MONTICELLO - Junior Alyssah Kubly scored a game-high 17 points to lead Monticello to a season-opening 53-45 win over New Glarus Saturday, Nov. 30.
"They beat us last year," Kubly said. "It's always nice to get a win. I think the key was pushing the ball, getting the outlet and going. I think we are at our best when we are pushing the ball."
Kubly, who scored 11 of her 17 points in the first half, helped the Ponies jump out to an 8-0 lead in the first quarter. She scored on a layup late in the first quarter to give the Ponies a 10-3 lead.
Monticello senior Marissa Berg scored 13 points and made 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
The Glarner Knights (0-2) switched to a 1-3-1 halfcourt press that stymied the Ponies and kept them at bay in the second quarter. New Glarus senior Sierra Watrud, who scored 12 points and had seven steals, came up with a key steal and drove in for a layup at 1 minute, 45 seconds to cut the Ponies' lead to 21-18. Watrud had another steal and layup that sliced the Ponies' lead to 21-20 at the half.
"We had a letdown in the second quarter," Kubly said. "We have a lot to work on."
It was a typical first game for the Ponies, who had 18 turnovers and shot 50 percent (19 of 38) at the free throw line.
"It wasn't the prettiest win," Monticello coach Lori Brokopp said. "I know we are a better team than we showed. It's good to get that first win under our belt."
New Glarus coach Megan Scheele used a 1-3-1 and man-to-man press throughout the game to help the Knights change the tempo.
"We got off to a slow start and we got in a hole," Scheele said. "We had to do something to get back in it."
The Knights made a push in the third quarter even with senior Courtney Feller in foul trouble. Feller picked up her fourth foul with 6:46 to go in the third quarter and was forced to the bench.
New Glarus sophomore Tamara Elzen drilled a 3-pointer with 3:09 to go in the third quarter to give the Knights a 27-24 lead. The Ponies closed the third quarter with a 9-4 run highlighted by Brecklyn Klosterman, who scored twice in the post to help the Ponies take a 33-31 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Ponies went on an 8-0 spurt in the fourth quarter to build a 10-point lead. Kubly came up with a steal and scored on a layup. Berg had a key steal and threw an outlet pass to Kubly for a layup. Berg scored on a putback and junior Courtney Leuzinger banked in a jumper to give the Ponies a 41-31 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
The Knights wouldn't go away. New Glarus sophomore Vanessa Narveson scored on a layup and Watrud hit a 3-pointer with 2:21 to go to cut the Ponies' lead to 45-41. However, that was as close as the Knights would get. Narveson added 11 points for the Knights.
"T (Elzen) and Vanessa did a nice job," Scheele said. "They stepped up. Those guards have active hands."
The Ponies had eight different plays score.
"Alyssah and Marissa led us tonight," Brokopp said. "Any time you can have eight girls scoring, it will be a good night because it will be hard for other teams to stop everyone."
Brokopp said the Ponies will have to work against pressure defenses and rebounding with two upcoming home games against Wisconsin Heights Tuesday, Dec. 3 and hosting Barneveld, the conference champion and state runner-up on Friday, Dec. 6.
"I thought for the most part we did a very good job on defense," Brokopp said. "We have to work at boxing out. They (New Glarus) were getting two or three looks at the basket. We will definitely have to work on handling the pressure defense. Their (Barneveld's) press creates a lot of offense for them. It can't be just one or two girls taking it on. It has to be a team effort so we can handle it."
New Glarus will get ready to host Black Hawk Tuesday.
"We have a new group and a couple of sophomores," Scheele said. "It will come together. They are wondering what they have to do to win. I told them not to dwell on it because we have another game Tuesday."
"They beat us last year," Kubly said. "It's always nice to get a win. I think the key was pushing the ball, getting the outlet and going. I think we are at our best when we are pushing the ball."
Kubly, who scored 11 of her 17 points in the first half, helped the Ponies jump out to an 8-0 lead in the first quarter. She scored on a layup late in the first quarter to give the Ponies a 10-3 lead.
Monticello senior Marissa Berg scored 13 points and made 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
The Glarner Knights (0-2) switched to a 1-3-1 halfcourt press that stymied the Ponies and kept them at bay in the second quarter. New Glarus senior Sierra Watrud, who scored 12 points and had seven steals, came up with a key steal and drove in for a layup at 1 minute, 45 seconds to cut the Ponies' lead to 21-18. Watrud had another steal and layup that sliced the Ponies' lead to 21-20 at the half.
"We had a letdown in the second quarter," Kubly said. "We have a lot to work on."
It was a typical first game for the Ponies, who had 18 turnovers and shot 50 percent (19 of 38) at the free throw line.
"It wasn't the prettiest win," Monticello coach Lori Brokopp said. "I know we are a better team than we showed. It's good to get that first win under our belt."
New Glarus coach Megan Scheele used a 1-3-1 and man-to-man press throughout the game to help the Knights change the tempo.
"We got off to a slow start and we got in a hole," Scheele said. "We had to do something to get back in it."
The Knights made a push in the third quarter even with senior Courtney Feller in foul trouble. Feller picked up her fourth foul with 6:46 to go in the third quarter and was forced to the bench.
New Glarus sophomore Tamara Elzen drilled a 3-pointer with 3:09 to go in the third quarter to give the Knights a 27-24 lead. The Ponies closed the third quarter with a 9-4 run highlighted by Brecklyn Klosterman, who scored twice in the post to help the Ponies take a 33-31 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Ponies went on an 8-0 spurt in the fourth quarter to build a 10-point lead. Kubly came up with a steal and scored on a layup. Berg had a key steal and threw an outlet pass to Kubly for a layup. Berg scored on a putback and junior Courtney Leuzinger banked in a jumper to give the Ponies a 41-31 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
The Knights wouldn't go away. New Glarus sophomore Vanessa Narveson scored on a layup and Watrud hit a 3-pointer with 2:21 to go to cut the Ponies' lead to 45-41. However, that was as close as the Knights would get. Narveson added 11 points for the Knights.
"T (Elzen) and Vanessa did a nice job," Scheele said. "They stepped up. Those guards have active hands."
The Ponies had eight different plays score.
"Alyssah and Marissa led us tonight," Brokopp said. "Any time you can have eight girls scoring, it will be a good night because it will be hard for other teams to stop everyone."
Brokopp said the Ponies will have to work against pressure defenses and rebounding with two upcoming home games against Wisconsin Heights Tuesday, Dec. 3 and hosting Barneveld, the conference champion and state runner-up on Friday, Dec. 6.
"I thought for the most part we did a very good job on defense," Brokopp said. "We have to work at boxing out. They (New Glarus) were getting two or three looks at the basket. We will definitely have to work on handling the pressure defense. Their (Barneveld's) press creates a lot of offense for them. It can't be just one or two girls taking it on. It has to be a team effort so we can handle it."
New Glarus will get ready to host Black Hawk Tuesday.
"We have a new group and a couple of sophomores," Scheele said. "It will come together. They are wondering what they have to do to win. I told them not to dwell on it because we have another game Tuesday."
