Sauk Prairie upended by MG

MADISON – Capped by senior forward Trevor Spray’s 3-pointer as time was running out in the first half, the Sauk Prairie boys’ basketball team was enjoying its appearance at the 11th annual Badger Challenge last Saturday afternoon. After shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and taking a five-point lead into the break, though, the Eagles suffered a reversal of fortune in the second half. Monona Grove’s suffocating 2-3 zone defense proved to be the breaking point for Sauk Prairie, which dropped a 58-50 decision to the Silver Eagles in overtime in a Badger Challenge fourth-place game at Madison Edgewood’s Wilke Gym.  “I thought that we had good energy in the first half, and for whatever reason, our energy just kind of folded in the second half,” Sauk Prairie coach Sean McGann said. “Our bench was quiet, our guys’ body language was terrible. I don’t know why that was. “When we have that lead, it has to be like blood in the water. We had the chance to ice the game with free throws and we couldn’t convert.” Spray led Sauk Prairie (5-7) with 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Junior forward Brandt Wilson chipped in 13 points and six rebounds, while senior guard Parker Breunig added 10 points.  The Eagles shot 46.4% in the first half (13 of 28) in building a 30-25 halftime lead. But Sauk Prairie shot just 33.3% the rest of the game (7 of 21). “At the end of the first half, we lost track of Spray and he made the three. (Parker) Breunig also hit one, but besides that, I thought we did pretty well in our 2-3 (zone),” said Monona Grove coach Dan Zweifel, who recorded his 300th career victory. Sauk Prairie extended its lead to 37-27 in the opening minutes of the second half, but failed to seal the deal. Junior forward Isaac Breunig’s runner in the lane gave the Eagles’ their first double-digit lead of the game with 13 minutes, 7 seconds left in regulation. But Monona Grove (5-7) used a 13-0 run over the ensuing 6:35 to grab a 40-37 lead and turn the contest into a dogfight that was eventually decided at the free throw line in the extra session. “They played zone 90 percent of the game,” McGann said of the Silver Eagles. “We pride ourselves on getting in the paint. I honestly think we went over 10 minutes without touching the paint. That killed us.” Sauk Prairie failed to convert on 10 consecutive possessions in the second half, missing two three-point attempts and committing eight turnovers. Meanwhile, Monona Grove made four of its seven field goal attempts, including two 3s, and 3 of 4 free throws during that span to snatch the momentum away from the Eagles. “I’m just real disappointed in our effort,” McGann said. “We had no one who wanted any part of having the basketball against the zone. That was as poor as we’ve played. “There will be definitely some soul searching in terms of who wants the ball and who doesn’t. So I’m disappointed with our overall effort.” Zweifel said he was contemplating switching to a man-to-man defense early in the second half when the Silver Eagles suddenly caught fire. But Lance Nelson sank the third of his four three-pointers, and Connor Bracken added a jumper to trim Sauk Prairie’s lead to 37-32 with 12:12 remaining. So the Silver Eagles opted to remain in their aggressive 2-3 zone, which Sauk Prairie failed to solve. “We tried to change the tempo of the game because Spray came out and got going early on,” Zweifel said. “Wilson got going early on and then they were able to kick out for a couple of easy shots. “So we decided to change up things and see if they could beat us from outside. I thought we’d stop the inside (game) they had and it worked.” Nelson sank two free throws at the 7:53 mark of the second half to give the Silver Eagles a 38-37 lead, their first since the closing minutes of the opening period. Bracken then scored off an offensive rebound nearly a half minute later for a 40-37 lead. Following three lead changes, Sauk Prairie held a 50-45 lead after Wilson made one of two free throws with 5:30 left in regulation. But Monona Grove closed the game on a 13-0 run and made 8 of 10 free throws in overtime to end the Eagles’ two-game winning streak. Bracken’s putback basket pulled Monona Grove within 50-47 with 35 seconds to play. After Isaac Breunig’s missed free throw, Nelson canned a three-pointer from the right corner with 8 seconds to go to tie the game at 50-50. “We went to a spread offense,” Zweifel said of the Silver Eagles’ strategy in the closing seconds of regulation. “The idea was to dribble penetrate and try to kick it out and see if we could get an open three, and we got some space.” Sauk Prairie called time out with 7.7 seconds left, but Isaac Breunig’s free throw line jumper bounced out to force overtime. The Eagles got the tip in overtime, and Ben German missed a three-pointer on their first possession. Bracken then drained a pair of free throws to give Monona Grove the lead for good. Sauk Prairie missed all eight of its field goal attempts, including six beyond the arc, and committed one turnover in the extra session to come up short. “Turnovers killed us in the second half,” McGann said. “We had a good first half but that’s not worth a lot.” • On deck: Following a Badger North Conference game at Waunakee on Tuesday, Sauk Prairie will travel to Verona for a non-conference game on Feb. 4 at 7:15 p.m.   Jan. 25 Monona Grove 58,  Sauk Prairie 50, OT Monona Grove ... 25 25 8 — 58 Sauk Prairie …… 30 20 0 — 50 MONONA GROVE — Trey Loken 1 3-3 5, Nelson 5 0-0 14, Jordan Hibner 2 1-2 6, Luke Tipton 2 2-2 8, Jacob Munz 3 2-2 10, Connor Bracken 5 5-8 15. Totals 18 13-17 58. SAUK PRAIRIE — Tyler Uselman 0 0-0 0, Ben German 3 1-4 9, Isaac Breunig 2 0-2 4, Garrett Hertzfeldt 0 0-0 0, Trevor Spray 6 0-0 14, Brandt Wilson 5 3-4 13, Parker Breunig 4 0-0 10. Totals 20 4-10 50. 3-point goals: MG 9 (Nelson 4, Hibner 1, Tipton 2, Munz 2); SP 6 (German 2, Spray 2, P. Breunig 2). Fouls: MG 14; SP 14. Fouled out: I. Breunig (SP).