three points. The Cheesemakers to just 28.8 percent shooting in the game (13-for-45).
"You can really get somewhere if you get them to buy into playing team defense," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "I was really happy with both Trent and Brian. That is a heck of a player to keep out of the lane. They lived to fight another day."
Monroe (17-7) advances to play DeForest (15-9) in a sectional semifinal at 7 p.m. Thursday in Middleton.
"When you get to the sectional and Sweet 16 anything can happen," Murphy said. "Our guys have had to persevere more than any team I have ever had."
Reedsburg (14-11) jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first quarter on Salinas' jumper and 3-pointer by Sam Peterson. Barenklau, who scored eight of his 15 points in the first half, helped rally the Cheesemakers.
The Cheesemakers used a fullcourt press with success at opportune times. Schneider came up with a steal and scored on a layup at the end of the first quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 10-8 lead.
The Beavers had 10 offensive rebounds in the game and were sparked by senior Justin Bergman who had two offensive rebounds and a pair of putbacks in the first half. Reedsburg junior Steve Gavin banked in a halfcourt 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Beavers a 20-16 lead at the half.
Murphy said limiting the offensive rebounding of opponents and limiting them to one shot will be an emphasis this week.
"I'm just really proud of our guys," Murphy said. "They competed. It's been a heck of a couple of weeks."
Wyssbrod scored nine points in the second half to spark the Cheesemakers. He drilled a 3-pointer with 1:21 to go in the third quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 27-26 lead. Both Barenklau and Wyssbrod gave the Cheesemakers a lift midway through the fourth quarter. Barenklau came up with a key steal and scored on a layup to give the Cheesemakers' a 32-31 lead with 4:50 left. Wyssbrod scored down low moments later to give the Cheesemakers a 34-31 lead they wouldn't relinquish. Schneider added eight points for the Cheesemakers.
"Every game your defense gets all the momentum going," Barenklau said. "If we can just do a better job of boxing out; getting offensive rebounds was the only way they could score. We played good defense."
Monroe entered the tournament with three straight losses, including two straight at the buzzer. Now, they have won two straight games and are two wins from state. They aren't overwhelmed playing in a tight game in the fourth quarter.
"That is how our season has been all year," Wyssbrod said of the team's three buzzer-beating losses and two overtime losses. "We didn't win a conference championship at home. We would rather have this one instead especially at home."
The senior and the Monroe boys basketball team will go down in the scorebook as just that after hanging on to knock off Reedbsurg 38-32 to win a WIAA Division 2 regional championship Saturday night. It's the first regional title for the Cheesemakers since 2009.
"It's the first piece of hardware we got in a long time," Barenklau said. "None of us have ever won a regional before. It was the last home game for the seniors. It's playoffs so it's win or go home. It's the first major accomplishment we have had. Hopefully, we can just make it bigger and better things."
The Cheesemakers made 4 of 6 free throws in the final 53.9 seconds to seal the victory. Monroe senior Trent Wyssbrod, who scored 13 points, was 4 of 4 during the fourth-quarter stretch.
Wyssbrod and senior Brian Schneider did a strong job bottling up Reedsburg senior Caprice Salinas, who entered the game as the second leading scorer in the Badger North Conference at 15.9 points per game. The Cheesemakers limited him to just three points. The Cheesemakers to just 28.8 percent shooting in the game (13-for-45).
"You can really get somewhere if you get them to buy into playing team defense," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "I was really happy with both Trent and Brian. That is a heck of a player to keep out of the lane. They lived to fight another day."
Monroe (17-7) advances to play DeForest (15-9) in a sectional semifinal at 7 p.m. Thursday in Middleton.
"When you get to the sectional and Sweet 16 anything can happen," Murphy said. "Our guys have had to persevere more than any team I have ever had."
Reedsburg (14-11) jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first quarter on Salinas' jumper and 3-pointer by Sam Peterson. Barenklau, who scored eight of his 15 points in the first half, helped rally the Cheesemakers.
The Cheesemakers used a fullcourt press with success at opportune times. Schneider came up with a steal and scored on a layup at the end of the first quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 10-8 lead.
The Beavers had 10 offensive rebounds in the game and were sparked by senior Justin Bergman who had two offensive rebounds and a pair of putbacks in the first half. Reedsburg junior Steve Gavin banked in a halfcourt 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Beavers a 20-16 lead at the half.
Murphy said limiting the offensive rebounding of opponents and limiting them to one shot will be an emphasis this week.
"I'm just really proud of our guys," Murphy said. "They competed. It's been a heck of a couple of weeks."
Wyssbrod scored nine points in the second half to spark the Cheesemakers. He drilled a 3-pointer with 1:21 to go in the third quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 27-26 lead. Both Barenklau and Wyssbrod gave the Cheesemakers a lift midway through the fourth quarter. Barenklau came up with a key steal and scored on a layup to give the Cheesemakers' a 32-31 lead with 4:50 left. Wyssbrod scored down low moments later to give the Cheesemakers a 34-31 lead they wouldn't relinquish. Schneider added eight points for the Cheesemakers.
"Every game your defense gets all the momentum going," Barenklau said. "If we can just do a better job of boxing out; getting offensive rebounds was the only way they could score. We played good defense."
Monroe entered the tournament with three straight losses, including two straight at the buzzer. Now, they have won two straight games and are two wins from state. They aren't overwhelmed playing in a tight game in the fourth quarter.
"That is how our season has been all year," Wyssbrod said of the team's three buzzer-beating losses and two overtime losses. "We didn't win a conference championship at home. We would rather have this one instead especially at home."
