OREGON - With four starters in foul trouble, Monroe boys basketball coach Brian Bassett turned to his bench and they delivered.
Fueled by the bench, Monroe stormed back from an 11-point deficit and went on to knock off Portage 62-55 in a Badger Challenge game Saturday at Oregon High School.
Monroe senior Brayden Zettle had two fouls in the first 31 seconds. Senior David Keegan, junior Kade King and senior Jonah Tostrud each also had two fouls in the first half. The Cheesemakers went on a 16-5 run after trailing by 11 points to tie the game at the half at 27.
Monroe junior Max Lange scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half. With the win, Monroe improves to 8-6 overall and 4-3 in the Badger South Conference.
"I thought Kevin Schmidt, Dagon Rach, Jake Meier and Max Golembiewski did a great job of doing their part to keep us in the game, and they went on a run," Bassett said. "I think our reserves in the first half kept us in it."
Zettle scored 12 of his team-high 14 points in the second half, and Tostrud scored 8 of his 14 points in the second half. Keegan scored all 11 of his points in the second half.
"In the second half, our starters played much better and played through foul trouble," Bassett said.
Portage's Eli Considine scored a game-high 24 points, and Zach Steele added 20 points for the Warriors.
"We knew going in those two guys would score," Bassett said. "Our guys made it tough on them, but they still made shots. We made it difficult on them."
Fueled by the bench, Monroe stormed back from an 11-point deficit and went on to knock off Portage 62-55 in a Badger Challenge game Saturday at Oregon High School.
Monroe senior Brayden Zettle had two fouls in the first 31 seconds. Senior David Keegan, junior Kade King and senior Jonah Tostrud each also had two fouls in the first half. The Cheesemakers went on a 16-5 run after trailing by 11 points to tie the game at the half at 27.
Monroe junior Max Lange scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half. With the win, Monroe improves to 8-6 overall and 4-3 in the Badger South Conference.
"I thought Kevin Schmidt, Dagon Rach, Jake Meier and Max Golembiewski did a great job of doing their part to keep us in the game, and they went on a run," Bassett said. "I think our reserves in the first half kept us in it."
Zettle scored 12 of his team-high 14 points in the second half, and Tostrud scored 8 of his 14 points in the second half. Keegan scored all 11 of his points in the second half.
"In the second half, our starters played much better and played through foul trouble," Bassett said.
Portage's Eli Considine scored a game-high 24 points, and Zach Steele added 20 points for the Warriors.
"We knew going in those two guys would score," Bassett said. "Our guys made it tough on them, but they still made shots. We made it difficult on them."
