PRAIRIE DU SAC - Poor outside shooting in the second half for the Monroe boys basketball team kept the Cheesemakers from reaching .500 in a 60-48 loss to Sauk Prairie Tuesday.
Monroe (9-11, 4-6) led 11-8 after the first quarter and 24-17 at the half before the Eagles used a 17-7 third quarter run to take control of the game.
"We're still trying to get to double-digit victories, but this was a tough opponent," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "You have to do it for four quarters."
Monroe was led by senior Kevin Noriega, who scored 14 points. Junior Ben Latimer and Tyler Elmer both chipped in nine points for the Cheesemakers.
The Eagles (16-4) were led by Seth Kostroski, who scored a game-high 21 points - 18 of which came in the second half.
"He's probably one of the better players in our league," Murphy said of Kostroski. "He got open on some threes - and he's deadly."
Monroe had 14 turnovers in the game compared to just four for the Eagles.
"There's a lot of positives, but a lot of turnovers led to easy shots and scores," Murphy said. "We did a good job sticking to what we were trying to do defensively. They were able to get the momentum going, and when teams are able to score layups, that makes (them) feel good.
"They stuck to what they were doing and we got to rushing our stuff."
Monroe shot just 7 of 15 from the free-throw line, including 0-4 in the fourth quarter. Sauk Prairie went a perfect 10 for 10 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter and 13 of 14 overall.
"We have to find a way to shoot 70 percent from the stripe against these kinds of teams," Murphy said. "That's the recipe we've tried for years - to make free throws to close a game."
Monroe plays at Oregon Friday before they host Fort Atkinson Feb. 26 on Senior Night.
Monroe (9-11, 4-6) led 11-8 after the first quarter and 24-17 at the half before the Eagles used a 17-7 third quarter run to take control of the game.
"We're still trying to get to double-digit victories, but this was a tough opponent," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "You have to do it for four quarters."
Monroe was led by senior Kevin Noriega, who scored 14 points. Junior Ben Latimer and Tyler Elmer both chipped in nine points for the Cheesemakers.
The Eagles (16-4) were led by Seth Kostroski, who scored a game-high 21 points - 18 of which came in the second half.
"He's probably one of the better players in our league," Murphy said of Kostroski. "He got open on some threes - and he's deadly."
Monroe had 14 turnovers in the game compared to just four for the Eagles.
"There's a lot of positives, but a lot of turnovers led to easy shots and scores," Murphy said. "We did a good job sticking to what we were trying to do defensively. They were able to get the momentum going, and when teams are able to score layups, that makes (them) feel good.
"They stuck to what they were doing and we got to rushing our stuff."
Monroe shot just 7 of 15 from the free-throw line, including 0-4 in the fourth quarter. Sauk Prairie went a perfect 10 for 10 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter and 13 of 14 overall.
"We have to find a way to shoot 70 percent from the stripe against these kinds of teams," Murphy said. "That's the recipe we've tried for years - to make free throws to close a game."
Monroe plays at Oregon Friday before they host Fort Atkinson Feb. 26 on Senior Night.
