The Monticello Billies kept their postseason hopes alive on Saturday afternoon by holding off the Star City Bulldogs comeback attempt 69-65.
The Billies would get back in the win column in conference play on Friday, February 3, travelling to Hamburg to defeat the Lions 60-48.
Scheduled to play Star City at home in the Dan Coston Fieldhouse earlier in the week, the game would have to be rescheduled due to the winter storm that came through the area during the week, knocking out power and causing icy conditions in the area for several days.
Being rescheduled for Saturday, February 4, the Billes would get an afternoon tip a little after 2pm after the Lady Billies were defeated under the sportsmanship rule by the Lady Bulldogs of Star City, 52-17.
Star City would control the opening tip and would get on the board first to begin the contest on a two point shot by Zairen Beene.
Monticello answered the score on a shot by Tejon Tensley. Tensley would score four points in the quarter.
Monticello would outscore the Bulldogs by seven points in the quarter, 13-6.
Monticello would extend their lead in the second quarter behind Quay Rhodes’ seven points to outscore the Bulldogs 20-11 in the quarter to take a 33-17 advantage at the half.
Monticello would put up another twenty point performance in the third quarter, outscoring Star City 22-16 in the quarter to hold a 21-point, 55-34, lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Star City would make a run in the fourth quarter, but time would not be on the side of the Bulldogs after outscoring Monticello 32-14 in the quarter with Monticello holding on to a four-point, 69-65, win.
Quay Rhodes led the Billies in scoring with 22 points followed by Tejon Tensley with 15 and Luke Jones with 12.
Jagger Hines and Jeremiah Daniels each scored six, Gentry Isom and Jontavion Lambert with three, and Bret Birch and Tye Guthrie rounding out the scoring with one point each.
With the wins, Monticello improves to 8-14 overall and 6-4 in conference play.
The Billies currently hold a one game lead over Warren for the final regional spot.
