MONROE - Senior guard Kevin Noriega drilled a key 3-pointer in the fourth quarter to give Monroe a second chance. And the Cheesemakers made good on that second chance, outscoring Portage 5-0 in overtime en route to a thrilling 52-47 win over the Warriors in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal game Tuesday.
"I just wanted to do it for the city, our student section and the fans," said Noriega, who scored 10 points. "It feels great to end my high school basketball career at home with a win."
Noriega drilled a game-tying 3-pointer with 9.5 seconds to go in the fourth quarter to give the Cheesemakers a short-lived 47-46 lead.
"I don't usually scream when I hit a shot," Noriega said. But "I had to scream when I knocked that 3-pointer down. I have struggled with my shot this year. I don't have the best 3-point percentage this year, but I still had the confidence. To knock it down was awesome."
With the win, Monroe (10-13) snapped a four-game losing streak and earned a chance to play Mount Horeb, ranked No. 7 in the Associated Press Division 2 state poll, at 7 p.m. Friday in a regional semifinal at Mount Horeb.
Monroe senior Desmond Ford made an acrobatic layup with 2 minutes, 1 second to go in overtime to give the Cheesemakers a 49-47 lead. The Cheesemakers made 3 of 4 free throws in the final 12.4 seconds to seal the win.
"We live to fight another day," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "We were playing from behind a lot in the second half. Guys didn't quit and kept fighting. It felt good to salt it way at the free throw line."
The Cheesemakers led by as many as eight points. Monroe junior Ben Latimer, who scored eight points and had eight rebounds, scored twice down low early in the third quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 31-24 lead. The Warriors went on a 13-2 run that spanned from the third quarter into the start of the fourth. The Cheesemakers went on about an 8-minute scoreless streak. Monroe sophomore Carter Sawdey converted a conventional three-point play to snap the cold spell and cut the Warriors' lead to 37-36 with 6:07 left in the fourth quarter.
Monroe senior Logan Weckerly scored a team-high 12 points. Ford added nine points and Sawdey chipped in six points.
Weckerly drained a 3-pointer with 2:52 left to slice the Warriors' lead to 44-42. After an inbounds play by the Warriors late in the fourth quarter, the Cheesemakers looked to use a halfcourt trap. When the ball was reversed, Sawdey came up with a steal and that led to Ford's layup to tie the game at 44.
"We don't have one guy that scores 25 points a game," Weckerly said. "It's nice to have each guy chip in eight to 12 points. When we do that we are a dangerous team.
"It's amazing to win our last home game and get that last hurrah in Monroe."
The Warriors had several chances to win or tie the game in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Warriors shot just 8 of 14 from the free-throw line. With 2.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and the Cheesemakers clinging to a 47-46 lead, it appeared that Portage senior Sam Harkins had tripped on the break. Officials called Ford for his fourth foul. Harkins made 1 of 2 free throws to send the game to overtime.
Murphy said Sawdey's steal late in the fourth quarter was a big turning point in the game.
"We tried to mix it up," Murphy said of the halfcourt trap.
Portage junior Jack Nelson also missed two free-throws late in the overtime that would have tied the game.
Monroe now turns its attention to Mount Horeb.
"We don't rely on just one guy," Murphy said. "We need everyone to contribute. That is what we will need Friday at Mount Horeb."
"I just wanted to do it for the city, our student section and the fans," said Noriega, who scored 10 points. "It feels great to end my high school basketball career at home with a win."
Noriega drilled a game-tying 3-pointer with 9.5 seconds to go in the fourth quarter to give the Cheesemakers a short-lived 47-46 lead.
"I don't usually scream when I hit a shot," Noriega said. But "I had to scream when I knocked that 3-pointer down. I have struggled with my shot this year. I don't have the best 3-point percentage this year, but I still had the confidence. To knock it down was awesome."
With the win, Monroe (10-13) snapped a four-game losing streak and earned a chance to play Mount Horeb, ranked No. 7 in the Associated Press Division 2 state poll, at 7 p.m. Friday in a regional semifinal at Mount Horeb.
Monroe senior Desmond Ford made an acrobatic layup with 2 minutes, 1 second to go in overtime to give the Cheesemakers a 49-47 lead. The Cheesemakers made 3 of 4 free throws in the final 12.4 seconds to seal the win.
"We live to fight another day," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "We were playing from behind a lot in the second half. Guys didn't quit and kept fighting. It felt good to salt it way at the free throw line."
The Cheesemakers led by as many as eight points. Monroe junior Ben Latimer, who scored eight points and had eight rebounds, scored twice down low early in the third quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 31-24 lead. The Warriors went on a 13-2 run that spanned from the third quarter into the start of the fourth. The Cheesemakers went on about an 8-minute scoreless streak. Monroe sophomore Carter Sawdey converted a conventional three-point play to snap the cold spell and cut the Warriors' lead to 37-36 with 6:07 left in the fourth quarter.
Monroe senior Logan Weckerly scored a team-high 12 points. Ford added nine points and Sawdey chipped in six points.
Weckerly drained a 3-pointer with 2:52 left to slice the Warriors' lead to 44-42. After an inbounds play by the Warriors late in the fourth quarter, the Cheesemakers looked to use a halfcourt trap. When the ball was reversed, Sawdey came up with a steal and that led to Ford's layup to tie the game at 44.
"We don't have one guy that scores 25 points a game," Weckerly said. "It's nice to have each guy chip in eight to 12 points. When we do that we are a dangerous team.
"It's amazing to win our last home game and get that last hurrah in Monroe."
The Warriors had several chances to win or tie the game in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Warriors shot just 8 of 14 from the free-throw line. With 2.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and the Cheesemakers clinging to a 47-46 lead, it appeared that Portage senior Sam Harkins had tripped on the break. Officials called Ford for his fourth foul. Harkins made 1 of 2 free throws to send the game to overtime.
Murphy said Sawdey's steal late in the fourth quarter was a big turning point in the game.
"We tried to mix it up," Murphy said of the halfcourt trap.
Portage junior Jack Nelson also missed two free-throws late in the overtime that would have tied the game.
Monroe now turns its attention to Mount Horeb.
"We don't rely on just one guy," Murphy said. "We need everyone to contribute. That is what we will need Friday at Mount Horeb."
