MONROE - There are no style points for how a basketball team wins. Monroe senior Charlie Kind can testify to that after Monroe survived a scare to knock off Fort Atkinson 50-46 Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Monroe (1-2, 1-0 Badger South) almost blew a 20-point lead against the Blackhawks in a home opener that had more twists than a Law and Order SVU episode.
Kind scored a game-high 16 points and Monroe senior Kylan Helmeid added 15 points.
"It's a great first conference win," Kind said. "It doesn't matter if you win by 15 or 4. A win is a win."
The Blackhawks used a 1-2-2 press to stymie the Cheesemakers to spark a 15-7 third quarter run. The Cheesemakers went through a cold spell with five straight turnovers in a 3-minute stretch in the fourth quarter and the Blackhawks were able to slice the Cheesemakers' lead to three points on senior Nate Ciske's layup with 3:46 left.
Monroe senior Noah Thompson scored on a layup at 1:12 to give the Cheesemakers a 47-40 lead. Fort Atkinson junior Nate Jones scored on a layup with 31.2 seconds to go to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 49-46. Fort Atkinson senior Alex Bakken missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer that could have forced overtime with 8.5 seconds left.
"We got a big head with a big lead," Helmeid said. "The 1-2-2 press surprised us. We just kind of crumbled. We were making lazy passes. We just have to be strong with the ball."
The Cheesemakers made 7 of 11 free throws in the final 1:51 to seal the win. Monroe coach Pat Murphy was just excited his team was able to withstand a big comeback to win its first game.
"It's just crazy how the game goes with all of the momentum swings," Murphy said. "When you let the lead slip you get a little tight. I'm proud we battled and found a way to win."
Murphy will be stressing breaking pressure defense in practice.
"Everyone in the conference will have a tape of it," Murphy said of the Blackhawks' 1-2-2 press they used to storm back from a 20-point deficit. "We have to try to hit the diagonal pass and attack from the wing. We knew they (Fort Atkinson) were not going to quit. They covered well. At times in practice we go eight on five to try to simulate that (pressure). We will have to do some more of that. Hopefully, we will learn from it and get better for the next one."
Early on, in the first half it looked like the Cheesemakers would run away with a win. The Cheesemakers opened the game with an 11-4 first quarter run. Helmeid scored seven points in the first quarter and Kind had six. The Cheesemakers exploded with a 13-0 spurt to start the second quarter. Monroe junior Kevin Noriega hit a 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers an 18-8 lead. Kind drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Cheesemakers a 24-8 lead with 6:14 left in the second quarter. Helmeid knocked down two jumpers and the lead was extended to 28-8. The Cheesemakers shot a blistering 70.5 percent (12 of 17) in the first half.
"In the first half, we came out really hot," Kind said. "We were shooting lights out. We have to find a way to keep that going all game and not for just one half."
The Cheesemakers played without senior Jake Hirsbrunner who missed the game due to an ankle injury. Monroe will face another test when they host preseason conference favorite Stoughton (3-0) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.
"They probably have the biggest kid in the conference in (Nick) McGlynn," Murphy said of the 6-foot-8 big man for the Vikings.
Murphy isn't sure if Hirsbrunner will play Saturday.
"Who knows?" he said after beating Fort Atkinson. "We are hopeful. It's an injury he has had. We want all of our players to be healthy and ready to make plays. We will need other guys to step up."
Monroe (1-2, 1-0 Badger South) almost blew a 20-point lead against the Blackhawks in a home opener that had more twists than a Law and Order SVU episode.
Kind scored a game-high 16 points and Monroe senior Kylan Helmeid added 15 points.
"It's a great first conference win," Kind said. "It doesn't matter if you win by 15 or 4. A win is a win."
The Blackhawks used a 1-2-2 press to stymie the Cheesemakers to spark a 15-7 third quarter run. The Cheesemakers went through a cold spell with five straight turnovers in a 3-minute stretch in the fourth quarter and the Blackhawks were able to slice the Cheesemakers' lead to three points on senior Nate Ciske's layup with 3:46 left.
Monroe senior Noah Thompson scored on a layup at 1:12 to give the Cheesemakers a 47-40 lead. Fort Atkinson junior Nate Jones scored on a layup with 31.2 seconds to go to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 49-46. Fort Atkinson senior Alex Bakken missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer that could have forced overtime with 8.5 seconds left.
"We got a big head with a big lead," Helmeid said. "The 1-2-2 press surprised us. We just kind of crumbled. We were making lazy passes. We just have to be strong with the ball."
The Cheesemakers made 7 of 11 free throws in the final 1:51 to seal the win. Monroe coach Pat Murphy was just excited his team was able to withstand a big comeback to win its first game.
"It's just crazy how the game goes with all of the momentum swings," Murphy said. "When you let the lead slip you get a little tight. I'm proud we battled and found a way to win."
Murphy will be stressing breaking pressure defense in practice.
"Everyone in the conference will have a tape of it," Murphy said of the Blackhawks' 1-2-2 press they used to storm back from a 20-point deficit. "We have to try to hit the diagonal pass and attack from the wing. We knew they (Fort Atkinson) were not going to quit. They covered well. At times in practice we go eight on five to try to simulate that (pressure). We will have to do some more of that. Hopefully, we will learn from it and get better for the next one."
Early on, in the first half it looked like the Cheesemakers would run away with a win. The Cheesemakers opened the game with an 11-4 first quarter run. Helmeid scored seven points in the first quarter and Kind had six. The Cheesemakers exploded with a 13-0 spurt to start the second quarter. Monroe junior Kevin Noriega hit a 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers an 18-8 lead. Kind drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Cheesemakers a 24-8 lead with 6:14 left in the second quarter. Helmeid knocked down two jumpers and the lead was extended to 28-8. The Cheesemakers shot a blistering 70.5 percent (12 of 17) in the first half.
"In the first half, we came out really hot," Kind said. "We were shooting lights out. We have to find a way to keep that going all game and not for just one half."
The Cheesemakers played without senior Jake Hirsbrunner who missed the game due to an ankle injury. Monroe will face another test when they host preseason conference favorite Stoughton (3-0) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.
"They probably have the biggest kid in the conference in (Nick) McGlynn," Murphy said of the 6-foot-8 big man for the Vikings.
Murphy isn't sure if Hirsbrunner will play Saturday.
"Who knows?" he said after beating Fort Atkinson. "We are hopeful. It's an injury he has had. We want all of our players to be healthy and ready to make plays. We will need other guys to step up."
