MADISON - In crunch time, the Monroe boys basketball team received a big performance from senior Mitch Tordoff to defeat Appleton Xavier, 53-39 in a WIAA Division 2 state semifinal Friday at the Kohl Center.
Tordoff scored a game-high 28 points and made a Division 2 record 15 free throws. He broke the record set by Monroe alum Brett Stangel (14) in 2007 and shared by Thane Anderson of Black River Falls. Tordoff was clutch from the free throw line making 11 of-12 from the foul line in the final 2 minutes, 32 seconds to ice the game.
Monroe (19-7) will play for its second state title in the last three years at 1:45 p.m. Saturday.
Xavier (22-4) led the Cheesemakers 37-32 to start the fourth quarter. Monroe outscored the Hawks 21-2 in the fourth quarter and held them scoreless for almost six minutes.
It wasn't all Mitch Tordoff down the stretch. Monroe sophomore Bryan Tordoff, who scored 13 points, drilled a clutch 3-pointer with 4:17 to go that tied the game at 39. Mitch Tordoff followed with a 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers a 42-39 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Tordoff scored a game-high 28 points and made a Division 2 record 15 free throws. He broke the record set by Monroe alum Brett Stangel (14) in 2007 and shared by Thane Anderson of Black River Falls. Tordoff was clutch from the free throw line making 11 of-12 from the foul line in the final 2 minutes, 32 seconds to ice the game.
Monroe (19-7) will play for its second state title in the last three years at 1:45 p.m. Saturday.
Xavier (22-4) led the Cheesemakers 37-32 to start the fourth quarter. Monroe outscored the Hawks 21-2 in the fourth quarter and held them scoreless for almost six minutes.
It wasn't all Mitch Tordoff down the stretch. Monroe sophomore Bryan Tordoff, who scored 13 points, drilled a clutch 3-pointer with 4:17 to go that tied the game at 39. Mitch Tordoff followed with a 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers a 42-39 lead they wouldn't relinquish.
