EVANSVILLE - In a win-or-go-home WIAA Division 5 Evansville Regional championship showdown Saturday, Barneveld slipped past Monticello, 52-48.
The Ponies had a golden opportunity to tie the game in the final 36 seconds. Barneveld senior Beau Thompson came up with a big defensive play knocking the ball loose from Monticello senior Tyler Ritschard. Barneveld's Sawyer Lee capitalized driving in for a layup to give the Eagles a 51-47 lead with about 30 seconds to go.
"I was going to make a spin move," said Ritschard who scored a game-high 24 points. "Thompson knocked the ball loose. I probably forced it a little too much."
Monticello coach Mark Olson was confident with his playmaker attacking the basket.
"There is no one else who I would want to have his hands on the ball more than Tyler," Olson said. "Tyler knew two or three guys would come at him. That's just the way it goes."
Ritschard finished his prep basketball career as one of Monticello's top players, after eclipsing the 1,000 career point mark, winning three conference titles and leading the Ponies to a regional title last year before Barneveld beat them 56-49 in the sectional semifinals.
"It's bittersweet," he said. "We have accomplished a lot playing basketball for four years at Monticello. This rivalry with Barneveld is one I will never forget. It would have been nice to get this last one."
Ritschard set a blistering pace early on bringing the Ponies (19-6) back from a 5-0 deficit by scoring his team's first eight points. He scored 16 of his game-high 24 points in the first quarter to spark the Ponies to a 21-16 first quarter lead.
The Eagles (19-4) went to a box-and-one defense to slow down Ritschard in the second quarter. Monticello junior Lukas Kolasch gave the Ponies their largest lead early in the second quarter when he drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key to extend the lead to 24-16. The Eagles went on a 12-4 run from there. Barneveld senior Jeremy Kitelinger knocked down a clutch 3-pointer to help the Eagles come back to tie the game at 28 at halftime.
"In that kind of situation, I don't want to force it," Ritschard said of the Eagles' switch to a box-and-one defense. "I have to trust my teammates to make plays. They did a good job. In the end it just wasn't enough."
Olson said other teams have played box-and-one defenses against the Ponies this year. Albany played a box-and-one defense in a game in January and it took a Ritschard buzzer-beater to beat the Comets 55-53.
"When a team plays that defense we can burn them with our other players," Olson said. "McGowan and Kolasch have stepped up all year. I would have liked to get Tyler a few more touches. That's the way it goes."
Monticello senior Corey McGowan scored 10 points and Kolasch added eight. Kolasch and McGowan each made big plays down the stretch to keep the Ponies within striking distance. Kolasch scored on a driving layup to tie the game at 42 with 5:02 left. Moments later, McGowan hit a jumper in the lane to give the Ponies a short-lived 44-43 lead.
"It's always a barnburner," McGowan said. "Every time Barneveld steps in the gym against us we know it will be a dogfight. You have to play to win every possession. We just didn't win enough of them."
The Ponies also committed an uncharacteristic 14 turnovers.
"I really thought we would catch some fire in the last four minutes," McGowan said. "We turned the ball over in critical moments. You can't do that against a team like Barneveld."
The loss doesn't take away the accomplishments Monticello has achieved. The Ponies earned a share of the Six Rivers East Conference title for a school-record third straight year.
"I told them they have nothing to hang their heads about despite how much they hurt right now," Olson said. "They are a great group of kids who accomplished a ton and they have a ton to be proud of."
The Ponies had a golden opportunity to tie the game in the final 36 seconds. Barneveld senior Beau Thompson came up with a big defensive play knocking the ball loose from Monticello senior Tyler Ritschard. Barneveld's Sawyer Lee capitalized driving in for a layup to give the Eagles a 51-47 lead with about 30 seconds to go.
"I was going to make a spin move," said Ritschard who scored a game-high 24 points. "Thompson knocked the ball loose. I probably forced it a little too much."
Monticello coach Mark Olson was confident with his playmaker attacking the basket.
"There is no one else who I would want to have his hands on the ball more than Tyler," Olson said. "Tyler knew two or three guys would come at him. That's just the way it goes."
Ritschard finished his prep basketball career as one of Monticello's top players, after eclipsing the 1,000 career point mark, winning three conference titles and leading the Ponies to a regional title last year before Barneveld beat them 56-49 in the sectional semifinals.
"It's bittersweet," he said. "We have accomplished a lot playing basketball for four years at Monticello. This rivalry with Barneveld is one I will never forget. It would have been nice to get this last one."
Ritschard set a blistering pace early on bringing the Ponies (19-6) back from a 5-0 deficit by scoring his team's first eight points. He scored 16 of his game-high 24 points in the first quarter to spark the Ponies to a 21-16 first quarter lead.
The Eagles (19-4) went to a box-and-one defense to slow down Ritschard in the second quarter. Monticello junior Lukas Kolasch gave the Ponies their largest lead early in the second quarter when he drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key to extend the lead to 24-16. The Eagles went on a 12-4 run from there. Barneveld senior Jeremy Kitelinger knocked down a clutch 3-pointer to help the Eagles come back to tie the game at 28 at halftime.
"In that kind of situation, I don't want to force it," Ritschard said of the Eagles' switch to a box-and-one defense. "I have to trust my teammates to make plays. They did a good job. In the end it just wasn't enough."
Olson said other teams have played box-and-one defenses against the Ponies this year. Albany played a box-and-one defense in a game in January and it took a Ritschard buzzer-beater to beat the Comets 55-53.
"When a team plays that defense we can burn them with our other players," Olson said. "McGowan and Kolasch have stepped up all year. I would have liked to get Tyler a few more touches. That's the way it goes."
Monticello senior Corey McGowan scored 10 points and Kolasch added eight. Kolasch and McGowan each made big plays down the stretch to keep the Ponies within striking distance. Kolasch scored on a driving layup to tie the game at 42 with 5:02 left. Moments later, McGowan hit a jumper in the lane to give the Ponies a short-lived 44-43 lead.
"It's always a barnburner," McGowan said. "Every time Barneveld steps in the gym against us we know it will be a dogfight. You have to play to win every possession. We just didn't win enough of them."
The Ponies also committed an uncharacteristic 14 turnovers.
"I really thought we would catch some fire in the last four minutes," McGowan said. "We turned the ball over in critical moments. You can't do that against a team like Barneveld."
The loss doesn't take away the accomplishments Monticello has achieved. The Ponies earned a share of the Six Rivers East Conference title for a school-record third straight year.
"I told them they have nothing to hang their heads about despite how much they hurt right now," Olson said. "They are a great group of kids who accomplished a ton and they have a ton to be proud of."
