MONROE - Beloit Memorial 6-foot-6's Bryanth Farr scored a game-high 24 points and helped propel the Purple Knights to a 66-60 win over Monroe in the season opener on Saturday.
"It didn't matter what we did, we just couldn't guard him," Monroe boys basketball coach Brian Bassett said. "He's a horse. He's probably the best post player with the best footwork I have seen in the last two years. They had too many good shooters to go zone against."
The Knights jumped out to a 34-26 lead at the half. The Cheesemakers went on a 17-5 run in the second half and took a 40-39 lead on senior Alex Tordoff's 3-pointer with 12:39 left.
Beloit Memorial didn't regain the lead until Farr's 3-point play with 3:58 to go to give the Knight s a 52-49 lead. Memorial's Drew Freitag scored 18 points and made 7 of his 9 of 9 free throws in the second half.
Tordoff scored a team-high 15 points and hit three of the Cheesemakers' eight 3-pointers. Senior teammate Tyler Elmer had 14 points and junior Brayden Zettle added 13 points and also made three 3-pointers. Senior Carter Sawdey chipped in nine points.
"One of our keys always when I coached with (Pat) Murphy was to get three guys in double figures," Bassett said. "We did that and it just didn't work out for us. When we do that we usually win the game."
Bassett said in addition to working on improving collapsing post defense, the Cheesemakers missed some golden scoring opportunities.
"We missed some bunnies and layups we should have made," he said.
Monroe will play at Madison Edgewood on Friday in the team's first Badger South Conference game. The Cheesemakers will then host Brodhead at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
"We know Edgewood will be a really tough team," Bassett said. "They are coming off a win against Janesville Craig. They have good size and really good shooters. We will have to work our tails off at the defensive end."
Brodhead 70,
Albany 57
BRODHEAD - Junior Justice Tway scored a game-high 30 points to power the Brodhead boys basketball team to a 70-57 season-opening win over Albany on Saturday.
The Cardinals led just 31-28 at the half. Brodhead outscored the Comets 39-29 in the second half. The Cardinals and Comets both made 11 of 17 free throws. Brodhead junior Parker Johnson added 14 points and junior Brekan Day had 10 points.
Albany senior Connor Trow scored a team-high 19 points and drilled four 3-pointers. Albany sophomore Corbin Kelly and senior Brock Gilkes each chipped in nine points.
New Glarus 59, Monticello 31
NEW GLARUS - Junior Cullen Brooks scored 13 of his game-high 19 points in the second half to help the Glarner Knights cruise to a non-conference win in the opener.
The Knights raced out to a 26-13 lead in the first half. New Glarus shot just 4 of 11 at the free-throw line.
New Glarus sophomore Zach Feller scored nine points and senior Jacob Tetner and junior Mike Nelson each added seven points.
Monticello was led by senior Zach Price who scored 19 points. Price hit two 3-pointers and was 7 of 12 at the foul line. Monticello freshman Reece Rufer chipped in eight points.
The Ponies shot just 8 of 19 at the free-throw line.
"It didn't matter what we did, we just couldn't guard him," Monroe boys basketball coach Brian Bassett said. "He's a horse. He's probably the best post player with the best footwork I have seen in the last two years. They had too many good shooters to go zone against."
The Knights jumped out to a 34-26 lead at the half. The Cheesemakers went on a 17-5 run in the second half and took a 40-39 lead on senior Alex Tordoff's 3-pointer with 12:39 left.
Beloit Memorial didn't regain the lead until Farr's 3-point play with 3:58 to go to give the Knight s a 52-49 lead. Memorial's Drew Freitag scored 18 points and made 7 of his 9 of 9 free throws in the second half.
Tordoff scored a team-high 15 points and hit three of the Cheesemakers' eight 3-pointers. Senior teammate Tyler Elmer had 14 points and junior Brayden Zettle added 13 points and also made three 3-pointers. Senior Carter Sawdey chipped in nine points.
"One of our keys always when I coached with (Pat) Murphy was to get three guys in double figures," Bassett said. "We did that and it just didn't work out for us. When we do that we usually win the game."
Bassett said in addition to working on improving collapsing post defense, the Cheesemakers missed some golden scoring opportunities.
"We missed some bunnies and layups we should have made," he said.
Monroe will play at Madison Edgewood on Friday in the team's first Badger South Conference game. The Cheesemakers will then host Brodhead at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
"We know Edgewood will be a really tough team," Bassett said. "They are coming off a win against Janesville Craig. They have good size and really good shooters. We will have to work our tails off at the defensive end."
Brodhead 70,
Albany 57
BRODHEAD - Junior Justice Tway scored a game-high 30 points to power the Brodhead boys basketball team to a 70-57 season-opening win over Albany on Saturday.
The Cardinals led just 31-28 at the half. Brodhead outscored the Comets 39-29 in the second half. The Cardinals and Comets both made 11 of 17 free throws. Brodhead junior Parker Johnson added 14 points and junior Brekan Day had 10 points.
Albany senior Connor Trow scored a team-high 19 points and drilled four 3-pointers. Albany sophomore Corbin Kelly and senior Brock Gilkes each chipped in nine points.
New Glarus 59, Monticello 31
NEW GLARUS - Junior Cullen Brooks scored 13 of his game-high 19 points in the second half to help the Glarner Knights cruise to a non-conference win in the opener.
The Knights raced out to a 26-13 lead in the first half. New Glarus shot just 4 of 11 at the free-throw line.
New Glarus sophomore Zach Feller scored nine points and senior Jacob Tetner and junior Mike Nelson each added seven points.
Monticello was led by senior Zach Price who scored 19 points. Price hit two 3-pointers and was 7 of 12 at the foul line. Monticello freshman Reece Rufer chipped in eight points.
The Ponies shot just 8 of 19 at the free-throw line.
