BLANCHARDVILLE - Monticello boys basketball coach Mark Olson is convinced that controlling Pecatonica's transition game would be key after he scouted the team earlier this season.
Monticello (2-1, 2-0 Six Rivers East) controlled the tempo in a 65-30 win over the Vikings Thursday night by using a stifling press and pushing the ball in transition.
"We said coming into the game, we wanted to control the transition game," Olson said. "We felt like whoever could control the transition tempo would control the game. We are happy with the way that went."
Monticello junior Tyler Ritschard scored 21 of his 29 points in the first half as the Ponies charged out to a 14-4 lead. Ritschard scored nine of the Ponies' first 11 points. Monticello junior Corey McGowan helped the Ponies close out the first quarter with a bang by drilling a 3-pointer.
"Our offense starts with our defense," Ritschard said. "We play to push the tempo because that is what we are comfortable with - an up-tempo game."
The Ponies owned the second quarter and used a 15-4 run to build an insurmountable lead. Monticello senior Jacob Marty grabbed an offensive rebound and passed to Ritschard, who nailed a 3-pointer at the top of the key to give the Ponies a 17-4 lead.
With the Vikings going to a 1-2-2 zone in the second quarter to stop the Ponies' penetration, Monticello turned to the 3-point line. Ritschard drilled a 3-pointer to give the Ponies a 22-8 lead at 5 minutes, 35 seconds in the second quarter. He later drove to the basket and kicked out to sophomore Lucas Kolasch for a 3-point basket to extend the lead to 25-8.
"Anyone on the team can put up big numbers," Ritschard said. "Tonight it was me. Next game it might be someone else."
Olson is confident that Ritschard, who plays point guard, will make the right decisions in the halfcourt and on the break.
"He's very smart with the basketball," Olson said. "He knows when it's good to attack and pull it out. He doesn't take a bad shot."
Pecatonica (2-2, 0-1) ranked 15th in the WisSports.net coaches Division 4 poll, had almost as many turnovers (13) as points (16) in the first half.
"The only way we can be in the game is if we can control the ball," Pecatonica coach Kevin Parman said. "We are a team that has to have less than 15 turnovers to be in the game."
Parman was well aware of the Ponies' quickness entering the game.
"We knew what kind of offensive team they would be," Parman said. "Defensively, they stepped it up. They were a two-dimensional team tonight."
Kolasch scored nine points, senior Tyler Meier had seven and Marty added six for the Ponies.
Pecatonica junior Taylor Berg hit a 3-pointer to start the third quarter. The Vikings received a scare when junior Tannar Johnson collided with a Monticello player going for a loose ball and suffered a neck stinger at 6:01 in the third quarter. Both teams went into the locker room, while the game was delayed about 25 minutes. Coaches attended to Johnson and called for an ambulance. After both teams came out of the locker room, they were given a two minute warm-up.
"He had some tenderness and tingling," Parman said. "We just wanted to be safe and not sorry."
Pecatonica sophomore Karson Feller scored eight points, which included two 3-pointers, to lead the Vikings. Pecatonica senior Devin Jeglum scored six and Jeremy Meudt added five.
"He (Feller) is one of our better shooters," Parman said. "We need him and all of our kids to work on both ends of the floor."
Monticello (2-1, 2-0 Six Rivers East) controlled the tempo in a 65-30 win over the Vikings Thursday night by using a stifling press and pushing the ball in transition.
"We said coming into the game, we wanted to control the transition game," Olson said. "We felt like whoever could control the transition tempo would control the game. We are happy with the way that went."
Monticello junior Tyler Ritschard scored 21 of his 29 points in the first half as the Ponies charged out to a 14-4 lead. Ritschard scored nine of the Ponies' first 11 points. Monticello junior Corey McGowan helped the Ponies close out the first quarter with a bang by drilling a 3-pointer.
"Our offense starts with our defense," Ritschard said. "We play to push the tempo because that is what we are comfortable with - an up-tempo game."
The Ponies owned the second quarter and used a 15-4 run to build an insurmountable lead. Monticello senior Jacob Marty grabbed an offensive rebound and passed to Ritschard, who nailed a 3-pointer at the top of the key to give the Ponies a 17-4 lead.
With the Vikings going to a 1-2-2 zone in the second quarter to stop the Ponies' penetration, Monticello turned to the 3-point line. Ritschard drilled a 3-pointer to give the Ponies a 22-8 lead at 5 minutes, 35 seconds in the second quarter. He later drove to the basket and kicked out to sophomore Lucas Kolasch for a 3-point basket to extend the lead to 25-8.
"Anyone on the team can put up big numbers," Ritschard said. "Tonight it was me. Next game it might be someone else."
Olson is confident that Ritschard, who plays point guard, will make the right decisions in the halfcourt and on the break.
"He's very smart with the basketball," Olson said. "He knows when it's good to attack and pull it out. He doesn't take a bad shot."
Pecatonica (2-2, 0-1) ranked 15th in the WisSports.net coaches Division 4 poll, had almost as many turnovers (13) as points (16) in the first half.
"The only way we can be in the game is if we can control the ball," Pecatonica coach Kevin Parman said. "We are a team that has to have less than 15 turnovers to be in the game."
Parman was well aware of the Ponies' quickness entering the game.
"We knew what kind of offensive team they would be," Parman said. "Defensively, they stepped it up. They were a two-dimensional team tonight."
Kolasch scored nine points, senior Tyler Meier had seven and Marty added six for the Ponies.
Pecatonica junior Taylor Berg hit a 3-pointer to start the third quarter. The Vikings received a scare when junior Tannar Johnson collided with a Monticello player going for a loose ball and suffered a neck stinger at 6:01 in the third quarter. Both teams went into the locker room, while the game was delayed about 25 minutes. Coaches attended to Johnson and called for an ambulance. After both teams came out of the locker room, they were given a two minute warm-up.
"He had some tenderness and tingling," Parman said. "We just wanted to be safe and not sorry."
Pecatonica sophomore Karson Feller scored eight points, which included two 3-pointers, to lead the Vikings. Pecatonica senior Devin Jeglum scored six and Jeremy Meudt added five.
"He (Feller) is one of our better shooters," Parman said. "We need him and all of our kids to work on both ends of the floor."
