Ranked opponents overcome Panthers

     Monticello faced two of the River Valley Conference’s strongest girls basketball teams in the Panthers’ final games before the holiday break.

     Both opponents are ranked in Class 2A, and both were able to overcome the Panthers. Sixth-ranked Regina beat Monticello 59-33 on Tuesday, Dec. 12 in Monticello; and Cascade pulled out a 50-46 win Friday, Dec. 15 at Cascade.

     “I feel pretty good (about the team),” Monticello coach Donnie Kremer said. “We have made some huge strides since the first week. The second half of the season should be a fun and exciting time for us.”

     In Tuesday’s game, Regina jumped out to an 18-5 lead by the end of the first quarter.

     “Regina’s press bothered us early, which led to easy buckets for them,” Kremer said. “When we were patient with their press, we got any look we wanted.”

     The Panthers were still down by 13 at halftime, 30-17, but trimmed the deficit to 10 in the third quarter.

     “We missed easy lay-ups, and then they went on an 8-0 run,” Kremer said. “Our inability to finish shots and their ability to knock down shots ultimately was the difference.”

     The Regals opened the lead to 45-28 by the end of the third quarter, then outscored the Panthers 14-5 in the final session.

     Taylor McDonald had 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals for Monticello. Maddie Fellinger and Sydney Hansen had six points apiece. Jordan Kuper had five rebounds.

     The Friday game at rival Cascade was a see-saw battle throughout. The biggest margin of the entire game was Cascade’s 11-5 lead in the first quarter, but Monticello trimmed that to 11-9 by the end of the period.

     The Cougars led 24-22 at halftime, and then the teams traded lead in the third period, with Monticello leading 34-33 heading into the fourth quarter.

     Lauren Ries made five three-pointers and totaled 24 points in the game, scoring eight of those points in the fourth quarter. A floater by Ries with 2:01 to play put the Panthers ahead 45-44, and the teams were tied 46-46 after a free throw by Kuper with 1:27 left.

     “We knew we were going to have to make some outside shots against their zone,” Kremer said. “We were able to get any shot we wanted at any time, which was huge.

     “I thought Lauren played solid the whole game.”

     Cascade’s Nicole McDermott scored with 1:08 to play for a 48-46 advantage. After a Panther miss, Anne Ryan sank two free throws for the Cougars with 17.6 to go, and those were the final points of the game.

     “I was extremely happy with the way the girls handled themselves,” Kremer said. “We played with a lot of confidence and poise all the way through the game.”

     Fellinger and Kuper scored eight points apiece, and Kuper pulled down 14 rebounds. Taylor McDonald and Ries had three assists apiece.

Dec. 12

Regina   18 12 15 14 – 59

Monti        5 12 11   5 – 33

     MONTICELLO (33) – Taylor McDonald 3-14 3-5 10, Maddie Fellinger 2-3 1-1 6, Lauren Ries 0-3 0-0 0, Maddie Lambert 1-3 2-2 5, Jordan Kuper 2-6 1-6 5, Sydney Hansen 2-3 1-1 6, Carly Hayen 0-3 1-2 1, Caitlyn Cruise 0-0 0-0 0, Savanah Kremer 0-0 0-0 0, Meredith Melchert 0-0 0-0 0, Aspen Gillmore 0-0 0-0 0, Tori McDonald 0-0 0-2 0, Lydia Franzenburg 0-1 0-0 0, Emmi Sampson 0-0 0-0 0, Marissa Recker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 10-36 10-20 33.

     Three-pointers: Ta. McDonald, Fellinger, Lambert.

     Rebounds: Monticello 27 (Ta. McDonald 5, Kuper 5).

     Total fouls: Monticello 16.

Nov. 15

Monti        9 13 12 12 – 46

Cascade 11 13   9 17 – 50

     MONTICELLO (46) – Taylor McDonald 0-8 0-0 0, Maddie Fellinger 3-6 0-0 8, Lauren Ries 8-18 3-3 24, Maddie Lambert 1-2 2-2 4, Jordan Kuper 2-7 4-7 8, Sydney Hansen 1-2 0-0 2, Caitlyn Cruise 0-0 0-0 0, Carly Hayen 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 15-45 9-12 46.

     Three-pointers: Ries 5, Fellinger 2.

     Rebounds: Monticello 32 (Kuper 14, Ries 7).

     Total fouls: Monticello 11.