MONROE - Monona Grove's Zach Zweifel can score in bunches if left open, and he proved it again on Thursday. The senior guard scored a game-high 34 points and was nearly unstoppable from the field as the Silver Eagles defeated Badger South champion Monroe 65-58.
"I think physically and mentally we were a half of a step slow," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "That's the most offense we've given up all year. Combine that with our poor foul shooting and that spells a recipe (for a loss) right there."
Zweifel and Monona Grove brought their 'A' game from the start, going up 9-5 early and never trailing the rest of the way. Monroe (18-4, 9-3) tied the game just twice after tip-off - at 4-4 and 9-9. The rest of the game was all about the Silver Eagles (15-7, 8-4).
"This was their (fourth) game in a week. Hat's off to them for coming in here on a mission," Murphy said. "We didn't respond in a way that we wanted to respond as far as trying to finish off a conference season."
Zweifel had 10 points in the first quarter as Monona Grove found itself ahead 15-9 headed into the second.
"It's really hard to guard him because he's such a great player," Monroe senior Michael Barrett said of Zweifel. "He's one of the best players in the conference. Good players make plays like that."
The lead stretched to as much as 11 points (21-10) after a 3-pointer by Zweifel, forcing Monroe coach Pat Murphy to call timeout with 6:07 left to play until halftime.
"We were on our heels most of the game," Murphy said. "They had us back-peddling and they were effective with their zone. I thought we got some good shots off and attacked well, we just didn't make enough free throws."
As a team, the Cheesemakers shot just 16 of 32 from the free throw line.
Barrett started leading the charge back, scoring eight of his team-high 31 points in the second quarter. Barrett, a senior guard who is known to nearly score at will, had to penetrate through the Silver Eagle's zone defense all night.
The one thing that Barrett can usually determine the outcome of - free throws - was somehow out of his control, however.
"I never really thought about how I was shooting. The shots just weren't going in the way they normally do," said Barrett, who was just 9 of 20 from the free-throw line. "Maybe something was up in my routine. I try not to let that get to my head."
Barrett even had a stretch of eight straight misses from the stripe.
One positive for Monroe was the return to play of senior guard Damian Penniston, who was sidelined Feb. 5 with a concussion. Penniston made his return at Fort Atkinson last Friday and played extensively against Monona Grove, scoring nine points.
"On the court I was really antsy," said Penniston, who was also asked to guard Zweifel. "At first I really didn't know where I was, but then I started getting into it."
Monona Grove senior guard Max Gehrmann added 18 points (two 3-pointers) to help his offense while Monroe's outside sniper Bryan Tordoff had two 3s and nine points.
Monroe honored its 10 seniors before the game. Murphy hopes those seniors, including their captains, can pick the team up now that every game the rest of the season is win-or-go-home.
"We'll do our job as coaches to get them ready," Murphy said. "They should be disappointed because they didn't execute anything that we are all about in Monroe basketball as far as making free throws, limiting them to one shot or take away a guy that got hot. They felt comfortable and we weren't."
The Cheesemakers have a buy in the first round of the WIAA Division 2 playoffs and will play the Reedsburg-McFarland winner on Friday, March 4.
"I think physically and mentally we were a half of a step slow," Monroe coach Pat Murphy said. "That's the most offense we've given up all year. Combine that with our poor foul shooting and that spells a recipe (for a loss) right there."
Zweifel and Monona Grove brought their 'A' game from the start, going up 9-5 early and never trailing the rest of the way. Monroe (18-4, 9-3) tied the game just twice after tip-off - at 4-4 and 9-9. The rest of the game was all about the Silver Eagles (15-7, 8-4).
"This was their (fourth) game in a week. Hat's off to them for coming in here on a mission," Murphy said. "We didn't respond in a way that we wanted to respond as far as trying to finish off a conference season."
Zweifel had 10 points in the first quarter as Monona Grove found itself ahead 15-9 headed into the second.
"It's really hard to guard him because he's such a great player," Monroe senior Michael Barrett said of Zweifel. "He's one of the best players in the conference. Good players make plays like that."
The lead stretched to as much as 11 points (21-10) after a 3-pointer by Zweifel, forcing Monroe coach Pat Murphy to call timeout with 6:07 left to play until halftime.
"We were on our heels most of the game," Murphy said. "They had us back-peddling and they were effective with their zone. I thought we got some good shots off and attacked well, we just didn't make enough free throws."
As a team, the Cheesemakers shot just 16 of 32 from the free throw line.
Barrett started leading the charge back, scoring eight of his team-high 31 points in the second quarter. Barrett, a senior guard who is known to nearly score at will, had to penetrate through the Silver Eagle's zone defense all night.
The one thing that Barrett can usually determine the outcome of - free throws - was somehow out of his control, however.
"I never really thought about how I was shooting. The shots just weren't going in the way they normally do," said Barrett, who was just 9 of 20 from the free-throw line. "Maybe something was up in my routine. I try not to let that get to my head."
Barrett even had a stretch of eight straight misses from the stripe.
One positive for Monroe was the return to play of senior guard Damian Penniston, who was sidelined Feb. 5 with a concussion. Penniston made his return at Fort Atkinson last Friday and played extensively against Monona Grove, scoring nine points.
"On the court I was really antsy," said Penniston, who was also asked to guard Zweifel. "At first I really didn't know where I was, but then I started getting into it."
Monona Grove senior guard Max Gehrmann added 18 points (two 3-pointers) to help his offense while Monroe's outside sniper Bryan Tordoff had two 3s and nine points.
Monroe honored its 10 seniors before the game. Murphy hopes those seniors, including their captains, can pick the team up now that every game the rest of the season is win-or-go-home.
"We'll do our job as coaches to get them ready," Murphy said. "They should be disappointed because they didn't execute anything that we are all about in Monroe basketball as far as making free throws, limiting them to one shot or take away a guy that got hot. They felt comfortable and we weren't."
The Cheesemakers have a buy in the first round of the WIAA Division 2 playoffs and will play the Reedsburg-McFarland winner on Friday, March 4.
