Just in the nick of time, the DeForest boys’ basketball team might be peaking.
Squeezing out a tight 64-61 Badger Large Conference win at home over Monona Grove on Thursday, Feb. 22, provided another shot of confidence, as the Norskies prepare for postseason play
“MG is a tough, well-rounded team,” said Norskies’ head coach Eric Stewart. “It was a slow start for both teams in this one, but once we got the flow of the game moving I thought we did a nice job of working for quality shots on the offensive end.”
Shooting 54% from the field made a big difference for DeForest, who finish the regular season 12-12 overall and 5-9 in Badger Large play.
Clinging to a 60-57 lead with 2:39 to go, DeForest forced a turnover, when Lincoln Hottmann dug down for clutch steal. Hottmann headed the other way, working his way for a reverse layup to extend the Norskies’ lead to 64-59 with 1:10 remaining. Hottmann came up with another crunch time steal with 4.3 seconds left to seal the victory.
“Defensively, we had a few miscues down the stretch that we need to clean up, but Lincoln came up with two huge steals,” said Stewart. “We talk all the time about maximizing our possessions and limiting our opponents. These were two critical defensive plays that deserve recognition in helping us come away with a win tonight.”
Winners of four out of their last five games, the Norskies are riding a hot streak.
“We all know what this time of year is about — come March it is all about playing our best basketball and being able to close out games,” said Stewart.
DeForest is seeded No. 4 in its regional, giving the Norskies a first-round bye. The Norskies will host Milwaukee Lutheran on Friday at 7 p.m.
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