FORT ATKINSON - After losing to Oregon in their conference opener last Saturday, the Monroe boys basketball team picked up their first conference win of the season on the road Friday night, knocking off Fort Atkinson, 53-40.
The game was tied at 17 at the half, but the Cheesemakers used a strong second half, including a 23-point fourth quarter, to pull out the victory. Monroe coach Pat Murphy was pleased with his team's defensive effort in the game. He also mentioned his team's free throw shooting as a key in the game.
"It was one of the better defensive efforts we've had," Murphy said. "We stuck to our defensive principles ... I thought defensively everybody was doing a good job of doing what we were trying to get them to do. We held their leading scorer Alex Bakken to three points.
"We were 13-15 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter. That was the biggest key in the game."
Joe Latimer led Monroe with 15 points. Trent Wyssbrod added 12 and Alex Barenklau chipped in 10 for the Cheesemakers.
"We were really unselfish on offense," Murphy said. "We don't care where the points come from."
Fort Atkinson was one of the favorites in the Badger South coming into the season. Murphy believes that picking up an early win over the Blackhawks should give his team confidence.
"I think it gives our team confidence," he said. "We can tell them they can play with anybody on our schedule, but until you do it in a real game it's hard to sell 'em on it.
Monroe improved to 6-1 with the win and the Cheesemakers evened their record in the Badger South at 1-1.
"After losing at home it's good to get one on the road," Murphy said. "That's hard to do in our league."
The game was tied at 17 at the half, but the Cheesemakers used a strong second half, including a 23-point fourth quarter, to pull out the victory. Monroe coach Pat Murphy was pleased with his team's defensive effort in the game. He also mentioned his team's free throw shooting as a key in the game.
"It was one of the better defensive efforts we've had," Murphy said. "We stuck to our defensive principles ... I thought defensively everybody was doing a good job of doing what we were trying to get them to do. We held their leading scorer Alex Bakken to three points.
"We were 13-15 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter. That was the biggest key in the game."
Joe Latimer led Monroe with 15 points. Trent Wyssbrod added 12 and Alex Barenklau chipped in 10 for the Cheesemakers.
"We were really unselfish on offense," Murphy said. "We don't care where the points come from."
Fort Atkinson was one of the favorites in the Badger South coming into the season. Murphy believes that picking up an early win over the Blackhawks should give his team confidence.
"I think it gives our team confidence," he said. "We can tell them they can play with anybody on our schedule, but until you do it in a real game it's hard to sell 'em on it.
Monroe improved to 6-1 with the win and the Cheesemakers evened their record in the Badger South at 1-1.
"After losing at home it's good to get one on the road," Murphy said. "That's hard to do in our league."
