ARGYLE - After an even first half, the Monticello boys basketball team pulled away from Argyle for a 45-35 win.
Monticello (17-3, 8-3 Six Rivers East) took an 11-8 lead after a quarter of play, but Argyle (9-12, 3-7) outscored the Ponies 9-6 in the second to tie the game at 17 going into the locker room.
Argyle coach Michael Cassidy credited his team's defense as the key to them staying with the Ponies in the first half.
"I think it was our defense," he said. "Monticello's a very patient team. They run their sets very well. I thought that we defended on the perimeter very well. We were able to stay in there. We gutted the first half out."
Cassidy also said he was very pleased with his team's effort, but they just didn't quite have enough to upset the Ponies.
"The team played very hard and competed for all 32 minutes," he said. "They showed a lot of heart. We just don't have the players to match up.
"Monticello is excellent, they are so well coached. They have some very smart basketball players."
Monticello's Bryce Klitzke led all scorers, with 18. He was joined in double figures by teammate Ben May, who scored 13. Argyle was led in scoring by Riley Ostby with 9 points, while Pablo Vives added 8.
Argyle heads to Albany on Tuesday, while Monticello travels to Dodgeville for a non-conference game on Monday.
Pecatonica 59, Albany 57 (OT)
ALBANY - The Pecatonica boys basketball team edged Albany by two points for the second time in 10 days, defeating the Comets in overtime Friday night.
Albany erased a five-point deficit after the third quarter, outscoring the Vikings 25-20 in the fourth.
However, along the way two Albany players fouled out and two others were close to joining them. After winning the opening tip, Albany coach Derik Doescher said he was prepared to control the ball for as long as possible.
"They allowed us to milk the clock quite a bit," Doescher said. "We were content with taking the final shot."
The opportunity disappeared, though, after Albany got a 5-second closely guarded call on the perimeter. The turnover put the ball in Pecatonica's hands, and freshman Brooks Chandler drove the baseline and made a layup with seven seconds left. Albany's desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer was no good.
"For a freshman, he made a huge layup," Doescher said of Chandler.
Leading the way offensively for the Vikings were Dillon Conwell and Zach Shilling, with 13 points apiece. Sophomore Drew Schliem also chipped in 12.
The Comets featured three players in double figures. Grant Schoenenberger, Mitchell Kauk and Isaiah Shell each scored 14 points. Despite the loss, Doescher said he was happy to see the balanced scoring.
"It was good to see," he said. "I felt our defensive effort wasn't good tonight. It led to a lot of silly fouls. That put us in positions where we didn't have much of a bench."
The Comets also struggled at the free throw line, making just 8 of 17.
"In a two-point overtime loss, that hurts," Doescher said.
Regardless of shortcomings, Doescher offered praise for Pecatonica.
"Credit to them," he said. "Twice in ten days, they came out with close wins."
Albany (8-13, 3-8 Six Rivers East) will host Argyle on Tuesday.
WiS. Heights 60, New Glarus 55 (OT)
MAZOMANIE - The New Glarus boys basketball team fought back from a 13-point deficit in the third quarter to force overtime, but the Glarner Knights came up just short, losing to Wisconsin Heights.
Wisconsin Heights led 19-16 after a quarter of play. The teams played an even second, to give the Vanguards a 27-24 halftime lead. Wisconsin Heights expanded their lead in the third, before New Glarus rallied to force OT.
"We were down 13 at one point in the third," said New Glarus coach Travis Sysko. "We hit our free throws, that helped. We were 6 of 7 from the line in the fourth. We got some buckets inside, got some penetration. (NG's Martrell) Dixon had a steal at halfcourt when we were down 50-48 with about 50 seconds left. They grabbed him and the refs called it intentional, and he hit both free throws.
"In overtime, we kinda traded buckets to start. We got in a situation where we had to foul at the end. Heights was 6 of 8 from the line in overtime."
Gabe Noyce led New Glarus with 21 points. He was joined in double figures by Spencer Jones, who scored 12.
"Gabe had a nice game," Sysko said. "He had some nice baskets when we needed them down the stretch."
New Glarus fell to 4-16 overall and 2-7 in the Capitol South conference. The Glarner Knights travel to Darlington on Monday for a non-conference game with the Redbirds. Sysko said his team's effort is still very good, they just need to keep working at improving.
"I told the boys, 'I feel like a broken record.' We had great effort, we just came up short. We just need to keep working on making free throws, finishing underneath, just keep working hard in practice."
Monticello (17-3, 8-3 Six Rivers East) took an 11-8 lead after a quarter of play, but Argyle (9-12, 3-7) outscored the Ponies 9-6 in the second to tie the game at 17 going into the locker room.
Argyle coach Michael Cassidy credited his team's defense as the key to them staying with the Ponies in the first half.
"I think it was our defense," he said. "Monticello's a very patient team. They run their sets very well. I thought that we defended on the perimeter very well. We were able to stay in there. We gutted the first half out."
Cassidy also said he was very pleased with his team's effort, but they just didn't quite have enough to upset the Ponies.
"The team played very hard and competed for all 32 minutes," he said. "They showed a lot of heart. We just don't have the players to match up.
"Monticello is excellent, they are so well coached. They have some very smart basketball players."
Monticello's Bryce Klitzke led all scorers, with 18. He was joined in double figures by teammate Ben May, who scored 13. Argyle was led in scoring by Riley Ostby with 9 points, while Pablo Vives added 8.
Argyle heads to Albany on Tuesday, while Monticello travels to Dodgeville for a non-conference game on Monday.
Pecatonica 59, Albany 57 (OT)
ALBANY - The Pecatonica boys basketball team edged Albany by two points for the second time in 10 days, defeating the Comets in overtime Friday night.
Albany erased a five-point deficit after the third quarter, outscoring the Vikings 25-20 in the fourth.
However, along the way two Albany players fouled out and two others were close to joining them. After winning the opening tip, Albany coach Derik Doescher said he was prepared to control the ball for as long as possible.
"They allowed us to milk the clock quite a bit," Doescher said. "We were content with taking the final shot."
The opportunity disappeared, though, after Albany got a 5-second closely guarded call on the perimeter. The turnover put the ball in Pecatonica's hands, and freshman Brooks Chandler drove the baseline and made a layup with seven seconds left. Albany's desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer was no good.
"For a freshman, he made a huge layup," Doescher said of Chandler.
Leading the way offensively for the Vikings were Dillon Conwell and Zach Shilling, with 13 points apiece. Sophomore Drew Schliem also chipped in 12.
The Comets featured three players in double figures. Grant Schoenenberger, Mitchell Kauk and Isaiah Shell each scored 14 points. Despite the loss, Doescher said he was happy to see the balanced scoring.
"It was good to see," he said. "I felt our defensive effort wasn't good tonight. It led to a lot of silly fouls. That put us in positions where we didn't have much of a bench."
The Comets also struggled at the free throw line, making just 8 of 17.
"In a two-point overtime loss, that hurts," Doescher said.
Regardless of shortcomings, Doescher offered praise for Pecatonica.
"Credit to them," he said. "Twice in ten days, they came out with close wins."
Albany (8-13, 3-8 Six Rivers East) will host Argyle on Tuesday.
WiS. Heights 60, New Glarus 55 (OT)
MAZOMANIE - The New Glarus boys basketball team fought back from a 13-point deficit in the third quarter to force overtime, but the Glarner Knights came up just short, losing to Wisconsin Heights.
Wisconsin Heights led 19-16 after a quarter of play. The teams played an even second, to give the Vanguards a 27-24 halftime lead. Wisconsin Heights expanded their lead in the third, before New Glarus rallied to force OT.
"We were down 13 at one point in the third," said New Glarus coach Travis Sysko. "We hit our free throws, that helped. We were 6 of 7 from the line in the fourth. We got some buckets inside, got some penetration. (NG's Martrell) Dixon had a steal at halfcourt when we were down 50-48 with about 50 seconds left. They grabbed him and the refs called it intentional, and he hit both free throws.
"In overtime, we kinda traded buckets to start. We got in a situation where we had to foul at the end. Heights was 6 of 8 from the line in overtime."
Gabe Noyce led New Glarus with 21 points. He was joined in double figures by Spencer Jones, who scored 12.
"Gabe had a nice game," Sysko said. "He had some nice baskets when we needed them down the stretch."
New Glarus fell to 4-16 overall and 2-7 in the Capitol South conference. The Glarner Knights travel to Darlington on Monday for a non-conference game with the Redbirds. Sysko said his team's effort is still very good, they just need to keep working at improving.
"I told the boys, 'I feel like a broken record.' We had great effort, we just came up short. We just need to keep working on making free throws, finishing underneath, just keep working hard in practice."
