Both Monroe and Black Hawk girls basketball played at the state games this past weekend. Both teams had expectations to make it to state from day one of training camp, so fulfilling those expectations is an accomplishment in itself.
And while neither brought home a gold ball, their efforts were not in vain.
Monroe lost in the WIAA Division 2 semifinals after New Berlin Eisenhower shot lights out in the first half. The Cheesemakers themselves shot well, but when a team breaks the state records for 3s in the first half, there's not a whole lot more that you can do but continue giving your best effort and hope that at some point the rim magically shrinks for your opponent.
The rim didn't shrink, but the Cheesemakers still had two opportunities in the final seconds to tie the game. While the shots didn't fall, their effort throughout the contest was noticeable. These young ladies played their hearts out and while the pain of failure is instant, it was a game that they will be proud of as they get older.
It literally took a perfect game from the opposing team with the talent to get to state to beat you, ladies. Sometimes that's just how the ball bounces.
For Black Hawk, the rims were even more unkind. The Warriors showed off their defensive prowess to everyone in the state on the game's biggest stage. They forced turnover after turnover, steal after steal. They made the best teams in Division 5 look new to the game.
But in the end, Black Hawk came away with the silver. And it wasn't for a lack of effort; it was for what I recall as the worst shooting game in recent history.
These Warriors were lights out all season - shooting nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc. In the state final that number was in single digits. Their interior shooting was around 45 percent all year, but again, the rims of the mighty college gym dropped that number to below 20 percent.
Black Hawk lost the state championship by a fluky day shooting the rock. The silver is a fluke only because the gold was right there if just two shots had fallen at the right time in the game.
The Warriors have nothing to regret though. That shooting performance was the anomaly of a lifetime, and they should be able to shake it off and get right back at it again. This is a team that is 48-2 in its last 50 games, and they return a solid cast of players for next season.
Playoff basketball - which happens in March, which is why it's called March Madness - is a crazy time for everyone. Big shots are hit, big shots are missed. But the most important thing that any coach will tell a player is that it is their effort in those games that will be most appreciated. The "never-give-up" attitude, the hustling after loose balls and giving every ounce of energy is what matters most. "Leave it on the court" is a phrase heard often, and it is correct. When the playoffs come, when the game literally means the end of the season - coaches (and fans) love seeing the effort as much as the production.
Girls of Black Hawk and Monroe, it was an honor covering you this season. You should take pride in your accomplishments because you deserved to make it as far as you did. And for those returning to the teams next year, why not make another run?
- Adam Krebs is a reporter for the Monroe Times and made exactly zero shots in varsity basketball. He can be reached at akrebs@themonroetimes.net.
And while neither brought home a gold ball, their efforts were not in vain.
Monroe lost in the WIAA Division 2 semifinals after New Berlin Eisenhower shot lights out in the first half. The Cheesemakers themselves shot well, but when a team breaks the state records for 3s in the first half, there's not a whole lot more that you can do but continue giving your best effort and hope that at some point the rim magically shrinks for your opponent.
The rim didn't shrink, but the Cheesemakers still had two opportunities in the final seconds to tie the game. While the shots didn't fall, their effort throughout the contest was noticeable. These young ladies played their hearts out and while the pain of failure is instant, it was a game that they will be proud of as they get older.
It literally took a perfect game from the opposing team with the talent to get to state to beat you, ladies. Sometimes that's just how the ball bounces.
For Black Hawk, the rims were even more unkind. The Warriors showed off their defensive prowess to everyone in the state on the game's biggest stage. They forced turnover after turnover, steal after steal. They made the best teams in Division 5 look new to the game.
But in the end, Black Hawk came away with the silver. And it wasn't for a lack of effort; it was for what I recall as the worst shooting game in recent history.
These Warriors were lights out all season - shooting nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc. In the state final that number was in single digits. Their interior shooting was around 45 percent all year, but again, the rims of the mighty college gym dropped that number to below 20 percent.
Black Hawk lost the state championship by a fluky day shooting the rock. The silver is a fluke only because the gold was right there if just two shots had fallen at the right time in the game.
The Warriors have nothing to regret though. That shooting performance was the anomaly of a lifetime, and they should be able to shake it off and get right back at it again. This is a team that is 48-2 in its last 50 games, and they return a solid cast of players for next season.
Playoff basketball - which happens in March, which is why it's called March Madness - is a crazy time for everyone. Big shots are hit, big shots are missed. But the most important thing that any coach will tell a player is that it is their effort in those games that will be most appreciated. The "never-give-up" attitude, the hustling after loose balls and giving every ounce of energy is what matters most. "Leave it on the court" is a phrase heard often, and it is correct. When the playoffs come, when the game literally means the end of the season - coaches (and fans) love seeing the effort as much as the production.
Girls of Black Hawk and Monroe, it was an honor covering you this season. You should take pride in your accomplishments because you deserved to make it as far as you did. And for those returning to the teams next year, why not make another run?
- Adam Krebs is a reporter for the Monroe Times and made exactly zero shots in varsity basketball. He can be reached at akrebs@themonroetimes.net.
