Panthers top South leaders in three-win week

     The surging Monticello Panthers faced the top two teams in the River Valley Conference, South Division standings last week, West Branch and Iowa City Regina, and defeated them both.

     It was part of a three-win week that kept the Panthers within one game of Camanche in the River Valley North, at 13-1; and lifted them to 15-2 overall for the season.

     Between those two wins was a victory over neighboring rival Anamosa.

     The action started with a 60-41 home win over West Branch in a makeup game Jan. 27. Monticello held West Branch to 15 first half points while taking a 17-point lead into the locker room.

     “We played very well. Our defensive effort in the first half was phenomenal,” Monticello coach Tim Lambert said. “Offensively, the ball just moved, and we shot the ball well. We rarely take bad shots, and we’ve been averaging under 10 turnovers.”

     Monticello shot 60 percent from the field (24-for-40), including 7-for-13 from three-point range (54 percent). Luke Lambert (18 points) and Justin Recker (17) each shot 7-for-11 from the field (64 percent), and Tate Petersen was 6-for-8 from the field, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, while scoring 16.

     The Anamosa game was Friday, Jan. 31, and gradually turned into a 55-34 win for the Panthers, who won each quarter.

     Monticello also had to overcome some very difficult news from earlier in the day, learning that Recker’s grandfather, longtime devout Panther supporter Bob Meier, had passed away suddenly that morning.

     “It was a tough day emotionally for the guys,” coach Lambert said, “and we played like it for the first four or five minutes. But then I was proud of them; they regrouped, refocused, and did what we needed to do.”

     Tops on that list was Recker, who scored 23 points, including a pair of big second half dunks as the Panthers pulled away. Luke Lambert scored 14 points, and Petersen added nine. Rebounding was spread mostly between Luke Lambert and Recker, with eight apiece; Connor Lambert with seven, and Ty Kehoe with five. Luke Lambert also had seven assists, and Kehoe had five.

     Monticello had to come right back with an afternoon game at Iowa City Regina – which could be one of the Panthers’ district foes – on Saturday. The Panthers responded again, taking a 15-point lead by the end of the third quarter and going on to win 55-42.

     Petersen was a sharpshooter, making six of nine three-point attempts, shooting 7-for-12 overall, and scoring 22 points. Luke Lambert was 3-for-6 from beyond the arc and finished with 15. Recke rhad 12 points and eight rebounds. Kehoe made seven assists.

     “It was a good win in a tough place to play,” Lambert said. “I was really proud of the kids; they rallied together, showed up and played.”

Jan. 24

W. Branch     6   9 15 11 – 41

Monti           14 18 11 17 – 60

     WEST BRANCH (41) – Matt Whaley 1-3 2-2 4, Trey Eagle 6-8 2-4 17, Gavin Hierseman 1-2 2-4 4, Tanner Lukavsky 4-9 0-0 9, Simon Palmer 3-6 0-0 7, Payton Miller 0-2 0-0 0, Brady Knoop 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 15-31 6-10 41.

     MONTICELLO (60) – Justin Recker 7-11 2-2 17, Luke Lambert 7-11 2-2 18, Connor Lambert 2-4 0-0 5, Ty Kehoe 2-4 0-4 4, Tate Petersen 6-8 1-2 16, Devin Kraus 0-1 0-0 0, Tyler Luensman 0-0 0-0 0, Cade Folken 0-0 0-0 0, Ethan Martensen 0-0 0-0 0, Brayden Cleeton 0-0 0-0 0, Riley Manternach 0-1 0-0 0, Grahm Schneiter 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-40 5-10 60.

     Three-pointers: Eagle 3, Lukavsky, Palmer; Petersen 3, L. Lambert 2, Recker, C. Lambert.

     Rebounds: Monticello 25 (Recker 6, L. Lambert 6, C. Lambert 4), West Branch 16.

     Total fouls: Monticello 13, West Branch 10.

Jan. 31

Anamosa  6 15   5    8 – 34

Monti       14 18   8 14 – 55

     MONTICELLO (55) – Justin Recker 10-15 3-4 23, Luke Lambert 5-12 1-1 14, Connor Lambert 1-5 1-2 4, Ty Kehoe 0-4 1-2 1, Tate Petersen 3-8 0-0 9, Devin Kraus 1-3 0-0 2, Jeff Carlson 0-1 2-2 2, Tyler Luensman 0-1 0-0 0, Riley Manternach 0-1 0-0 0, Brayden Cleeton 0-1 0-0 0, Ethan Martensen 0-0 0-0 0, Cade Folken 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-51 8-11 55.

     Three-pointers: L. Lambert 3, Petersen 3, C. Lambert.

     Rebounds: Monticello 36 (Recker 8, L. Lambert 8, C. Lambert 7).

     Total fouls: Monticello 8.

Feb. 1

Monti    15 15 15 10 – 55

Regina  11   9 10 12 – 42

     MONTICELLO (55) – Justin Recker 5-8 2-2 12, Luke Lambert 5-10 3-5 16, Tate Petersen 7-12 2-6 22, Connor Lambert 1-4 0-0 3, Ty Kehoe 0-0 0-0 0, Devin Kraus 1-2 0-0 2.

     IOWA CITY REGINA (42) – Danny Molony 0-1 0-0 0, Masen Miller 8-21 2-2 22, Coltrae Kerschen 0-1 0-0 0, Chase Becker 3-5 0-0 6, Josh Dutchik 4-5 0-0 8, Casey Daniel 2-3 1-2 6, Nic Hein 0-1 0-0 0, Andrew Wiese 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-37 3-4 42.

     Three-pointers: Petersen 6, L. Lambert 3, C. Lambert; Miller 4, Daniel.

     Rebounds: Monticello 17 (Recker 8), Regina 16.

     Total fouls: Regina 15, Monticello 4.