MONROE - Alex Dahlk scored a season-high 10 points and had one of his more active games of the season for the Monroe boys basketball team Friday night.
But that wasn't what made the senior forward's face light up after the Cheesemakers'
62-52 victory against Milton in Badger Conference South Division play.
"We finally broke that zone that people have been throwing at us," Dahlk said. "We feel good about that."
Rarely a film session goes by when Monroe coach Pat Murphy doesn't remind his players that until they prove they can beat a zone, they're not going to see anything else.
The combination of the Cheesemakers struggling terribly against zones at the Monona Grove Holiday Tournament and the fact that Milton plays almost exclusively zone didn't necessarily bode well for the home team.
But Alex Barenklau scored the first three of his 23 points on a trey, Brian Schneider hit three from beyond the arc before the game was 12 minutes old and Milton's zone had been broken.
"They were getting after it," Murphy said of the Cheesemakers. "We found some spots in their zone and that got us some confidence.
"As a coach, you can say all you want about confidence, but it comes down the guys. They feed off each other."
Milton (4-7, 1-5 Badger South) scored the game's first five points and was leading
9-7 when Monroe (6-4, 2-3) embarked on the game's biggest run - a 17-5 outburst that gave the Cheesemakers a 24-14 lead with 3 minutes, 48 seconds left in the second quarter.
Schneider hit all three of his 3-pointers in the stretch - two from the right wing and one from the left - on his way to a 10-point night.
"Just take it to them - don't shy away," Schneider said of Murphy's message during practice this week.
The senior guard said he wasn't necessarily looking for his shot more.
"It was just if it's there, take it, but that's the same with everybody," he said.
Said Murphy: "Our guys did a good job of getting (Schneider) touches. When he hit one, then you get him another shot and you build something off that."
Milton pulled within 36-35 late in the third quarter and sliced the Cheesemakers' lead to 53-51 with 1:03 remaining, but Barenklau scored on a drive with 43 seconds left to start a game-ending 7-0 run by Monroe.
The Cheesemakers were impressive from the free throw line, hitting 20 of 24 for the game - including 16 of 19 in the fourth quarter. Junior Trent Wyssbrod hit all eight of his fourth-quarter foul shots and also reached double figures with 10 points.
"Is that what it was?" Murphy said of the foul shooting numbers. "Good stuff. That will get you some victories."
Forward Samuel McCann scored 17 points, center Erick Bolden had 14 and swingman Torger Johnson added 11 for the Red Hawks.
Milton coach Zach Groelle was disappointed in how easily Monroe riddled the Red Hawks' zone.
"We felt confident coming in that maybe they'll knock down a few shots, but we'll weather the storm," Groelle said. "We weren't expecting them to hit that many right away to open it up and that kind of forced our hands back into a man-to-man. Barenklau just had an unbelievable game for them. He was getting to the rim at will.
"It seemed like every time we got close, they extended the lead a little bit," said Groelle, whose team hurt itself with 3 of 12 free throw shooting.
"They took shots at us and we kept standing them up," Murphy said of Milton's repeated inability to take a second-half lead. "What we said to them after the game is we just refused to lose. Now we have to bring that attitude (tonight) and try to build off that."
The Cheesemakers host Freeport at 7:45 tonight in the second game of the annual Snack Bowl doubleheader. The girls game between the Pretzels and the Cheesemakers is to tip off at 6 p.m.
But that wasn't what made the senior forward's face light up after the Cheesemakers'
62-52 victory against Milton in Badger Conference South Division play.
"We finally broke that zone that people have been throwing at us," Dahlk said. "We feel good about that."
Rarely a film session goes by when Monroe coach Pat Murphy doesn't remind his players that until they prove they can beat a zone, they're not going to see anything else.
The combination of the Cheesemakers struggling terribly against zones at the Monona Grove Holiday Tournament and the fact that Milton plays almost exclusively zone didn't necessarily bode well for the home team.
But Alex Barenklau scored the first three of his 23 points on a trey, Brian Schneider hit three from beyond the arc before the game was 12 minutes old and Milton's zone had been broken.
"They were getting after it," Murphy said of the Cheesemakers. "We found some spots in their zone and that got us some confidence.
"As a coach, you can say all you want about confidence, but it comes down the guys. They feed off each other."
Milton (4-7, 1-5 Badger South) scored the game's first five points and was leading
9-7 when Monroe (6-4, 2-3) embarked on the game's biggest run - a 17-5 outburst that gave the Cheesemakers a 24-14 lead with 3 minutes, 48 seconds left in the second quarter.
Schneider hit all three of his 3-pointers in the stretch - two from the right wing and one from the left - on his way to a 10-point night.
"Just take it to them - don't shy away," Schneider said of Murphy's message during practice this week.
The senior guard said he wasn't necessarily looking for his shot more.
"It was just if it's there, take it, but that's the same with everybody," he said.
Said Murphy: "Our guys did a good job of getting (Schneider) touches. When he hit one, then you get him another shot and you build something off that."
Milton pulled within 36-35 late in the third quarter and sliced the Cheesemakers' lead to 53-51 with 1:03 remaining, but Barenklau scored on a drive with 43 seconds left to start a game-ending 7-0 run by Monroe.
The Cheesemakers were impressive from the free throw line, hitting 20 of 24 for the game - including 16 of 19 in the fourth quarter. Junior Trent Wyssbrod hit all eight of his fourth-quarter foul shots and also reached double figures with 10 points.
"Is that what it was?" Murphy said of the foul shooting numbers. "Good stuff. That will get you some victories."
Forward Samuel McCann scored 17 points, center Erick Bolden had 14 and swingman Torger Johnson added 11 for the Red Hawks.
Milton coach Zach Groelle was disappointed in how easily Monroe riddled the Red Hawks' zone.
"We felt confident coming in that maybe they'll knock down a few shots, but we'll weather the storm," Groelle said. "We weren't expecting them to hit that many right away to open it up and that kind of forced our hands back into a man-to-man. Barenklau just had an unbelievable game for them. He was getting to the rim at will.
"It seemed like every time we got close, they extended the lead a little bit," said Groelle, whose team hurt itself with 3 of 12 free throw shooting.
"They took shots at us and we kept standing them up," Murphy said of Milton's repeated inability to take a second-half lead. "What we said to them after the game is we just refused to lose. Now we have to bring that attitude (tonight) and try to build off that."
The Cheesemakers host Freeport at 7:45 tonight in the second game of the annual Snack Bowl doubleheader. The girls game between the Pretzels and the Cheesemakers is to tip off at 6 p.m.
