MONROE - When the Cheesemakers can get their offense going, they can play with almost anyone.
Despite a few early snags defensively - and Milton hitting nine 3-pointers in the first half - Monroe cruised to a 74-56 win over the Red Hawks in the regular season finale Thursday.
"This group has improved from our first season," Monroe head coach Brian Bassett said. "Last year we gained ground and made an improvement, and this year we've already won two more games than last year and I'd like it to be a couple more than that. If we just come out and be competitive and play to our strengths, we can come away with a victory."
Early in the game, the Cheesemakers struggled to get the ball into the post where 6-foot-6 center Kade King has made a home throughout the season.
"Kade King in the middle was our plan tonight, if anybody noticed," Bassett said.
Milton was keying on King, which meant Monroe had to improvise. Senior Brayden Zettle took matters into his own hands early on, scoring Monroe's first five points by driving the baseline and hitting a free throw. Zettle and fellow senior Hunter Ward found favorable matchups throughout the first half and took advantage.
"Coach told us to look to pass before anything - even before we dribble," Ward said. "It spreads our offense out more. Usually when I see a mismatch like that - one-on-one basically - I take it. If it's not there, I still have my teammates to pass it off to."
Bassett was pleased to see his guard communicate on offense.
"Brayden Zettle did a great job coming out and hitting some shots right away," Bassett said. "Give credit to (Zettle) and Hunter. That last play they ran in the first half Zettle said, 'He's face guarding me. Drive, drive,' and so Hunter went straight to the basket for a layup. That was good communication, and we don't always do that. That was a huge step and the right time of the year to do it."
Zettle scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half and Ward scored all 11 of his points in the same timeframe.
The dribble-drive became contagious. Jacob Meier, Ivory Selmon, David Keegan, Max Lange and Noah Tostrud also found openings to take the ball to the hoop. Once the defense adjusted to the one-on-one matchups on the perimeter, there was King, waiting patiently on the block.
"We really focus on getting the ball into the paint all the time. When it gets inside it really helps spread the ball around the perimeter and creates open shots for all of us," Ward said.
Monroe went into the break leading 41-31. King scored eight points in the first half. But it was his second half that ignited the rest of the offense. The junior center dropped 16 points after halftime and finished the game a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
Monroe opened the second half on a 16-5 run and led the Red Hawks by as much as 26 points before putting in a host of reserves with 4:17 to go and the score sitting at 68-42.
"These guys (substitutes) bust their butts in practice every day. To have them get into the game, that's rewarding," Bassett said.
Nine different Cheesemakers scored in the game, and as a team Monroe shot 11 of 16 from the charity stripe. Milton, which scored 10 of its first 12 baskets from beyond the arc, went to the line 22 times in the second half, but made just 12.
"Kade had to finish through a lot of contact tonight. I was a little frustrated with the referees, because it seemed like it was a little one-sided. We'd touch the guys and get a call and Kade was getting ridden by three guys nothing was happening. I was a little frustrated, especially when the foul count was 8-1 in favor of them," Bassett said, but adding that in the first half his team's defense could have been better. "We were getting blown by way too easy in the first half. Giving up nine 3s in the first half was not acceptable, and if we do that in the playoffs, we're in trouble."
The Cheesemakers now get the weekend to prepare for Oregon, which comes to town Feb. 27 for the opening round of the WIAA Division 2 boys basketball playoffs.
"We're just going to put a whole new offense in just to surprise them," Bassett joked. "No, we just need to execute better. Last game we came out on fire and passed the ball really well in the first half and got a big lead, but they came back on us in the second half and made it a contest. They are going to try and pressure us and get us to turn the ball over."
For Ward, the tournament atmosphere is unlike any other.
"For me it's a great feeling. It's my senior year and we have a lot of seniors on this team. We want to go as far as we possibly can," he said.
Despite a few early snags defensively - and Milton hitting nine 3-pointers in the first half - Monroe cruised to a 74-56 win over the Red Hawks in the regular season finale Thursday.
"This group has improved from our first season," Monroe head coach Brian Bassett said. "Last year we gained ground and made an improvement, and this year we've already won two more games than last year and I'd like it to be a couple more than that. If we just come out and be competitive and play to our strengths, we can come away with a victory."
Early in the game, the Cheesemakers struggled to get the ball into the post where 6-foot-6 center Kade King has made a home throughout the season.
"Kade King in the middle was our plan tonight, if anybody noticed," Bassett said.
Milton was keying on King, which meant Monroe had to improvise. Senior Brayden Zettle took matters into his own hands early on, scoring Monroe's first five points by driving the baseline and hitting a free throw. Zettle and fellow senior Hunter Ward found favorable matchups throughout the first half and took advantage.
"Coach told us to look to pass before anything - even before we dribble," Ward said. "It spreads our offense out more. Usually when I see a mismatch like that - one-on-one basically - I take it. If it's not there, I still have my teammates to pass it off to."
Bassett was pleased to see his guard communicate on offense.
"Brayden Zettle did a great job coming out and hitting some shots right away," Bassett said. "Give credit to (Zettle) and Hunter. That last play they ran in the first half Zettle said, 'He's face guarding me. Drive, drive,' and so Hunter went straight to the basket for a layup. That was good communication, and we don't always do that. That was a huge step and the right time of the year to do it."
Zettle scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half and Ward scored all 11 of his points in the same timeframe.
The dribble-drive became contagious. Jacob Meier, Ivory Selmon, David Keegan, Max Lange and Noah Tostrud also found openings to take the ball to the hoop. Once the defense adjusted to the one-on-one matchups on the perimeter, there was King, waiting patiently on the block.
"We really focus on getting the ball into the paint all the time. When it gets inside it really helps spread the ball around the perimeter and creates open shots for all of us," Ward said.
Monroe went into the break leading 41-31. King scored eight points in the first half. But it was his second half that ignited the rest of the offense. The junior center dropped 16 points after halftime and finished the game a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
Monroe opened the second half on a 16-5 run and led the Red Hawks by as much as 26 points before putting in a host of reserves with 4:17 to go and the score sitting at 68-42.
"These guys (substitutes) bust their butts in practice every day. To have them get into the game, that's rewarding," Bassett said.
Nine different Cheesemakers scored in the game, and as a team Monroe shot 11 of 16 from the charity stripe. Milton, which scored 10 of its first 12 baskets from beyond the arc, went to the line 22 times in the second half, but made just 12.
"Kade had to finish through a lot of contact tonight. I was a little frustrated with the referees, because it seemed like it was a little one-sided. We'd touch the guys and get a call and Kade was getting ridden by three guys nothing was happening. I was a little frustrated, especially when the foul count was 8-1 in favor of them," Bassett said, but adding that in the first half his team's defense could have been better. "We were getting blown by way too easy in the first half. Giving up nine 3s in the first half was not acceptable, and if we do that in the playoffs, we're in trouble."
The Cheesemakers now get the weekend to prepare for Oregon, which comes to town Feb. 27 for the opening round of the WIAA Division 2 boys basketball playoffs.
"We're just going to put a whole new offense in just to surprise them," Bassett joked. "No, we just need to execute better. Last game we came out on fire and passed the ball really well in the first half and got a big lead, but they came back on us in the second half and made it a contest. They are going to try and pressure us and get us to turn the ball over."
For Ward, the tournament atmosphere is unlike any other.
"For me it's a great feeling. It's my senior year and we have a lot of seniors on this team. We want to go as far as we possibly can," he said.
