Winning streak hits eight heading into Camanche rematch

     Monticello barreled into a Feb. 11 division title-deciding contest with Camanche by beating another pair of River Valley Conference boys basketball opponents last week.

     The Panthers downed Northeast of Goose Lake 39-20 Feb. 4 in Monticello, and won a key road game at Cascade Feb. 7, 44-37.

     Those wins extended Monticello’s winning streak to eight since a Jan. 14 loss at Camanche. The Panthers were 15-1 in conference play, just one game behind Camanche prior to the rematch in Monticello – which was played after this paper went to press. Monticello ended the week 17-2 overall.

     “To get back to that (the Camanche rematch) without another loss; that’s impressive,” Monticello coach Tim Lambert said.

     An outstanding defensive effort – allowing just four second half points and none in the fourth quarter – was key to Tuesday’s win over Northeast.

     “I knew we’d be able to score, but the kids have also really bought in defensively,” Lambert said. “They are long, athletic, they can switch screens, rebound well, and are very disruptive.”

     That proved important on a night when the Panthers shot just 15-for-43 from the field (35 percent), and were 5-for-22 from three-point range.

     “You’re going to have nights where you don’t shoot as well,” coach Lambert said. “That’s when the defense has to carry you.”

     Justin Recker was an exception to the scoring struggle, as he totaled 20 points, shooting 8-for-14 from the field, including 3-for-4 from three-point range. Tate Petersen hit a pair of three-pointers and finished with 11 points.

     Luke Lambert had six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Recker also had six rebounds, and Petersen had four assists. Jeff Carlson blocked a shot.

     At Cascade Friday, the Panthers had to overcome serious foul trouble. Justin Recker had spurred the Panthers to a 21-13 halftime lead, scoring 17 of the team’s first 18 points and ultimately finishing with 20.

     “It was different; their game plan was to let Justin get the ball and to defend us on the perimeter,” coach Lambert said. “We had not been defended like that all year.”

     But he was whistled for four fouls (video showed the third one should have been called on teammate Connor Lambert instead), the last of which was called with 1:18 left in the third quarter and the Panthers leading by just four, 30-26.

     Recker sat for the rest of the quarter and the first two minutes of the fourth. A big three-point basket by Ty Kehoe extended the lead to seven. Cascade trimmed it to two early in the fourth, but with Recker back in, the Panthers went on a 10-3 run to take a 44-34 lead with 1:10 to play, salting away the win.

     Connor Lambert accounted for six of those points, four on a pair of assists from Recker, and two free throws. Tate Petersen also hit a big three-pointer in that stretch. Connor Lambert finished with 15 points and six rebounds.

     “Connor had a big game,” coach Lambert said.

     Recker had two steals and four blocks. Luke Lambert had five rebounds.

Feb. 4

N’east     6   8    6   0 – 20

Monti    15  7 10   7 – 39

     NORTHEAST (20) – Carter Pataska 2-4 2-2 6, Cade Hughes 0-6 0-0 0, Grant Rickertsen 3-5 0-0 7, Trey McAleer 0-2 0-0 0, Judd Swanton 2-7 1-2 5, Atzin Dondiego 1-2 0-0 2, Dawson Rickords 0-0 0-0 0, Riley Wolfe 0-2 0-0 0, Cole Lee 0-1 0-0 0, Alijah Dopson 0-1 0-0 0, Robert Schaefer, Jr. 0-0 0-0 0, Casey Gertson 0-0 0-0 0, Ethan Snyder 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 8-30 3-4 20.

     MONTICELLO (39) – Justin Recker 8-14 1-1 20, Luke Lambert 3-10 0-0 6, Connor Lambert 0-3 0-0 0, Ty Kehoe 0-3 1-2 1, Tate Petersen 4-7 1-2 11, Devin Kraus 0-2 1-2 1, Tyler Luensman 0-1 0-0 0, Jeff Carlson 0-0 0-0 0, Brayden Cleeton 0-0 0-0 0, Cade Folken 0-1 0-0 0, Riley Manternach 0-2 0-0 0, Ethan Martensen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-43 4-7 39.

     Three-pointers: Rickertsen; Recker 3, Petersen 2.

     Rebounds: Monticello 24 (Recker 6, L. Lambert 6), Northeast 23.

     Total fouls: Northeast 11, Monticello 5.

Feb. 7

Monti        9 12 12 11 – 44

Cascade   2 12 14   9 – 37

     MONTICELLO (44) – Justin Recker 9-16 2-4 20, Luke Lambert 0-4 0-0 0, Connor Lambert 4-5 5-6 15, Ty Kehoe 1-2 0-0 3, Tate Petersen 2-7 1-2 6, Devin Kraus 0-0 0-0 0, Brayden Cleeton 0-0 0-0 0, Jeff Carlson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-34 7-11 44.

     CASCADE (37) – Carter Green 3-5 0-0 7, Cooper Rausch 1-3 0-0 2, Michael Trumm 4-6 0-0 9, Caden Reinke 1-8 0-0 2, Alex Aitchison 6-6 1-2 13, Eli Green 0-0 2-4 2, Jackson McAleer 1-1 0-0 2, Will Potter 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-29 3-6 37.

     Three-pointers: C. Lambert 2, Petersen 2, Kehoe; Green, Trumm.

     Rebounds: Monticello 17 (C. Lambert 6, L. Lambert 5), Cascade 14.

     Total fouls: Cascade 14, Monticello 8.