JOHN CURTIS - Daily Union Sports Editor
The Shelbyville Rams still struggled to get their second win of the season at home on Friday, losing to Monticello to open OVC conference play, 73-54.
The Rams got up and down the floor, but still struggled to score consistently. Cody Boarman led with a game-high 23 points and Dustyn Fatheree scored ten points. But, that was the only two Rams in double figures. Monty had four players in double figures. Palla led with 20, Koncel had 19, Huisinga had ten and Johnson 11. Monty hit seven treys and Shelbyville only one. Shelby was 13-of-23 at the line and Monty just 8-of-11, but those six extra threes were hard to offset.
Palla and Huisinga scored early for Monticello to give them the lead. Palla had four scores in the first and Huisinga two. Then Johnson came off the bench had hit back-to-back treys and a long two. Koncel, the biggest player on the floor, had just 1-of-2 free throws and a solo bucket. But, Monty was up by 13 after one.
Dustyn Fatheree led Shelby early scoring three times in the first on put-backs. Boarman had a two and 2-of-2 free throws and Shelby was behind 23-10.
In the second, Monty kept ringing up treys and Koncel got into the flow. Koncel scored three times and made two free throws. Johnson, Palla and Garrett all added solo treys and Husinga a solo two for another 19 Monty points.
Shelby got scoring from five players in the second. Boarman scored three times and Levi Pruemer, Clayton Baker and Fatheree added solo twos. Pruemer went to the line twice and made 3-of-4 free throws, while Austin Smith was 1-of-2 at the stripe. Shelby trailed by 17 at the break, 42-25.
Koncel got jiggy with it in the third and scored four times, almost outscoring Shelby in the quarter, by himself. Husiinga had a pair of deucesand Brubaker came in and made a deuce and a trey. Shelby could only manage solo twos from Boarman,Langan and Baker in the third. They also shot just 3-of-7 from the line and slipped further back, trailing by 26 points heading into the fourth, 60-34.
In the final frame, Shelby out-scored Monty 20-13, but it didn't reshape their fate. Boarman had a trey and a deuce, 2-of-5 makes at the line and another two to cap his 23 -point night. Langan, Cloe, Baker and Fatheree all had one more field goal each. Baker's came on a 3-point play. Cloe added 2-of-2 foul shooting to pull Shelby within 20 at the buzzer.
Palla had two scores late and went 4-of-4 at the line down the stretch to notch his 20-point team-high.
Shelbyville is off until the Vandalia Holiday Tournament on December 26
Varsity
Monticello 73, Shelbyville 54
Monty 23-19-18-13--73
Shelby 10-15-9-20--54
Ram stats: Boarman 23 (7-2s, 1-3 pt FGs, 6/12 FTs), Fatheree 10 (5 FGs), Baker 7 (3 FGs, 1/1 FTs), Pruemer 5 (FG, 3/6 FTs), Cloe 4 (FG, 2/2 FTs), Langan 4 (2 FGs), Smith 1 (1/2 FTs). Team FGs 20 (1-3 pt: Boarman). Team FTs 13-of-23.
Monty stats: Palla 20 (6 FGs, 1-3 pt FGs, 5/6 FTs), Koncel 19 (8 FGs, 3/4 FTs), Johnson 11 (1-2, 3-3 pt FGs), Husinga 10 (5 FGs), Garrett 6 (2-3 pt FGs), Brubaker 5 (1-2, 1-3 pt FGs), Dalzell 2 (FG), McHale (0/1 FTs). Team FGs 29 (7-3 pt: Johnson 3, Garrett 2, Palla, Brubaker). Team FTs 8-of-11.
JV
Monticello 56, Shelbyville 42
Monty 15-15-15-11--56
Shelby 21-12-4-5--42
Ram stats: Nate Standerfer 14 (2-2s, 2-3 pt FGs, 4/4 FTs), Baker 11 (4-2s, 1-3 pt FG), Jake Keown 6 (3 FGs), Darin Breeden 6 (FG, 4/6 FTs), Brody Bence 3 (FG, 1/2 FTs), Cody Langan 2 (FG, 0/1 FTs). Team FGs 15 (3-3 pt: Standerfer 2, Baker). Team FTs 9-of-13.
Monty stats: King 15 (7 FGs, 1/1 FTs), O'Brien 9 (2-2s, 1-3 pt FGs, 2/2 FTs), Dalzell 9 (4 FGs, 1/2 FTs), Kruse 8 (4 FGs) McHale 7 (2 FGs, 3/4 FTs), McDowell 3 (FG, 1/2 FTs), Dixon 2 (2/2 FTs), Miller 3 (FG). Team FGs 22 (2-3 pt: O'Brien, Kruse). Team FTs 10-of-13.
