Panthers recover from loss, overcome Knights, Raiders


Maddie Lambert of Monticello (in white) tries to work around a defender during the Dec. 8 home game against North Cedar. (Photos by Pete Temple)

Lauren Ries of the Panthers (24) is fouled as she goes up for a shot in the North Cedar game.

Carly Hayen gets an open look for the Panthers.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
By: 
Pete Temple
Express Sports Editor

     Monticello bounced back from a tough road loss at Camanche to beat a pair of teams on back-to-back nights in girls basketball action last week.

     The Panthers (3-1, 5-1) lost 57-40 at Camanche on Tuesday, Dec. 5; fought off a North Cedar rally to win 48-29 at home Friday, Dec. 8; and then outlasted neighboring rival Anamosa 64-60 in overtime Saturday, Dec. 9.

     A look at the Panther games:

    

Camanche game

     The loss at Camanche was Monticello’s first of the season.

     “We did not rebound very well and did not defend very well against Camanche,” Monticello coach Donnie Kremer said. “Camanche shot pretty well from the field. They were able to get a lot of offensive rebounds and put-backs. That hurt us big time.”

     Camanche jumped out to a 16-6 lead by the end of the first quarter, and Monticello was unable to make up the difference in a River Valley Conference game Dec. 5 at Camanche.

     The Indians led 29-17 at halftime, then opened the margin to 17 by the end of the third quarter.

     Monticello was led in scoring by Maddie Fellinger, who had 12 points and shot 5-for-8 from the field. Maddie Lambert pulled down nine rebounds, while Taylor McDonald, Jordan Kuper and Fellinger had six apiece. Taylor McDonald also had four assists.

    

North Cedar game

     The Friday home game against North Cedar was a contest divided into three distinct parts; a big early lead for the Panthers, a 14-0 run for North Cedar to cut the margin to five in the third quarter, and Monticello’s re-rally to put the game away.

     The Panthers jumped out to leads of 13-3 by the end of the first quarter, 22-5 midway through the second, and led 24-7 at halftime.

     “Donnie really got on us after our loss at Camanche about having more intensity from the start,” senior Lauren Ries said.

     “I thought defensively we were very disciplined, offensively we were very good about moving the ball and getting it to the open shooter, which made for easy shots,” Kremer said. “That was what we’ve been working on, which we didn’t do the other night.”

     Things changed in the third quarter. Down 26-7, North Cedar went on a 14-0 run over a span of about 5½ minutes, and suddenly it was a five-point game at 26-21.

     Monticello recovered, however, taking a 30-23 lead by the end of the period. Up 32-26 with five minutes to go, the Panthers scored 16 straight points to regain control.

     Included were two three-point shots each by Taylor McDonald and Lauren Ries.

     “Sometimes when we get such a lead, we just kind of lose our intensity, and I think we just have to make sure we have the same intensity throughout all four quarters,” Taylor McDonald said.

     “I think we had a letup there, but I think they responded,” Kremer said. “Toward the end of the third quarter I thought they did a good job of pulling it together and sticking to the plan.”

     Ries had 19 points to lead the Panthers, and Taylor McDonald added 16 points and five steals. Lambert had 10 rebounds, and Kuper had eight. Fellinger made six assists

 

Anamosa game

     Monticello faced an improved Anamosa team in a non-conference game Saturday, Dec. 8.

     Ries’ three-point basket with about a minute to play tied the game 51-51, and neither team could score again in regulation time. Ries finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Panthers.

     Monticello then outscored the Blue Raiders 13-9 in overtime to pull out the 64-60 win.

     “They are a much-improved team,” Kremer said. “We tried to attack them and get them into foul trouble, which we did.”

     Monticello outscored Anamosa 17-6 in the second quarter to take a 34-22 halftime lead. The Raiders, down by 14 heading into the fourth quarter, held the Panthers to three points while battling back.

     The Panthers then gained the edge in the extra session.

     “In overtime I thought we did a very good job of moving the ball, getting good looks, making shots and free throws,” Kremer said. “I thought we defended much better in overtime.”

     Ries and Kuper both had double-doubles; Kuper’s included 13 points and 12 rebounds. Taylor McDonald added 15 points.

 

Dec. 5

Monti       6 11 12 11 – 40

Cam       16 13 17 11 – 57

     MONTICELLO (40) – Taylor McDonald 2-9 2-2 7, Maddie Fellinger 5-8 0-0 12, Lauren Ries 2-10 1-2 6, Maddie Lambert 1-6 0-0 3, Jordan Kuper 3-7 1-2 7, Caitlyn Cruise 1-2 0-0 3, Sydney Hansen 1-1 0-0 2, Carly Hayen 0-0 0-0 0, Gabrielle Steiner 0-0 0-0 0, Tori McDonald 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 15-44 4-6 40.

     CAMANCHE (57) – Lea Lefebvre 7-12 0-1 15, Camaryn Carstensen 3-12 2-2 11, Madi Parson 1-4 2-3 4, Sami Puckett 2-6 0-0 5, Marly Bussa 5-15 2-4 16, Hanna Nissen 1-4 0-0 3, Emily McElroy 1-1 0-0 2, Alexandra Nielsen 0-0 1-2 1, Paige Waltz 0-1 0-0 0, Bella Sager 0-0 0-0 0, Emy Seeser 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-55 7-12 57.

     Three-pointers:  Fellinger 2, Ta. McDonald, Ries, Lambert,  Cruise; Bussa 4, Carstensen 3, Lefebvre, Puckett, Nissen.

     Rebounds: Camanche 33, Monticello 30 (Lambert 9, Ta. McDonald 6, Fellinger 6, Kuper 6.

 

Dec. 8

NC           3   4  16   6 – 29

Monti     13 11   6  18 – 48

     NORTH CEDAR (29) – Tessa Fields 3-14 0-0 6, Lexi Crist 0-11 1-2 1, Grace Proesch 1-3 0-1 2, Darby Hawtrey 4-11 1-4 9, Leah Crock 3-4 0-2 6, Nicole Sander 0-8 3-4 3, Kayla Syring 0-0 0-0 0, Kayla Sander 0-0 0-0 0, Jenna Syring 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 12-52 5-13 29.

     MONTICELLO (48) – Taylor McDonald 6-15 0-0 16, Maddie Fellinger 2-4 0-2 4, Lauren Ries 8-14 0-0 19, Maddie Lambert 0-9 1-2 1, Jordan Kuper 2-10 1-3 5. Carly Hayen 0-0 3-4 3, Caitlyn Cruise 0-0 0-0 0, Brianna Range 0-1 0-0 0, Aspen Gillmore 0-0 0-0 0, Tori McDonald 0-0 0-0 0, Sydney Hansen 0-0 0-0 0, Savanah Kremer 0-0 0-0 0, Meredith Melchert 0-0 0-0 0, Lydia Franzenburg 0-0 0-0 0, Emmi Sampson 0-0 0-0 0, Marissa Recker 0-0 0-0 0, Gabrielle Steiner 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-53, 5-11 48.

     Three-pointers: Ta. McDonald 4, Ries 3.

     Rebounds: North Cedar 40, Monticello 37 (Lambert 10, Kuper 8).

     Total fouls: Monticello 14, North Cedar 11.

 

Dec. 9

Ana      16   6  12  17   9  – 60

Monti   17  17 14    3  13 – 64

     MONTICELLO (64) – Taylor McDonald 3-14 9-9 15, Maddie Fellinger 1-2 2-2 5, Lauren Ries 6-15 11-12 26, Maddie Lambert 2-7 1-3 5, Jordan Kuper 3-8 7-8 13, Caitlyn Cruise 0-0 0-0 0, Sydney Hansen 0-1 0-0 0, Savanah Kremer 0-0 0-0 0, Meredith Melchert 0-0 0-0 0, Carly Hayen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-47 30-34 64.

     Three-pointers: Ries 3, Fellinger.

     Rebounds: Monticello 37 (Kuper 12, Ries 10).

     Total fouls: Monticello 19.

 

 

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