Panthers pick up one win, two conference losses


Andrew Tjaden looks to the basket in the Panthers’ Jan. 24 home game against North Cedar. At left is Jacob Manternach (4). (Photos by Pete Temple)

Alex Nealson of Monticello (in white) goes to the basket against North Cedar.

Josh White drives at the top of the key for Monticello in the Maquoketa Valley game.
BOYS BASKETBALL
By: 
Pete Temple
Express Sports Editor

     Monticello had one big win, surrounded by two narrow losses, during a three-game boys basketball week.

     The Panthers lost a heartbreaker to North Cedar, 65-64, on Jan. 24 at home, bounced back to beat Maquoketa Valley 57-23 Jan. 26, also in Monticello, and fell to Durant 40-38 Jan. 27 at Durant.

     Monticello (7-7, 9-9) had a couple of double-digit leads in the North Cedar game. The Panthers jumped out to an 18-9 lead in the second quarter, then opened it to 28-16. Monticello led 31-23 as the first half clock was running out, and North Cedar hit a three-point shot that appeared to be released after the buzzer had sounded, but the ball went in and the shot was ruled good, cutting the halftime margin to five.

     The teams traded runs in the third quarter. The Panthers went on a 9-2 rally to start the period and take a 40-28 lead, but North Cedar came back, outscoring Monticello 23-8 for the rest of the quarter to lead 51-48 with eight minutes to play.

     A basket by Andy Tjaden, and a steal and 15-footer from Alex Nealson, gave Monticello a 59-58 lead with 4:30 to play. The teams traded points from then on. Kyle Sperfslage made a free throw to give the Panthers a 64-63 lead with 9.0 seconds left. Then, a foul with 1.6 seconds left put NC’s Aaron Woodward at the line, and he sank both tries for the winning points.

     “For part of the second quarter and most of the second half, our defensive intensity wasn’t where it needs to be,” Monticello coach Tim Lambert said. “They (the Knights) were aggressive offensively, and we didn’t do anything to stop them from being aggressive.”

     The loss negated an outstanding performance by Jacob Manternach, who shot 7-for-10 from the field, including five three-pointers, and finished with 23 points. Andy Tjaden scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Alex Nealson added 12 points. Jacob Manternach and Kyle Sperfslage had five assists apiece.

     The outcome of Thursday’s game was pretty much settled early. Monticello jumped to leads of 19-1 and 23-3 before the Wildcats mounted a rally, getting to within nine at one point in the second quarter.

     Monticello led 32-17 at halftime, then outscored MV 16-1 in the third period to put the game away.

     “Our defensive intensity was back up where it needs to be, and we executed real well on offense,” Lambert said.

     Three Panthers scored in double figures: Jacob Manternach with 14 points, Tjaden with 12 and Sperfslage with 11. Tjaden had seven rebounds, and Alex Nealson had six rebounds, four steals and two blocks.

     “Andy played another solid game,” the coach said. “The light has come on for him lately. And Jake is steady; you know what you’re going to get from him night in and night out.

     “Josh White had some good minutes for us off the bench. He can contribute. We’re getting better, but it’s just got to stay consistent,” Lambert said.

     Unfortunately for the Panthers, they didn’t stay as consistent as they would have liked, losing a tough 40-38 decision to Durant Friday, Jan. 27 at Durant.

     Monticello trailed by 10 points with about six minutes to play in the fourth quarter and made a furious rally to take the lead. White sank a three-point basket in the closing minutes – his second of the quarter – to give the Panthers a 38-37 lead.

     But Durant answered with a three-pointer of its own, and held on for the win.

     “We had a nice comeback in the fourth quarter,” Lambert said. “We really battled. But we need to battle that hard the whole game.”

     Monticello struggled in its shooting, just 16-for-50 from the field (32 percent), including 3-for-22 from three-point range.

     Jacob Manternach finished with 11 points, Nealson had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and White ended up with six points.

 

Jan. 24

N.Cedar   9 17 25 14 – 65

Monti     13 18 17 16 – 64

     NORTH CEDAR (65) – Jacob Jensen 4-6 2-2 10, Mason Minar 7-8 3-5 17, Carter Johnson 3-7 3-4 10, Aaron Woodward 3-5 3-4 12, Logan Minar 5-6 1-1 11, Greg Hansen 1-1 1-2 3, Owen Meyer 0-1 2-2 2.

     MONTICELLO (64) – Avery Martensen 3-6 0-1 6, Jacob Manternach 7-10 4-4 23, Alex Nealson 5-12 2-2 12, Andrew Tjaden 6-10 4-4 16, Kyle Sperfslage 0-5 6-8 6, Taylor Manternach 0-2 0-0 0, Jordan Breashears 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 21-46 17-21 64.

     Three-pointers: Woodward 3, Johnson; J. Manternach 5.

     Rebounds: Monticello 26 (Tjaden 8, Martensen 6, A. Nealson 6), North Cedar 16.

     Total fouls: Monticello 17, North Cedar 14.

 

Jan. 26

Maq. V.   9    8   1   5 – 23

Monti    23   9 16   9 – 57

     MAQUOKETA VALLEY (23) – Brock Hiller 2-8 0-3 4, Tyson Tucker 0-4 2-6 2, Jake Bonert 1-6 0-0 3, Garrett Hogan 2-8 0-0 6, Clint Krapfl 0-4 0-0 0, Kyle Wilson 3-6 0-0 7, Brenden Hogan 0-3 1-2 1, Cole Willenbring 0-0 0-0 0, Blake Becker 0-0 0-0 0, Trevor Elgin 0-5 0-2 0, Heath Gibbs 0-0 0-0 0, Brian Heims 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 8-44 3-14 23.

     MONTICELLO (57) – Avery Martensen 2-7 0-0 4, Jacob Manternach 5-9 4-4 14, Alex Nealson 2-5 1-2 5, Andrew Tjaden 5-5 2-2 12, Kyle Sperfslage 4-8 2-2 11, Josh White 2-3 1-1 6, Taylor Manternach 0-0 3-4, Jordan Breashears 1-3 0-0 2, Alex Kremer 0-1 0-0 0, Ryan Manternach 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, T.J. Nealson 0-0 0-0 0, Austin Coohey 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-42 13-15 57.

     Three-pointers: Hogan 2, Bonert, Wilton; Sperfslage, White.

     Rebounds: Monticello 29 (Tjaden 7, A. Nealson 6, Martensen 3, White 3), Maquoketa Valley 19.

     Total fouls: Monticello 17, Maquoketa Valley 16.

 

Jan. 27

Monti     4 11   6 17 – 38

Durant   6   9 16   9 – 40

     MONTICELLO (38) – Avery Martensen 1-4 0-0 2, Jacob Manternach 4-17 2-4 11, Alex Nealson 5-8 0-0 10, Andrew Tjaden 2-4 1-2 5, Kyle Sperfslage 2-11 0-0 4, Josh White 2-4 0-0 6, Taylor Manternach 0-1 0-0 0, Jordan Breashears 0-1 0-0 0, Ryan Manternach 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-50 3-6 38.

     DURANT (40) – Easton Botkins 5-9 0-1 13, Jake Conley 1-7 0-0 2, Luke Whitlock 4-11 5-6 13, Bryce LaFrenz 0-4 0-0 0, Joe Lilienthal 2-6 4-4 8, Mason Compton 1-2 1-4 3, Curtis Lilienthal 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 13-39 11-17 40.

     Three-pointers: White 2, J. Manternach; Botkins 3.

     Rebounds: Monticello 30 (Nealson 10, Tjaden 6, White 4), Durant 29.

     Total fouls: Monticello 19, Durant 7.

 

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