One game, one win for Monti

     Anyone expecting a tight battle between the Monticello and Northeast girls basketball teams in a Jan. 7 game at Goose Lake was in for an early surprise.

     Monticello (8-1, 8-3) hit five shots from three-point range in the first quarter, jumping to a 22-0 lead, and went on to score a 55-39 victory.

     “We got off to a great start,” Monticello coach Donnie Kremer said. “We defended well, got easy looks and knocked down shots.”

     Tori McDonald and Karli Recker each hit two of those three-pointers, and Gabrielle Steiner hit one. Steiner (16 points) and McDonald (14) were among three Panthers to score in double figures; Jordan Kuper had a double-double with 12 points and 17 rebounds.

     It turned out to be the only game for the Panthers last week. A scheduled Jan. 10 home game against Cascade and a Jan. 11 game at Iowa City Regina were both postponed due to reports of impending poor weather.

     At Northeast, Monticello made the early lead stand, and in fact extended it to a 37-12 margin by halftime.

     “I felt we stepped up our game and played to our potential in all aspects,” Kremer said. “Our length caused them some issues, and we were able to get stops and transition buckets.”

     Northeast outscored the Panthers in the second half, getting as close as 15 at one point, but never seriously threatened the lead as Monticello went on to win by 16.

     “They made some shots, and we missed some easy looks, which allowed them to get close,” coach Kremer said. “We kind of let off the gas as well, but we rebounded and got the job done.”

     Free throws were significant; Monticello attempted 25 foul shots in the game, making 18 (72 percent). McDonald was 6-for-6 from the line, and Steiner was 7-for-8.

     Karli Recker finished with seven points in the game. Kuper had five assists, and Steiner made five steals. Monticello also blocked four Northeast shots, with Gabrielle Guilford, Carly Hayen, McDonald and Kuper getting one block each.

Games rescheduled

     The Jan. 10 postponed game against Cascade was rescheduled for Jan. 20, in Monticello.

     The Jan. 11 game at Regina, also postponed, will be made up Feb. 8.

Jan. 7

Monti   25 12   9    9 – 55

N’east    2  10 17 10 – 39

     MONTICELLO (55) – Gabrielle Steiner 4-7 7-8 16, Tori McDonald 3-4 6-6 14, Gabrielle Guilford 1-5 1-2 3, Carly Hayen 1-5 1-2 3, Jordan Kuper 5-12 2-2 12, Karli Recker 2-7 1-4 7, Bronwyn Hodge 0-3 0-1 0, Emily Schlarmann 0-0 0-0 0, Lydia Recker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-43 18-25 55.

     Three-pointers: McDonald 2, K. Recker 2, Steiner.

     Rebounds: Monticello 41 (Kuper 17, K. Recker 5.

     Total fouls: Monticello 15.