By RANDY GONZALES

rgonzales@dailynews.net

PRATT -- Coach Joe Hertel doesn't like losing, but he wasn't all that unhappy after the Monarchs lost again Friday night.

But he hopes his players are ticked off.

I'm not that really upset with the kids," said Hertel, the Thomas More Prep-Marian boys' basketball coach. "I don't want them used to playing close (but losing).

"I'm not angry -- I hope they are."

TMP-Marian lost 59-46 Friday night in Mid-State Activities Association action, but not before putting a scare into the Greenbacks, ranked fifth in Class 4A.

The Monarchs trailed by four points early in the fourth quarter, but then proceeded to miss the front end of three straight one-and-one opportunities.

"We had an opportunity to make a game of this," Hertel said.

But Pratt took advantage, going on a 14-2 run to put the game out of reach. Junior guard Micah Swank, who had been stifled by the Monarchs' zone all night, scored eight straight points in that span, including a pair of 3-pointers. He finished with 16 points after starting out the game missing seven of his first nine shots.

TMP-Marian (4-11 overall, 0-5 MIAA) started out the game in a zone defense designed to slow down Micah Swank and his older brother, junior Matt Swank, who finished 1-8 from the floor and scored seven points.

Hertel preaches man-to-man defense, but went zone out of necessity. The Swank brothers combined for 40 points in Pratt's 62-41 win in Hays earlier in the season.

"It does hurt me when we play zone," Hertel said. "We went on the road, we were ready. Stymied them with the matchup zone.

"I thought we did a good job on (the Swank brothers). Our plan was excellent. We held both below their average," he added.

The Monarchs' zone did allow seams inside, and 6-foot-4 senior Luke Southard took advantage, scoring a game-high 18 points before fouling out early in the fourth quarter.

"I didn't think the kid shot that well all the time," Hertel said. "He's the difference in the ballgame."

TMP-Marian led 14-13 after the first quarter and even though Pratt (13-2, 5-0) made 5-of-7 shots in one span during the second quarter, the Monarchs kept it close at halftime, trailing 28-23.

A 3-pointer by junior Jordan Maska late in the third quarter helped TMP-Marian stay in the game entering the fourth quarter, trailing 42-36.

Maska's wraparound pass on a drive to the basket led to a layup by junior Nathan Zimmerman with 7:22 left in the game, cutting the deficit to four points.

But Zimmerman, sophomore Kelton Schuckman and junior Caleb Pinney each missed the front end of one-and-one situations. Pinney and sophomore Jacob Fouts led the Monarchs with eight points apiece.

"Don't know, 38 or 39 (points), get stuck there a lot," Hertel said. "Same thing tonight."

Still, the Monarch coach liked what he saw on the floor.

"I'm proud of the kids," Hertel said. "They played with more spirit and enthusiasm than I've seen in a long time."

TMP-Marian will play host to Larned on Tuesday in MSAA action.