MONROE - It's been said that free throws can win basketball games. Given the success that the Lady Cheesemakers had Friday evening from the charity stripe, the hypothesis may hold some real value.
Monroe shot 17 of 20 from the line in the game, including 12 of 14 in the second half, and the Cheesemakers knocked off Muskego in a nonconference game 61-53.
"They talk about you have to make your free throws, your layups, your inside shots," Monroe head coach Sam Mathiason said. "You've got to take advantage of those opportunities. When you can make those, it makes the rest of the game a whole lot easier."
Monroe was playing for the second-straight game without all-state guard Sydney Hilliard. In her absence a number of players had to step up to the challenge. In the second half, it was sophomore Grace Tostrud, who scored all 10 of her points in the second half and went 8 for 10 from the line.
"You take some of your experiences and you just try to learn from them along the way," Mathiason said. "Those are the types of shots that you just have to have confidence and comfort. You just keep working on it."
Tostrud and Emily Benzschawel (22 points) made 11-straight free throws at one point in the second half.
"Practice helps a lot," Tostrud said. "It's just repetition. We practice free throws a lot during practice."
Muskego (8-3) is a Division 1 school that brings size and athleticism to the hardwood.
"They're physical. They are going to come and play hard and really compete," Mathiason said. "I thought we stepped up to those challenges. You take out an all-state player and I'm not sure how many teams can go out and play at that level. I'm just proud of all the kids - whether it was someone who got one minute or five minutes or whatever it was."
In the first half of Friday's game, the Cheesemakers had to battle foul trouble. Senior center Sydney Mathiason picked up three fouls in the first 10 minutes of the game, the third of which she got her hand caught in the cookie jar trying to get an offensive rebound. Freshman forward Megan Benzschawel, who was filling Hilliard's vacated starting role, picked up two fouls in the first two minutes.
"It's really the way that the game goes. You just have to figure out how to play through it," Mathiason said. "Sometimes in the game of basketball you're just going to be a step slower and in that wrong spot."
Neither team found the bottom of the basket with much consistency in the half, but Muskego used its advantage at the free throw line to take a 5-point lead with 8:03 to play in the first at 18-13. Muskego hit 8 of 15 from the stripe in the first half, while Monroe was just 5 of 6.
After the five-point deficit, the Cheesemakers started finding a groove.
Well, Emily Benzschawel found a groove.
Benzschawel, a junior guard scored nine-straight points for Monroe over a four-minute stretch to give the Cheesemakers a 24-23 lead with 2:12 to play before halftime. Monroe led 27-26 at the break.
"You've got to just find that next player to make that next play - whether it's on the defensive end or finding that right pass on the offensive end with an open look," coach Mathiason said of his team. "I'm proud of the effort. It was a team win."
In the second half, Muskego went to a full court press, giving Monroe fits for large stretches.
The Cheesemakers were able to break free from the press multiple times and benefited from proper positioning on rebounds and loose balls. Muskego ran into foul trouble in the half, which led to Monroe taking all 14 shots from the stripe in the frame.
"When we executed we were able to make it look pretty good," coach Mathiason said. "The discipline to be able to do it every single time - I've got to catch, I've got to square up, I've got to make that next pass - and when we did that against the press we got some easy ones down on the other end."
Emily Benzschawel's 22 led all scorers, while Sydney Mathiason finished with 14, followed by Tostrud's 10 and Grace Mathiason's 9. Muskego had four players in double figures, with Kenni Czarnecki's 13 leading the way.
Monroe (12-1) gets back into action Jan. 5 at Milton. The Red Hawks made a surprising run to the sectional final last year despite finishing the regular season at 12-10.
"We're just trying to take it one game at a time and not look too far ahead," Tostrud said.
Monroe shot 17 of 20 from the line in the game, including 12 of 14 in the second half, and the Cheesemakers knocked off Muskego in a nonconference game 61-53.
"They talk about you have to make your free throws, your layups, your inside shots," Monroe head coach Sam Mathiason said. "You've got to take advantage of those opportunities. When you can make those, it makes the rest of the game a whole lot easier."
Monroe was playing for the second-straight game without all-state guard Sydney Hilliard. In her absence a number of players had to step up to the challenge. In the second half, it was sophomore Grace Tostrud, who scored all 10 of her points in the second half and went 8 for 10 from the line.
"You take some of your experiences and you just try to learn from them along the way," Mathiason said. "Those are the types of shots that you just have to have confidence and comfort. You just keep working on it."
Tostrud and Emily Benzschawel (22 points) made 11-straight free throws at one point in the second half.
"Practice helps a lot," Tostrud said. "It's just repetition. We practice free throws a lot during practice."
Muskego (8-3) is a Division 1 school that brings size and athleticism to the hardwood.
"They're physical. They are going to come and play hard and really compete," Mathiason said. "I thought we stepped up to those challenges. You take out an all-state player and I'm not sure how many teams can go out and play at that level. I'm just proud of all the kids - whether it was someone who got one minute or five minutes or whatever it was."
In the first half of Friday's game, the Cheesemakers had to battle foul trouble. Senior center Sydney Mathiason picked up three fouls in the first 10 minutes of the game, the third of which she got her hand caught in the cookie jar trying to get an offensive rebound. Freshman forward Megan Benzschawel, who was filling Hilliard's vacated starting role, picked up two fouls in the first two minutes.
"It's really the way that the game goes. You just have to figure out how to play through it," Mathiason said. "Sometimes in the game of basketball you're just going to be a step slower and in that wrong spot."
Neither team found the bottom of the basket with much consistency in the half, but Muskego used its advantage at the free throw line to take a 5-point lead with 8:03 to play in the first at 18-13. Muskego hit 8 of 15 from the stripe in the first half, while Monroe was just 5 of 6.
After the five-point deficit, the Cheesemakers started finding a groove.
Well, Emily Benzschawel found a groove.
Benzschawel, a junior guard scored nine-straight points for Monroe over a four-minute stretch to give the Cheesemakers a 24-23 lead with 2:12 to play before halftime. Monroe led 27-26 at the break.
"You've got to just find that next player to make that next play - whether it's on the defensive end or finding that right pass on the offensive end with an open look," coach Mathiason said of his team. "I'm proud of the effort. It was a team win."
In the second half, Muskego went to a full court press, giving Monroe fits for large stretches.
The Cheesemakers were able to break free from the press multiple times and benefited from proper positioning on rebounds and loose balls. Muskego ran into foul trouble in the half, which led to Monroe taking all 14 shots from the stripe in the frame.
"When we executed we were able to make it look pretty good," coach Mathiason said. "The discipline to be able to do it every single time - I've got to catch, I've got to square up, I've got to make that next pass - and when we did that against the press we got some easy ones down on the other end."
Emily Benzschawel's 22 led all scorers, while Sydney Mathiason finished with 14, followed by Tostrud's 10 and Grace Mathiason's 9. Muskego had four players in double figures, with Kenni Czarnecki's 13 leading the way.
Monroe (12-1) gets back into action Jan. 5 at Milton. The Red Hawks made a surprising run to the sectional final last year despite finishing the regular season at 12-10.
"We're just trying to take it one game at a time and not look too far ahead," Tostrud said.
