MONROE — The Monroe Cheesemakers started out their Rock Valley Conference crossover game against the Clinton Cougars with their foot on the gas and they never let up in an 80-30 win on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

The Cheese got a double-digit lead on a pair of free throws by senior Logan Taylor to take a 14-4 lead with 10:38 left in the half. Senior Mekhi Brown’s three from the deep right corner made it 26-9 with 7:01 to go before halftime. Senior Peyton Herbst got a layup off an assist by Taylor with 3:45 remaining in the half to give the Cheesemakers a 35-10 lead over the Cougars. Senior Will Keehn scored on an offensive rebound to make it 43-11 with 1:27 left until halftime. Junior Drew Monroe scored on a breakaway layup to give Monroe a 45-15 halftime lead.

There was no let-up by the Cheesemakers in the second half. Senior Marcus Ott got a layup with 12:36 left in the game to put Monroe up 58-19. Kam Gerber-Reamer’s left handed runner in the lane made it 67-22 with 10:48 to go in the game. Junior Ryan Roelli scored on a wide-open layup with 7:53 remaining in the game for a 74-26 Cheesemaker lead. Junior Lucas Bartels got the last points of the game for Monroe on a fast-break basket with 2:43 left in the game.

Brown scored 15 points to lead the Cheesemakers. Taylor finished with 12 points. Junior Graysan Bartholf scored 11 points and Ott contributed 10 points in the Cheesemaker win.

Monroe coach Brian Bassett emptied his bench (17 players) throughout the game, rotating in whole new groups of four or five like a hockey line change. In all, 13 Cheesemakers scored.

Monroe (8-5, 4-2 RVC-Valley) was scheduled to play another Rock Valley Conference crossover game on Saturday, Jan. 24 at Brodhead against the Cardinals.

New Glarus 55, Belleville 35

BELLEVILLE — Junior Bubba Weeden buried three 3-pointers in the first half on his way to a game-high 16 points to lead the New Glarus Glarner Knights to a 55-35 win over the Belleville Wildcats in Capitol South Conference boys basketball on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

Senior Matt Roth also scored 12 points for New Glarus, who were missing Nolan Julseth, Quinn Marty, and Tyse Hoesly due to illness and injury. New Glarus head coach Travis Sysko thought his team came up big on the defensive side. 

“Really happy with our defensive effort tonight. We’re also dealing with some injuries and sickness and I thought we had some guys step up and perform well for us. Overall, a great effort by the team,” said Sysko.

Belleville senior Jackson Scholey led all scorers with 26 points, but the Wildcats were held to a season-low 35 points.

Belleville (3-10, 1-2) traveled to Cambridge on Thursday, Jan. 22 and New Glarus (9-4, 3-0) traveled to Marshall on Friday, Jan. 23 for Capitol South Conference games.

Jefferson 53, 

Brodhead 41

JEFFERSON — The Brodhead Cardinals trailed by just one point at halftime, 23-22, but the Jefferson Eagles outscored the Cardinals 30-19 in the second half to secure a 53-41 win in a Rock Valley Conference crossover game on Tuesday Jan. 20.

Senior Nolan Bump scored 11 points, including nine in the second half to lead the Cardinals in scoring. Senior Sam Searls chipped in with nine points for Brodhead.

Free throw shooting hurt the Cardinals in this game. Brodhead was just 5-15 from the foul line.

Brodhead (0-12, 0-7) was scheduled to host the Monroe Cheesemakers in another Rock Valley Conference crossover game on Friday, Jan. 23.

Shullsburg 65, 

Albany 50

SHULLSBURG — The Albany Comets hoped to get over the .500 mark facing the Shullsburg Miners in a Six Rivers Conference crossover game on Tuesday, Jan. 20. Instead, the Miners upended the Comets 65-50 as Albany fell to 5-6 on the season.

Sophomore Lane Martin and senior Logan Nethery each scored 15 points to lead the Miners. Junior Ty Durtschi of Albany led all scorers with 28 points. The Comets have now lost four straight games. 

Albany (5-6, 3-6 Six Rivers East) had another Six Rivers Conference crossover game scheduled on Friday, Jan. 23 at Potosi-Cassville.