MHS reaches break with a 4-3 record

BOYS BASKETBALL

     There are a number of reasons the Monticello boys basketball team is heading into the holiday break with a certain amount of pride.

     Perhaps the biggest one is this: This season’s Panthers, who replaced five graduated starters, have a better record heading into the break (4-3) than last year’s senior-laden team had (4-4).

     “We’re very happy to have a winning record at the break with the schedule we’ve had,” Monticello coach Tim Lambert said. “We have three losses, all to ranked teams. I’m excited to see what this team can do after the break.”

     In a three-game week in which Monticello won twice, the Panthers scored their biggest victory so far this season, stealing a 61-58, overtime victory from Iowa City Regina Dec. 13 in Iowa City.

     The Panthers went on to lose 42-33 at home to Cascade Dec. 16, and then bounced Midland 46-28 Dec. 17, also in Monticello.

     The ups and downs of Monticello’s game at Iowa City Regina Tuesday, Dec. 13 were as dramatic as the final result.

     There was the high of building a 13-point lead with less than five minutes to go, the dismay of losing that lead and going to overtime, and then the joy of getting their third road win of the season and climbing over the .500 mark for the first time.

     Avery Martensen scored 25 points, shooting 9-for-13 from the field; and Kyle Sperfslage added 17 in the win.

     Trailing 11-9 after one quarter, Monticello outscored the Regals 31-16 over the next two periods to lead 40-27.

     “We played well in the second quarter. We valued the ball,” Lambert said. “In the third quarter we were solid, moved the ball well, and knocked down some threes.”

     It changed in the final five minutes of regulation time, when the Regals went on an 18-5 run to force overtime.

     “We turned the ball over a few times, and took some bad shots,” Lambert said.

     A lay-up by Sperfslage gave the Panthers a 51-50 lead with 42 seconds left, but a free throw by Regina with 5.6 seconds left tied it.

     The Regals built a 58-55 lead in overtime, but the Panthers came back. Free throws by Andy Tjaden and Jacob Manternach put Monticello ahead 61-58, and a three-point try for Regina at the buzzer missed the mark.

     “To win any road game in our league is great,” Lambert said.

     Rival Cascade came to town Friday, and made a 33-18 lead stand in a nine-point win over the Panthers, 42-33.

     Monticello jumped to an 8-4 lead by the end of the first quarter, before Cascade went on a 13-2 run in the second quarter and took a 17-12 lead into the locker room.

     The Cougars extended that lead to 15 by the end of the third quarter.

     “I liked our energy early, and then it kind of got stale on both ends for the second and third quarters,” Lambert said.

     Things changed in the final period, when a suddenly revitalized Panther team went on a 12-2 run in the fourth quarter to cut a 15-point deficit down to five, 35-30, with 3:19 to play.

     “We went to a half court trap in the fourth and it really rattled Cascade,” the coach said. “Our speed and energy picked up, and it got much better on both ends. We need to realize we must play with that passion and energy for 32 minutes to consistently beat good teams.”

     Cascade regained control, however, opening the lead back up to 10 before finishing up by nine.

     Jacob Manternach scored 13 points to pace the Panthers. Andrew Tjaden and Alex Nealson had five rebounds apiece. Jacob Manternach and Kyle Sperfslage had three assists each. Sperfslage had three steals and two blocks, and Tjaden also made two blocks.

     A big start was key to Saturday’s win, a 46-28 non-conference triumph over visiting Midland. Monticello took a 19-4 lead by the end of the first quarter on the way to the win.

     “We got a great start, and got solid contributions from a lot of players,” Lambert said. “Jacob Manternach brought great energy and really is becoming a leader for us.”

     Jacob Manternach had 17 points, and Sperfslage had 10 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists. Tjaden pulled down eight rebounds, while Avery Martensen had five. Jacob Manternach and Jordan Breashears had one block each.

     Monticello is 3-3 in River Valley Conference play.

Dec. 13

Monti    9   15  16  11   10 – 61

ICR      11    8    8   24    7 – 58

     MONTICELLO (61) – Avery Martensen 9-13 4-7 25, Jacob Manternach 2-7 4-6 8, Jordan Breashears 0-4 0-0 0, Andrew Tjaden 1-3 3-4 5, Kyle Sperfslage 6-11 2-6 17, Taylor Manternach 0-2 4-6 4, Alex Nealson 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 19-43 17-29 61.

     IOWA CITY REGINA (58) – Jack Jensen 0-2 0-0 0, Jocoa Kerschen 4-11 3-5 12, Jake Phillips 1-5 1-2 3, Ryne Schooley 7-9 4-5 21, Sam Stein 0-3 1-2 1, Even Brauns 3-6 3-4 9, Masen Miller 2-5 1-2 7, Zach Seaman 2-4 0-0 5, Bryce Barnett 0-0 0-0 0, Carter Daniel 0-0 0-0 0, Jacob Clark 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-45 13-20 58.

     Three-pointers: Martensen 3, Sperfslage 3; Schooley 3, Miller 2, Kerschen, Seaman.

     Rebounds: Monticello 30 (Martensen 7, J. Manternach 6, Tjaden 6; Regina 27.

     Total fouls: Regina 24, Monticello 15.

Dec. 16

Cas.      4  13  16    9 – 42

Monti    8    4    6  15 – 33

     MONTICELLO (33) – Avery Martensen 2-4 0-0 5, Jacob Manternach 5-13 3-5 13, Taylor Manternach 0-2 0-0 0, Andrew Tjaden 2-4 1-3 5, Kyle Sperfslage 2-8 0-0 6, Jordan Breashears 1-3 0-0 2, Alex Nealson 1-5 0-3 2. Totals 13-39 4-11 33.

     Three-pointers: Sperfslage 2, Martensen.

     Rebounds: Monticello 23 (Tjaden 5, Nealson 5, Sperfslage 4, Breashears 4).

     Total fouls: Monticello 15.

Dec. 8

Midland   4  10  3  11 – 28

Monti     19  12  4  11 – 46

     MONTICELLO (46) – Avery Martensen 1-6 0-1 3, Jacob Manternach 7-16 2-4 17, Taylor Manternach 0-0 0-0 0, Andrew Tjaden 3-6 2-6 8, Kyle Sperfslage 2-3 5-6 10, Alex Nealson 1-4 0-0 2, Jordan Breashears 0-1 0-2 0, Josh White 1-1 2-2 4, Alex Kremer 1-1 0-0 2, Ryan Manternach 0-0 0-0 0, Connor Franzenburg 0-0 0-0 0, Kegan Arduser 0-0 0-0 0.

     Three-pointers: Martensen, J. Manternach, Sperfslage.

     Rebounds: Monticello 28 (Tjaden 8, Martensen 5, Sperfslage 5).

     Total fouls: Monticello 16