MONROE - After a three-game losing streak, Monroe boys basketball coach Pat Murphy preached to his team about the importance of playing with a sense of urgency from the opening tip.
The 2007 state championship team was on hand, but the Cheesemakers didn't need any extra motivation in rolling to a 61-51 win over Darlington Thursday night.
Murphy said snapping the skid was motivation enough.
"They put us on top of the basketball world for a small time," Murphy said of the state championship team, which was honored at halftime. "It gave young kids something to shoot for."
Murphy mixed up the starting lineup and the changes paid off.
Junior Alex Barenklau scored a team-high 21 points to lead the Cheesemakers while junior Brian Schneider scored 10 points and junior Ben Murray, in his first start, added nine.
Junior Joe Latimer also started and delivered, scoring eight points and grabbing nine rebounds - five on the offensive end. Monroe senior Bryce Messerli also started and drilled a 3-pointer late in the second quarter that gave the Cheesemakers (4-3, 1-3 Badger South) their biggest lead at 38-21.
"We don't care who starts," Murphy said. "We care who finishes the game. The next game (the starting lineup) may be different."
With the skid behind them, the Cheesemakers are looking to start a winning streak.
"It was very refreshing," Latimer said of halting the losing streak. "We have worked our butt off after those losses to get better."
Latimer is turning into a scorer down low for the Cheesemakers.
"I feel like I have to get a step quicker," he said. "It's different than JV."
It was Darlington (5-4, 2-2 SWAL) that started hot, hitting 7 of its first 11 shots. Senior Brandon Hardyman scored 11 of his game-high 22 points in the first quarter to propel the Redbirds to a 15-7 lead.
Monroe ended the first quarter on a 14-2 run. Murray knocked down a 3-pointer and hit a jumper right before the buzzer to give the Cheesemakers a 21-17 lead.
Monroe outscored the Redbirds 17-6 in the second quarter. Barenklau grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on a putback to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 29-19 with 6 minutes, 43 seconds left in the period. Monroe senior Tyler Barta and Messerli each hit 3-pointers late in the second quarter to help the Cheesemakers open a 17-point lead.
Barenklau saw the Cheesemakers' defense and offensive rebounding as keys.
"We knew coming in that we had to come out and attack," Barenklau said. "We knew we had to get through screens and get a hand up on their shooters. They have four guys who can shoot amazing. Defense wins games."
Darlington outscored the Cheesemakers 28-23 in the second half.
"There are probably some people who wonder why we schedule them," Redbirds coach Mike Hopkins said. "I don't care if it's tiddlywinks or what the game is. We are playing to win. We play in the Monroe summer league and in their tournament. You have to measure yourself against tougher opponents."
The Redbirds dug their way back with an 11-4 third quarter run. Hardyman hit a jumper and senior Kent Miehe, who scored 12 points, knocked down a jumper to slice the Cheesemakers' lead to 42-34 with 2:41 left in the third.
"I was very proud of their effort," Hopkins said. "We were down 15 at halftime. We outscored them in the second half. We outplayed them in the second half on the scoreboard."
Schneider scored down low and he was fouled early in the fourth quarter. He made the free throw to convert the three-point play and give the Cheesemakers a 51-38 lead with 6:45 left.
Monroe led by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter, but the Redbirds didn't go quietly. Miehe drilled a 3-pointer with 59 seconds left to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 59-51, but Monroe finished strong.
"Brandon Hardyman and Kent Miehe stepped up their games tonight," Hopkins said. "We are still trying to find that third scorer as a team."
The 2007 state championship team was on hand, but the Cheesemakers didn't need any extra motivation in rolling to a 61-51 win over Darlington Thursday night.
Murphy said snapping the skid was motivation enough.
"They put us on top of the basketball world for a small time," Murphy said of the state championship team, which was honored at halftime. "It gave young kids something to shoot for."
Murphy mixed up the starting lineup and the changes paid off.
Junior Alex Barenklau scored a team-high 21 points to lead the Cheesemakers while junior Brian Schneider scored 10 points and junior Ben Murray, in his first start, added nine.
Junior Joe Latimer also started and delivered, scoring eight points and grabbing nine rebounds - five on the offensive end. Monroe senior Bryce Messerli also started and drilled a 3-pointer late in the second quarter that gave the Cheesemakers (4-3, 1-3 Badger South) their biggest lead at 38-21.
"We don't care who starts," Murphy said. "We care who finishes the game. The next game (the starting lineup) may be different."
With the skid behind them, the Cheesemakers are looking to start a winning streak.
"It was very refreshing," Latimer said of halting the losing streak. "We have worked our butt off after those losses to get better."
Latimer is turning into a scorer down low for the Cheesemakers.
"I feel like I have to get a step quicker," he said. "It's different than JV."
It was Darlington (5-4, 2-2 SWAL) that started hot, hitting 7 of its first 11 shots. Senior Brandon Hardyman scored 11 of his game-high 22 points in the first quarter to propel the Redbirds to a 15-7 lead.
Monroe ended the first quarter on a 14-2 run. Murray knocked down a 3-pointer and hit a jumper right before the buzzer to give the Cheesemakers a 21-17 lead.
Monroe outscored the Redbirds 17-6 in the second quarter. Barenklau grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on a putback to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 29-19 with 6 minutes, 43 seconds left in the period. Monroe senior Tyler Barta and Messerli each hit 3-pointers late in the second quarter to help the Cheesemakers open a 17-point lead.
Barenklau saw the Cheesemakers' defense and offensive rebounding as keys.
"We knew coming in that we had to come out and attack," Barenklau said. "We knew we had to get through screens and get a hand up on their shooters. They have four guys who can shoot amazing. Defense wins games."
Darlington outscored the Cheesemakers 28-23 in the second half.
"There are probably some people who wonder why we schedule them," Redbirds coach Mike Hopkins said. "I don't care if it's tiddlywinks or what the game is. We are playing to win. We play in the Monroe summer league and in their tournament. You have to measure yourself against tougher opponents."
The Redbirds dug their way back with an 11-4 third quarter run. Hardyman hit a jumper and senior Kent Miehe, who scored 12 points, knocked down a jumper to slice the Cheesemakers' lead to 42-34 with 2:41 left in the third.
"I was very proud of their effort," Hopkins said. "We were down 15 at halftime. We outscored them in the second half. We outplayed them in the second half on the scoreboard."
Schneider scored down low and he was fouled early in the fourth quarter. He made the free throw to convert the three-point play and give the Cheesemakers a 51-38 lead with 6:45 left.
Monroe led by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter, but the Redbirds didn't go quietly. Miehe drilled a 3-pointer with 59 seconds left to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 59-51, but Monroe finished strong.
"Brandon Hardyman and Kent Miehe stepped up their games tonight," Hopkins said. "We are still trying to find that third scorer as a team."
