WILLIAMSBURG – Montezuma didn’t have an abundance of time to rig up a defense to use against high-scoring Keota.
“One practice was devoted to Keota,” said Montezuma Coach Derrick Dengler, not long after the Braves beat the Eagles 66-48 for the Class 1A District 9 championship. The game was played Thursday evening, Feb. 27.
“This was such a team win,” Dengler said. “We don’t play a lot of guys. But our scout team and bench do some awesome things to get us ready. Right now, I’m so proud of this bunch!”
The Braves used a combination of zones and some man-to-man coverage against Keota and their 29.5 points a game scorer, J.D. Stout.
Waving their arms pumping their feet, the Braves contested passes and shots, playing defense like their hair was on fire. Keota’s ball movement got entangled at times and rhythm shooting was difficult.
“To hold a team like Keota, with all their scoring and firepower, to under 50 points, well, that was huge,” Dengler said.
“Our own offense struggled at times, but we got enough to the rim and hit free throws at the end to extend it (a lead) out,” the coach said.
Stout (19 points, on 7-for-18 shooting), connected twice early to give Keota a 9-6 lead. But Braves freshman Masin Shearer tied in with a trey, starting Montezuma on an 14-0 run that carried into the second quarter.
The Braves were getting everyone involved in their offense. Trey Shearer had 12 points by halftime, Eddie Burgess had 10 and Cole Watts had seven.
For Keota, Stout was already had 11 of his 19 by halftime.
The Braves starting missing threes, but so did Keota. Montezuma led 32-22 at halftime.
Keota played defense, too, and that really showed up in third quarter when the Eagles limited Montezuma to five points.
Keota put up just nine, so the Braves’ lead was 37-31 through three quarters.
But early in the fourth quarter, Burgess scored inside, Trey Shearer scored on a split-the-seam drive and Watts hit a three-ball.
The Braves were on their way to a 29-17 fourth quarter.
They slowed the pace and killed some clock late, then salted away the win by making free throws.
Stout’s 19 isn’t a bad night’s work, but consider that his average was 29.5 coming in. Luke Hammen scored 14; his average is 12. Carson Sprouse scored five; his average is 12.
”We played mostly a zone that was adjusted to match up with their shooters,” Dengler said. “We did play a little man-to-man as well, but the zone was effective.”
Keota shot .391 from the field, to Montezuma’s .533. Each side was four-for-18 from beyond the arc. Which means Keota shot 14-for-28 (.500) from two-point range.
But the Braves, from two-point range, were 20-for-27 – that’s .740.
The Braves were patient on offense and wound up assisting 16 of their 24 field goals.
Four Montezuma players reached double figures. Trey Shearer scored 22 points, Watts and Burgess had 13 each and Brayden Arendt dropped in 10. Masin Shearer came in with seven.
The Braves didn’t foul much, especially early in the game. They did get themselves to the line, where they went 14-for-19. Montezuma finished with six more baskets and six more free throws.
Burgess, Montezuma’s 6-4 sophomore post, did nurse some foul trouble, which was aggravated in the third quarter when he and Stout each were assessed technical fouls after contesting for a rebound.
Observers on the scene said there didn’t appear to be any animosity between the two and questioned where a double technical needed to be called. But, because technicals are also personals, it put Burgess into some foul trouble. Again, Owen Cook gave the Braves some key minutes off the bench.
Trey Shearer was nine-for-12 from the field. He added four assists, four steals, and had a deflection.
Burgess had yet another double-double with his 13 points and team-high 11 rebounds. He also had four assists, two steals, a deflection, a blocked shot and took a charge.
Watts scored 13 points and was second on the team in rebounds with seven. He had three assists and a pair of deflections.
Keota closed its season at 20-4.
Montezuma moves on at 22-2.
UP NEXT – The Braves play in the sub-state game at Knoxville on Saturday, Feb. 29. The opponent is 17-7 Nodaway Valley. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Keota 9 13 9 17 – 48
Montezuma 18 14 5 29 – 66
MONTEZUMA (66) – Brayden Arendt 3-6, 3-4, 1, 10. Masin Shearer 1-6, 4-4, 1, 7. Cole Watts 5-14, 2-3, 3, 13. Trey Shearer 9-12, 3-4, 1, 22. Owen Cook 0-0, 1-2, 1, 1. Eddie Burgess 6-7, 1-2, 4, 13. TOTALS – 24-45, 14-19, 11, 66.
KEOTA (48)
TOTALS- 18-46, 8-12, 17, 48.
Line score legend: Field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.
Turnovers: Montezuma 12, Keota 17.
Rebounds: Montezuma 27 (Burgess 11, Watts 7, T. Shearer 5, Arendt 3, M. Shearer 1); Keota 23.
Three-point goals: Montezuma 4-18 (T. Shearer 1-2, Arendt 1-4, M. Shearer 1-5, Watts 1-7); Keota 4-18.
Assists: M. Shearer 4, T. Shearer 4, Burgess 4, Watts 3, Arendt 1.
Steals: T. Shearer 4, Arendt 2, M. Shearer 2, Burgess 2.
Deflections: Watts 2, Arendt 1, M. Shearer 1, T. Shearer 1, Burgess 1.
Block: Burgess 1.
Took charge: Burgess 1.
Technical fouls: Stout (Keota); Burgess.
