MONROE - For Monroe junior Brooke McBain, the last 10 seconds of the non-conference game against DeForest seemed like a blur.
DeForest senior Sehar Resad scored on an inbound play to give the Norskies a one-point lead with 49 seconds to go. With DeForest clinging to a one-point lead - and with four fouls to give - the Norskies fouled the Cheesemakers twice.
Monroe senior Kyleigh Sellnow's potential game-winning shot hit the rim and bounced away at the buzzer to give the Norskies a 36-35 win over the Cheesemakers Tuesday.
"I had no idea they had that many fouls to give," McBain said. "It was frustrating."
The Cheesemakers (2-3, 0-1 Badger South) had a couple of golden opportunities to regain the lead late. After Monroe coach Sam Mathiason took a timeout with 26.9 seconds left, Sellnow drove to the basket and missed a go-ahead shot. McBain grabbed the offensive rebound and senior Kylee Ritschard missed a 3-pointer with 13 seconds to go.
"It's hard. You always talk about situations," Mathiason said. "We were in a situation where they had four fouls to give. That was going to take a while and there were only 10 seconds left before we went to the free-throw line. We would have liked to get a better shot up.
"I take this game as a learning experience," Mathiason said. "We just have to keep finding ways to get better. It's another one of those what can the girls learn and take away from this."
McBain scored a game-high 19 points and Ritschard added 12 to lead the Cheesemakers. After playing on the junior varsity squad last year, McBain said she is gaining more confidence.
"As a player on the JV last year, she is getting used to the size and the speed on the varsity and how she can get her shot off," Mathiason said. "I think she has played with consistency."
The Cheesemakers held the Norksies without a field goal for almost six minutes in the first quarter. Resad scored down low with 2:14 left in the first quarter to snap the cold spell and cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 6-2. McBain carried the Cheesemakers early on scoring six of her team's eight points in the first quarter.
Ritschard drilled a 3-pointer to open the second quarter that gave the Cheesemakers an 11-8 lead. McBain helped the Cheesemakers break open a game tied at 17 at halftime.
"I think the one consistency we have had through the first five games is we have played excellent defense," Mathiason said.
McBain scored 11 of her 19 points in the third quarter and helped the Cheesemakers go on a 7-0 run. McBain knocked down two 3-pointers and Ritschard hit a 3-pointer that gave the Cheesemakers a 29-23 lead about midway through the third quarter.
McBain said the Cheesemakers have to keep working together as a team, communicating and continue playing solid defense.
Monroe will host defending state champion New Berlin Eisenhower at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28.
"We have to continually find consistent ways to score," Mathiason said.
DeForest senior Sehar Resad scored on an inbound play to give the Norskies a one-point lead with 49 seconds to go. With DeForest clinging to a one-point lead - and with four fouls to give - the Norskies fouled the Cheesemakers twice.
Monroe senior Kyleigh Sellnow's potential game-winning shot hit the rim and bounced away at the buzzer to give the Norskies a 36-35 win over the Cheesemakers Tuesday.
"I had no idea they had that many fouls to give," McBain said. "It was frustrating."
The Cheesemakers (2-3, 0-1 Badger South) had a couple of golden opportunities to regain the lead late. After Monroe coach Sam Mathiason took a timeout with 26.9 seconds left, Sellnow drove to the basket and missed a go-ahead shot. McBain grabbed the offensive rebound and senior Kylee Ritschard missed a 3-pointer with 13 seconds to go.
"It's hard. You always talk about situations," Mathiason said. "We were in a situation where they had four fouls to give. That was going to take a while and there were only 10 seconds left before we went to the free-throw line. We would have liked to get a better shot up.
"I take this game as a learning experience," Mathiason said. "We just have to keep finding ways to get better. It's another one of those what can the girls learn and take away from this."
McBain scored a game-high 19 points and Ritschard added 12 to lead the Cheesemakers. After playing on the junior varsity squad last year, McBain said she is gaining more confidence.
"As a player on the JV last year, she is getting used to the size and the speed on the varsity and how she can get her shot off," Mathiason said. "I think she has played with consistency."
The Cheesemakers held the Norksies without a field goal for almost six minutes in the first quarter. Resad scored down low with 2:14 left in the first quarter to snap the cold spell and cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 6-2. McBain carried the Cheesemakers early on scoring six of her team's eight points in the first quarter.
Ritschard drilled a 3-pointer to open the second quarter that gave the Cheesemakers an 11-8 lead. McBain helped the Cheesemakers break open a game tied at 17 at halftime.
"I think the one consistency we have had through the first five games is we have played excellent defense," Mathiason said.
McBain scored 11 of her 19 points in the third quarter and helped the Cheesemakers go on a 7-0 run. McBain knocked down two 3-pointers and Ritschard hit a 3-pointer that gave the Cheesemakers a 29-23 lead about midway through the third quarter.
McBain said the Cheesemakers have to keep working together as a team, communicating and continue playing solid defense.
Monroe will host defending state champion New Berlin Eisenhower at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28.
"We have to continually find consistent ways to score," Mathiason said.
