4th-quarter stretch keys Monticello

CEDAR RAPIDS - The way Sonya McCormick sees it, Monticello's ID is 'D.”

'We're known for our defense,” she said. 'It's what our team is about. It's been that way forever.”

And it was that way in the fourth quarter Saturday.

The Panthers held Durant without a field goal for 6 minutes in the pivotal stretch and fought past the Wildcats, 38-31, in a River Valley Conference girls' basketball contest as part of Rivalry Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Center.

It was a much happier result than last year, when the Panthers were dusted by Iowa City Regina here.

'Last year, we came here and we didn't know what it was going to be like,” McCormick said. 'Today, we came in here with our heads on. We knew it wasn't going to be easy.”

It was a grind, yes. The Panthers (8-5 overall, 7-3 RVC) trailed through most of the first three quarters, and Durant (8-5, 7-3) took its final lead, 26-24, with 6:23 to go.

But Ellen Schlarmann converted a traditional three-point play, Allison Ries drilled a 3-pointer and McCormick tacked on another old-fashioned three-point score in a 2-minute surge as Monticello assumed control for good, 35-28.

And all the while, the Panthers were denying Durant on the other end.

'We just communicated really well on the defensive end,” said Monticello Coach Donnie Kremer. 'We stopped their cutters. Our team defense was huge, and our core players showed great leadership in the fourth quarter.”

The game did not feature a double-figure scorer. Ries led the Panthers with nine points while McCormick supplied eight points and nine rebounds.

Shannon Telsrow scored eight points for Durant.

MONTICELLO 38, DURANT 31

At U.S. Cellular Center

MONTICELLO (38): Taylor McDonald 0-7 0-0 0, Allison Ries 3-12 2-2 9, Shay Stephen 2-3 0-0 5, Sonya McCormick 2-3 4-5 8, Traci Plummer 0-2 3-5 3, Mandi Miles 3-4 1-2 8, Ellen Schlarmann 2-3 1-3 5, Kori Bohlken 0-1 0-2 0, Macey Spensley 0-0 0-0 0, Krysten Tighe 0-0 0-0 0, Kate Aitchison 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor McDonough 0-0 0-0 0, Jessalyn Kromminga 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 12-36 11-19 38.

DURANT (31): Janey Botkins 2-6 0-2 6, Shannon Telsrow 1-4 6-9 8, Aubrey Werthmann 0-1 1-2 1, Hannah Ralfs 1-2 0-0 2, Brinn Grunder 0-0 0-0 0, Courtney Ralfs 2-4 1-1 5, Miranda Cox 0-1 0-2 0, Jaclyn Ralfs 3-3 1-4 7, Peyton Miedema 0-1 0-0 0, Autumn Wolf 1-1 0-0 2, Marisa Paulsen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 10-23 9-20 31.

Halftime: Durant 18, Monticello 13. 3-point goals: Monticello 3-16 (McDonald 0-5, Ries 1-7, Stephen 1-2, Miles 1-1), Durant 2-7 (Botkins 2-5, Telsrow 0-1, Miedema 0-1). Team fouls: Monticello 19, Durant 18. Fouled out: none Rebounds: Monticello 26 (McCormick 9), Durant 24 (Telsrow 5). Assists: Monticello 7 (Ries 3), Durant 4 (Telsrow 4). Steals: Monticello 9 (four with 2), Durant 0. Turnovers: Monticello 13, Durant 19.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com