Panthers respond to tough losses with romp over Mid-Prairie


Taylor Manternach of Monticello (in white) works around a Mid-Prairie defender in the Jan. 20 Panther home game. (Photo by Pete Temple)

Jordan Breashears of Monticello (20) blocks the shot of Anamosa’s Cole Sander during the non-conference game Jan. 19 in Anamosa. (Photo submitted)

Andy Tjaden pulls up with the ball for Monticello in the Mid-Prairie game. (Photo by Pete Temple)
BOYS BASKETBALL
By: 
Pete Temple
Express Sports Editor

     The Mid-Prairie game on Friday, Jan. 20 came at a good time for the Monticello High School boys basketball team.

     It had been a rough stretch for the Panthers earlier in the week, with a 73-42 home loss to Camanche Jan. 17, and a 62-42 loss at archrival Anamosa in a makeup game Thursday, Jan. 19.

     But on Friday, the Panthers (7-5, 8-7) got rolling quickly and scored a lopsided, 66-31 win over the Golden Hawks, who made the long trip from Wellman on a foggy night.

     Kyle Sperfslage scored 20 points, shooting 7-for-10 from the field, including 4-for-6 from three-point range. His teammates responded as well, as Monti jumped to a 21-3 lead by the end of the first quarter and 35-9 by halftime.

     “All you can ask as a coach is that your kids come out and play hard, and I thought we really did that against Mid-Prairie,” Monticello coach Tim Lambert said.

     Lambert said Monticello’s quick start forced a change in Mid-Prairie’s defense.

     “They started with a 1-3-1 half-court trap, and with their length, we thought it would give us problems,” the coach said. “But when we got the lead, they had to go man. We threw it over the top of their press and attacked.”

     Jacob Manternach scored 12 points, including a 6-for-7 effort from the free throw line. Avery Martensen had eight points and seven rebounds. Jordan Breashears came off the bench to make five assists and three steals. Taylor Manternach had five points. Andy Tjaden and Wesley Henderson had three rebounds apiece.

     The team’s other two games didn’t go as well. The Panthers traveled to Camanche Jan. 17, and were outscored 38-16 in the middle two quarters on the way to the 21-point loss.

     “You can improve and take a step forward in a loss, but I just thought in this loss, we didn’t compete,” Lambert said. We needed a lot more fight in us.

     “They are the most explosive offensive team we’ll play. But I thought we gave them way too many clean looks. They made 12 three-pointers, and the majority of them were just wide-open, clean shots.”

     Despite the loss it was a huge game for Alex Nealson, who had a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Nealson shot 9-for-14 from the field.

     “He really battled,” the coach said. “He continues to get better.”

     Andrew Tjaden and Taylor Manternach had three assists apiece. Kyle Sperfslage made three steals. Josh White and Sperfslage had five points apiece.

     At Anamosa Thursday, Monticello took an early 10-3 lead, but the Raiders outcored the Panthers 30-13 for the rest of the half and 18-8 in the third quarter.

     Anamosa’s hot shooting made a big difference in the game, which the Blue Raiders won by 20. Anamosa shot 10-for-21 from three-point range, with junior Noah Sams accounting for six three-pointers and 22 points overall.

     “I thought getting a good start was key, and we did,” Lambert said. “But then we just didn’t defend their perimeter game. We gave them a lot of clean looks, and they made them. They obviously played very well.”

     Monticello was led by Alex Nealson and Tjaden with 10 points apiece, and Sperfslage with nine. Tjaden also made seven assists.

     This is another three-game week for the Panthers, who were scheduled to play host to North Cedar Jan. 24 and Maquoketa Valley Jan. 26 before traveling to Durant Jan. 27.

 

Jan. 17

Monti    15   7    9  11 – 42

Cam.     21 14  24  14 – 73

     MONTICELLO (42) – Avery Martensen 2-4 0-0 4, Jacob Manternach 1-8 1-2 4, Alex Nealson 9-14 0-0 18, Andrew Tjaden 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor Manternach 0-1 0-0 0, Jordan Breashears 0-2 0-0 0, Kyle Sperfslage 2-9 0-0 5, Josh White 2-3 0-2 5, Alex Kremer 1-4 1-2 4, Ryan Manternach 1-1 0-0 2, T.J. Nealson 0-0 0-0 0, Connor Franzenburg 0-0 0-0 0, Kegan Arduser 0-0 0-0 0, Wesley Henderson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-46 2-6 42.

     CAMANCHE (73) – Dev Patel 3-6 0-0 7, Dakota Soenksen 5-13 3-5 16, Cameron Soenksen 5-10 3-3 16, Dylan Hundley 5-11 3-3 14, Carson Seeser 2-3 0-0 6, David Gonzalez 2-3 0-1 4, Tre Austin 2-5 0-0 6, Jaxon White 1-1 0-0 2, Evan Hall 1-2 0-0 2, Chase Grim 0-1 0-0 0, Caleb Delzell 0-0 0-0 0, Calvin Ottens 0-0 0-0 0, Cade Borrison 0-0 0-0 0, Ethan Schafer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-55 9-12 73.

     Three-pointers: J. Manternach, Sperfslage, White, Kremer; D. Soenksen 3, C. Soenksen 3, Austin 2, Seeser 2, Patel, Hundley.

     Rebounds: Camanche 39, Monticello 25 (A. Nealson 13).

     Total fouls: Monticello 11, Camanche 10.

 

Jan. 19

Monti    15    8    8  11 – 42

Ana.      19  14  18  11 – 62

     MONTICELLO (42) – Avery Martensen 1-4 0-0 2, Jacob Manternach 2-5 0-0 5, Alex Nealson 4-7 2-2 10, Andrew Tjaden 4-9 2-3 10, Kyle Sperfslage 4-11 0-0 9, Alex Kremer 1-1 0-0 3, Josh White 0-2 1-2 1, Taylor Manternach 0-1 0-2 0, Jordan Breashears 1-4 0-0 2, Ryan Manternach 0-0 0-0 0, Connor Franzenburg 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-44 5-9 42.

     ANAMOSA (62) – Gabe Wolfe 2-3 1-1 5, Cole Sander 4-11 3-4 12, Noah Sams 7-9 2-2 22, Matthew Walton 5-8 0-0 13, Brian Sayre 1-4 1-3 3, Zac Mclean 2-5 0-0 4, Andrew Walton 1-2 0-0 2, Zach Seehusen 0-0 0-0 0, Casey Culver 0-0 0-0 0, Jerimiah Snow 0-0 0-0 0, Nathan Dietiker 0-3 0-0 0, Maverick Tjaden 0-2 1-1 1, Gabe Countryman 0-0 0-0 0, Dylan Rickles 0-1 0-0 0, Sam Dehner 0-1 0-0 0, Zach Thomas 0-0 0-0 0, Eian Countryman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-49 8-12 62.

     Three-pointers: J. Manternach, Sperfslage, Kremer; Sams 6, M. Walton 3, Sander.

     Rebounds: Anamosa 35, Monticello 19 (Sperfslage 4, J. Manternach 3, Nealson 3, Tjaden 3).

     Total fouls – Monticello 16, Anamosa 9.

 

Jan. 20

Mid-P.    3   6 11 11 – 31

Monti   21 14 16 15 – 66

     MONTICELLO (66) – Avery Martensen 3-11 1-1 8, Jacob Manternach 3-7 6-7 12, Alex Nealson 3-4 0-0 6, Andrew Tjaden 1-5 2-2 20, Kyle Sperfslage 7-10 2-2 20, Taylor Manternach 1-1 3-4 5, Josh White 0-0 4-4 4, Jordan Breashears 1-3 0-0 2, Alex Kremer 1-3 0-0 3, Connor Franzenburg 1-1 0-0 2, Ryan Manternach 0-0 0-0 0, Wesley Henderson 0-0 0-0 0, Kegan Arduser 0-1 0-0 0, T.J. Nealson 0-1 0-0 0, Austin Coohey 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-47 18-20 66.

     Three-pointers: Sperfslage 4, Martensen, Kremer.

     Rebounds: Monticello 30 (Martensen 7, J. Manternach 4, A. Nealson 4, Sperfslage 4, Tjaden 3, Henderson 3).

     Total fouls: Monticello 14.

 

Category:

Subscriber Login