Florence junior Truth Setner (3) drives to the basket for a layup while Niagara’s Brayden Bartels (23) and Cameron Schiefelbein (33) defend on Monday in Niagara, Wis. (Terry Raiche photo)

NIAGARA, Wis. — Regularly, you’ll hear a coach preach about the benefits of playing as a team.

On Monday, the Niagara boys varsity basketball team (13-5, 9-3) demonstrated that principle to perfection, picking up a 81-53 non-conference win over Florence (5-12, 2-4).

“We played as a total team,” Badgers head coach Terry Youren said. “It makes a big difference, when everybody contributes and works hard. I’m so proud of them because they did the little things to make a difference in the game.”

The Badgers are currently tied for second place in the Marinette & Oconto Conference race with Coleman. Both teams trail Crivitz by a game and a half.

For the Bobcats, an inability to rebound and maintain possession of the ball was their downfall.

“We didn’t take ownership,” Florence head coach Bryan Bomberg said. “That’s the biggest thing right now. We’ve got to take ownership and a little bit of pride in what it is that we do. When you have 28 turnovers and you give up 23 offensive rebounds, that’s a lot of possessions that you’re giving the other team.

“We’d rather find fault in somebody else, instead of saying, ‘That’s my boxout, or whatever it may be.’ We’re hoping, now that we’ve left that locker room, that’s something we’re going to have.”

Niagara senior Cameron Schiefelbein led all scorers in the contest with 32 points. His previous career high was 27 points, which he reached last week against the Bobcats.

“We had a lot of momentum and energy,” Schiefelbein said. “We pushed the ball down the floor and I got the ball and put it in the cylinder.”

Florence sophomore Mason Koski opened the scoring in the first half with a 3-pointer from the left wing. A layup from junior Truth Setner put the Bobcats ahead 5-2. Then Schiefelbein took over. He recorded back-to-back layups, putting Niagara ahead by one point with 14 minutes left in the half. The Badgers wouldn’t give up the lead again.

“Cameron is a big contributor to the team,” Youren said. “He’s a big to begin with and we just have to keep pounding the ball inside to him. He does a good job of that.

“All of our kids deserve a lot of credit, because they’ve worked so hard together. This is about the team. Teams win games and that’s what it amounts to.”I’m very proud of this group of young men.”

Schiefelbein scored 19 points in the first half, propelling Niagara to a 39-25 advantage.

The Badgers ended the frame on a 13-0 run.

At halftime, Bomberg was focused on turning the tides in the next half.

“We had to get defensive stops,” Bomberg said. “Basketball is a game of runs. When a team goes on a run, you have to have a leader or somebody that’s going to step up and say, ‘We need a stop.’ And we didn’t have that tonight. Whatever the reason was, we didn’t have it.”

Niagara stayed locked in during the break.

“We stayed focused,” Youren said. “We have to just keep doing what we do. It’s all about little things, and I hope that we continue to do the little things. Little things make big differences.

“If you play as a group, as one unit, even though there’s five, you win.”

Both teams started the second half on a roll, but eventually the Badgers’ pressure broke through. In the final five minutes of the game, Niagara outscored the Bobcats, 14-2.

Setner led Florence with 13 points.

The Bobcats also received contributions from Carson Chrisman (12 points), Bradly Steber (12 points), Jack Kester (2 points), Koski (10 points), Carter Reed (2 points) and Caleb Baker (2 points).

Niagara received contributions from Alex Tripp (11 points), Gavin Neuens (6 points), Dante Stachowicz (6 points), Easton Holmes (8 points), Brayden Bartels (12 points), Christian Anderson (1 point) and Noah Wheeler (5 points).

Niagara is in Suring, Wis. on Friday while the Bobcats are back in action on Thursday at home against Three Lakes.