Panthers have 1-1 week

     Two River Valley Conference games for the Monticello High School boys basketball team last week had mixed results.

     The Panthers battled, but weren’t able to overcome undefeated Camanche in a Jan. 8 game in Monticello, with Camanche winning 65-55. Monticello (9-3, 10-3) got right back on the winning track Jan. 11, however, scoring a 75-53 win at Bellevue.

     A scheduled Jan. 12 home game against Mid-Prairie was postponed until Jan. 31 due to poor weather conditions.

     Against Camanche, Justin Recker scored 29 points, going 5-for-9 from three-point range and 9-for-18 overall. He also was 6-for-8 from the free throw line, against a team that was ranked anywhere from first to third in Class 2A, depending on the poll.

     “It’s nice to see a kid deliver like that against your best opponents,” Lambert said. “I think he’ll continue to get better.”

     The intense, physical game developed a trend. Camanche would open up a lead and threaten to break the game open, and the Panthers – largely with Recker – would battle back into it.

     “We hung around and had a chance most of the game,” coach Lambert said. “Obviously they’re very talented, and they have a lot of good parts. But our kids didn’t play intimidated. They battled.”

     It happened in the first quarter, when Camanche built a 21-12 lead, before Monticello worked it back to a 26-26 tie, with Recker making two of his five three-point shots.

     After the Indians led 32-30 at halftime, they went on a 9-3 run to open the second half and led 41-33. Again the Panthers came back, getting within six after three quarters and within five, 47-42, with 5:33 to play.

     In the fourth quarter, Camanche pushed the lead to 10, and the Panthers closed the gap once more, as two free throws by Connor Lambert cut it to 58-52 with 1:41 to play.

     But the Indians hit a key three-pointer with just over a minute to play, scored again to take a 63-52 lead, and despite a late three-pointer by Devin Kraus, Camanche held on.

     “The key for us is playing smarter defense,” the coach said. “We talk about focus; the urgency of having the focus of a varsity game is not good at times. But it’s getting there.”

     Recker also had 13 rebounds and two blocks in the game. Luke Lambert had eight rebounds and seven assists.

     At Bellevue Friday, Recker put up another 29 points – this time shooting 13-for-16 from the field – as the Panthers overwhelmed the Comets 75-53. Recker’s highlights included a dunk in the second quarter, after he stole a pass at mid-court and raced in.

     Monticello’s scoring barrage included four players in double figures, a 27-point second quarter and a 24-point fourth. Luke Lambert had 14 points, Connor Lambert scored 11, and Tyler Luensman had 10.

     The Panthers led 15-10 after one quarter, and opened a 42-27 lead by halftime. Whereas Monticello built leads and had them slip away in the first meeting with Bellevue, a 63-53 home win Nov. 27, that wasn’t the case this time.

     “We were more consistent with our level of play,” coach Lambert said.

     Recker had seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks. Luke Lambert made eight assists. Brayden Cleeton had five rebounds.

Jan. 8

Cam.    21 11 13 20 – 65

Monti   12 18   9 13 – 55

     CAMANCHE (65) – Carson Seeser 8-13 2-2 23, Caleb Delzell 6-10 1-2 14, Zach Erwin 2-5 0-2 4, Cameron Soenksen 5-16 0-0 12, Calvin Ottens 1-1 0-0 2, Zayne Feller 3-5 0-3 6, Jaxon White 2-3 0-0 4, Payton Draper 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-53 3-9 65.

     MONTICELLO (55) – Tyler Luensman 2-4 0-0 5, Justin Recker 9-18 6-8 29, Luke Lambert 2-14 1-2 5, Connor Lambert 1-12 4-4 7, Brayden Cleeton 0-0 -0 0, Devin Kraus 2-5 0-0 5, Jeff Carlson 2-5 0-1 4. Totals 18-58 11-15 55.

     Three-pointers: Seeser 5, Soenksen 2, Delzell; Recker 5, Luensman, C. Lambert, D. Kraus.

     Rebounds: Monticello 41 (Recker 13, L. Lambert 8), Camanche 35.

     Total fouls: Monticello 14, Camanche 8.

Jan. 11

Monti    15 27  9 24 – 75

Bel.       10 17  6 20 – 53

     MONTICELLO (75) – Tyler Luensman 4-6 0-1 10, Justin Recker 13-16 3-6 29, Luke Lambert 6-10 1-2 14, Connor Lambert 3-6 2-2 11, Brayden Cleeton 0-0 0-0 0, Devin Kraus 1-1 0-0 3, Jeff Carlson 0-0 0-0 0, Mason Kraus 2-2 0-0 4, Cade Folken 1-1 0-0 2, Dalryn Kramer 1-1 0-0 2, Gavin Cooper 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 31-44 6-11 75.

     BELLEVUE (53) – Trey Daugherty 4-10 0-0 10, Paxton Felderman 5-10 0-0 11, Riley Konrardy 2-5 3-4 7, Cole Heim 1-6 0-0 3, Trevor Hager 3-7 1-1 7, Jackson Wagner 3-4 2-4 8, Andrew Swartz 3-6 0-0 7. Totals 21-48 6-9 53.

     Three-pointers: C. Lambert 3, Luensman 2, L. Lambert, D. Kraus; Daugherty 2, Felderman, Heim, Swartz.

     Rebounds: Monticello 24 (Recker 7, Cleeton 5), Bellevue 19.

     Total fouls: Monticello 11, Bellevue 10.