MONTICELLO - Not every win is pretty - just ask the Monticello Ponies. In the Six Rivers Challenge on Friday night, the Ponies held on for dear life in the fourth quarter, picking up a win over Shullsburg 47-43.
"Defensively, we lost our discipline," Ponies coach Mark Olson said. "But it is a good win. We are going to be challenged and we have to keep improving, keep getting better."
Monticello held a 37-24 lead at the end of the third quarter. It was a period in which the Ponies outscored the Miners 11-5 and had the game nearly in check.
"They are definitely one of the better teams we'll play this year," senior guard Tyler Ritschard said. "We played good for three quarters. In the third quarter, we were getting more drive-and-kicks and hitting open shots. That's basic basketball."
But the fourth quarter was a different story all together. Monticello did not get on the scoreboard until the 2 minute, 57 second mark of the fourth on a free throw by Lukas Kolasch. By that time, Shullsburg had closed to within four points. It had been over six minutes since the Ponies' last point in the third quarter.
"We went quiet for a little bit. We made a couple of bad decisions and let them hang around," Olson said.
Monticello had trouble hanging onto the basketball. Several post-entry passes were knocked away and the Ponies had three shots blocked in the paint.
"A few bad decisions on our part. We put them on the foul line, and when a team is trying to get back into the game, you don't put them on the foul line. And then we didn't finish a couple of possessions the way we would have liked," Olson said.
Shullsburg (9-6, 5-2 Six Rivers West) pulled to as close as one point at 44-43 with 14.6 seconds left.
"When they got it back to within two in the final minute, it got to crunch time," senior guard Corey McGowan said, alluding to his team possibly hitting the panic button. "Somebody had to step up then and hit some free throws. Lukas did that and I hit some. We took care of it."
McGowan was perfect in four shots from the line in the fourth and Kolasch was 4-for-6. Their late free throws, including going 6 of 7 in the final 24 seconds, allowed the Ponies (10-4, 5-1 Six Rivers East) to come away with the win.
"It's just focus. At that time in the game, all you have to do is gather yourself and pull through in the end," McGowan said of hitting his free throws. "We went away from our game in the fourth quarter and we know that and have to fix it. We need to focus for all four quarters. That's the key."
The Ponies started the game hot, jumping out to a 16-9 lead early in the first quarter and led 26-19 at halftime.
"We were aggressive, we were attacking and we got them out of their comfort zone in their zone (defense)," Olson said. "I think defensively we were getting stops, too. We thought we were in a good spot."
Ritschard scored a game-high 24 points, including 22 through the first three quarters, McGowan had 11 points and Kolasch added 10 for Monticello. For the game, the Ponies finished 14 of 16 from the stripe.
Monticello, the back-to-back defending conference champion, hits the hardwood right away again on Monday as they travel to Dodgeville (5-7).
"Defensively, we lost our discipline," Ponies coach Mark Olson said. "But it is a good win. We are going to be challenged and we have to keep improving, keep getting better."
Monticello held a 37-24 lead at the end of the third quarter. It was a period in which the Ponies outscored the Miners 11-5 and had the game nearly in check.
"They are definitely one of the better teams we'll play this year," senior guard Tyler Ritschard said. "We played good for three quarters. In the third quarter, we were getting more drive-and-kicks and hitting open shots. That's basic basketball."
But the fourth quarter was a different story all together. Monticello did not get on the scoreboard until the 2 minute, 57 second mark of the fourth on a free throw by Lukas Kolasch. By that time, Shullsburg had closed to within four points. It had been over six minutes since the Ponies' last point in the third quarter.
"We went quiet for a little bit. We made a couple of bad decisions and let them hang around," Olson said.
Monticello had trouble hanging onto the basketball. Several post-entry passes were knocked away and the Ponies had three shots blocked in the paint.
"A few bad decisions on our part. We put them on the foul line, and when a team is trying to get back into the game, you don't put them on the foul line. And then we didn't finish a couple of possessions the way we would have liked," Olson said.
Shullsburg (9-6, 5-2 Six Rivers West) pulled to as close as one point at 44-43 with 14.6 seconds left.
"When they got it back to within two in the final minute, it got to crunch time," senior guard Corey McGowan said, alluding to his team possibly hitting the panic button. "Somebody had to step up then and hit some free throws. Lukas did that and I hit some. We took care of it."
McGowan was perfect in four shots from the line in the fourth and Kolasch was 4-for-6. Their late free throws, including going 6 of 7 in the final 24 seconds, allowed the Ponies (10-4, 5-1 Six Rivers East) to come away with the win.
"It's just focus. At that time in the game, all you have to do is gather yourself and pull through in the end," McGowan said of hitting his free throws. "We went away from our game in the fourth quarter and we know that and have to fix it. We need to focus for all four quarters. That's the key."
The Ponies started the game hot, jumping out to a 16-9 lead early in the first quarter and led 26-19 at halftime.
"We were aggressive, we were attacking and we got them out of their comfort zone in their zone (defense)," Olson said. "I think defensively we were getting stops, too. We thought we were in a good spot."
Ritschard scored a game-high 24 points, including 22 through the first three quarters, McGowan had 11 points and Kolasch added 10 for Monticello. For the game, the Ponies finished 14 of 16 from the stripe.
Monticello, the back-to-back defending conference champion, hits the hardwood right away again on Monday as they travel to Dodgeville (5-7).
