MONROE - The Monroe boys basketball team was outscored in the fourth quarter 12-6 by Monona Grove.
Thankfully, and not surprisingly, the Cheesemakers had built up a 53-28 advantage on the Silver Eagles and still sailed to a 59-40 Badger South Conference victory Friday night in Monroe.
The Tordoff's, junior Mitch and freshman Bryan, took the reins for the Cheesemakers (10-0 overall, 6-0 Badger South Conference) in the first quarter as the elder guard drilled a 3-pointer from the left corner on the first possession.
After a quick Monona Grove (5-5 overall, 2-4 Badger South) bucket by junior Zak Manthe, Mitch went right back to work. He got open and senior Brett Stangel - getting his first start of the season in place of Mitch McArdle - found him for a bunny. Then Tordoff drilled his second triple for the left side with 5:35, forcing Silver Eagles head coach Dan Zweifel to burn his first timeout.
Tordoff - who finished with a game-high 19 points and five 3-pointers - returned the favor to Stangel who got wide open on the right block after the Cheesemakers ran a perfect inbounds play with 4:27 to go, making the score 10-4.
"We've kind of grown to expect it," Bryan Tordoff said of Mitch's fast starts. "So he better keep doing it. He's had a really good start to the season and he's a real boost for our team. He's a real great team leader."
Bryan Tordoff took over and powered the Cheesemakers during a 5-2 run to round out the first quarter on his own. First, Tordoff up-faked senior Max Retzlaff into a foul and made one of two free throws. Twenty seconds later he went right back at Retzlaff, backing him down from the right block and made a strong move to finish off glass. Tordoff finished his flurry by blowing past the Silver Eagles defense down the lane and again used the window to make the score 15-7 at the horn.
Tordoff continues to play heavy minutes for head coach Pat Murphy and the Cheesemakers, but he was quick to dole the credit to his teammates that noticed the mis-match he presented on Retzlaff.
"My teammates got me the ball down in the post and that's what it's all about," Bryan Tordoff said. "Just sharing the ball that was our emphasis today."
Monona Grove hung around in the early stages of the second quarter by making jumpers or finding the open man free underneath the basket. Problem was that the Silver Eagles couldn't hoist a shot every time the got into the offensive sets as the Cheesemakers defense attacked along the perimeter and forced them into errant passes and turnovers.
Coach Murphy was leery of the Monona Grove's shooting percentage at intermission.
"(Monona Grove is) still trying to figure out what they're about," Murphy said. "What I did notice - and what we talked about at halftime - is every time they shot, they made it. For them it was feast of famine, either we forced them into a turnover or they made a tough shot."
Stangel finished with 11 points in his first start of the season and Murphy continues to find the perfect combination even as his Cheesemakers tear through their schedule.
"It's just one of those things that's a never-ending battle," Murphy said. "I think Mitchell McArdle brings energy off the bench and (we're) just trying to figure who fits in what role."
Thankfully, and not surprisingly, the Cheesemakers had built up a 53-28 advantage on the Silver Eagles and still sailed to a 59-40 Badger South Conference victory Friday night in Monroe.
The Tordoff's, junior Mitch and freshman Bryan, took the reins for the Cheesemakers (10-0 overall, 6-0 Badger South Conference) in the first quarter as the elder guard drilled a 3-pointer from the left corner on the first possession.
After a quick Monona Grove (5-5 overall, 2-4 Badger South) bucket by junior Zak Manthe, Mitch went right back to work. He got open and senior Brett Stangel - getting his first start of the season in place of Mitch McArdle - found him for a bunny. Then Tordoff drilled his second triple for the left side with 5:35, forcing Silver Eagles head coach Dan Zweifel to burn his first timeout.
Tordoff - who finished with a game-high 19 points and five 3-pointers - returned the favor to Stangel who got wide open on the right block after the Cheesemakers ran a perfect inbounds play with 4:27 to go, making the score 10-4.
"We've kind of grown to expect it," Bryan Tordoff said of Mitch's fast starts. "So he better keep doing it. He's had a really good start to the season and he's a real boost for our team. He's a real great team leader."
Bryan Tordoff took over and powered the Cheesemakers during a 5-2 run to round out the first quarter on his own. First, Tordoff up-faked senior Max Retzlaff into a foul and made one of two free throws. Twenty seconds later he went right back at Retzlaff, backing him down from the right block and made a strong move to finish off glass. Tordoff finished his flurry by blowing past the Silver Eagles defense down the lane and again used the window to make the score 15-7 at the horn.
Tordoff continues to play heavy minutes for head coach Pat Murphy and the Cheesemakers, but he was quick to dole the credit to his teammates that noticed the mis-match he presented on Retzlaff.
"My teammates got me the ball down in the post and that's what it's all about," Bryan Tordoff said. "Just sharing the ball that was our emphasis today."
Monona Grove hung around in the early stages of the second quarter by making jumpers or finding the open man free underneath the basket. Problem was that the Silver Eagles couldn't hoist a shot every time the got into the offensive sets as the Cheesemakers defense attacked along the perimeter and forced them into errant passes and turnovers.
Coach Murphy was leery of the Monona Grove's shooting percentage at intermission.
"(Monona Grove is) still trying to figure out what they're about," Murphy said. "What I did notice - and what we talked about at halftime - is every time they shot, they made it. For them it was feast of famine, either we forced them into a turnover or they made a tough shot."
Stangel finished with 11 points in his first start of the season and Murphy continues to find the perfect combination even as his Cheesemakers tear through their schedule.
"It's just one of those things that's a never-ending battle," Murphy said. "I think Mitchell McArdle brings energy off the bench and (we're) just trying to figure who fits in what role."
