If you thought the Montezuma Braves looked just little different Tuesday night, Jan. 25, your eyes may not have been deceiving.
The Braves put a 68-44 wound on Colfax-Mingo on Senior Night.
They did their usual thing with their constricting defense, limiting the Tigerhawks to single digit scoring in each of the first two quarters of a 36-13 half.
On offense, the Braves posted up 6-4 Eddie Burgess more often than in some games in the past. It may have had something to do with where the Braves had a size advantage.
Or, it may have been to open some seams for Montezuma’s outside shooters and drivers.
At any rate, Burgess poured home 30 points and equaled his school record single game rebounding mark with 24 as the Braves took their overall record to 12-3, and their SiCL mark to 11-2.
Garrett Watts hit his first shot of the game – a three-pointer – and he’s one addition to the lineup the Braves are making room for. Watts was in his second game back after spending time rehabbing a broken leg suffered in football.
Burgess scored 8 points in the first quarter as the Braves staked out a 15-2 claim. Montezma’s defense simply shut off the middle, and Colfax-Mingo struggled to make outside shots.
Burgess scored the first 10 points of the third quarter, with the Braves obviously looking to him down low. That pushed Montezuma up 46-13.
At the other end, Burgess had control of the defensive boards, where he grabbed 15 of his total of 24 rebounds. Colfax-Mingo outscored the Braves by a point in the second half, but couldn’t get the margin much under 20 points.
Masin Shearer scored 10 points for the Braves, Gavin Strong had 7, and Watts and Max Anderson had 5 each.
Burgess made 15 of 19 shots from the field. He had 5 assists, 4 steals and blocked a shot in a monumental personal effort.
Shearer splashed down a pair of three-pointers, had 5 assists, and 3 steals for the Braves.
Colfax-Mingo left town with a 3-12 overall mark which includes 2-10 agqinst the league.
MONTEZUMA SENIORS – Were honored, and introduced with the parents. Seniors are Ryan Cheney, Camden Michalek, Sawyer Tindle, Eddie Burgess, Jeremy Williams and Nik Kotar.
An all-senior starting lineup played the first 90 seconds of the game. The Braves didn’t score – but neither did Colfax-Mingo!
Coach Derrick Dengler was formally recognized for his 100th career victory.
UP NEXT – The Braves host a bigger school client, Albia, on Thursday evening, Jan. 27.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Colfax-Mingo 4 9 13 18 – 44
Montezuma 15 21 15 17 – 68
MONTEZUMA (68) – Gavin Strong 3-9, 0-0, 0, 7. Masin Shearer 4-8, 0-0, 1, 10. Colton Benson 1-4, 0-0, 0, 2. Owen Cook 2-7, 0-0, 2, 4. Eddie Burgess 15-19, 0-0, 1, 30. Jack Erselius 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Garrett Watts 2-4, 0-0, 0. 5. Max Anderson 2-3, 0-0, 1, 5. Maguire De Jong 0-2, 0-0, 1, 0. Jeremy Williams 0-2, 0-2, 0, 0. Sawyer Tindle 0-2, 0-0, 0, 0. Cam Michalek 1-3, 0-0, 0, 3. Ryan Cheney 1-1, 0-0, 0, 3. TOTALS – 31-64, 0-2, 6, 68.
COLFAX-MINGO (44) – TOTALS – 18-53, 3-5, 5, 44.
Line score legend: Field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.
Turnovers: Montezuma 13, Colfax-Mingo 17.
Three-point goals: Montezuma 6-23 (Shearer 2-5, Strong 1-6, Watts 1-3, Anderson 1-2, Michalek 1-3, Cook 0-2, Tindle 0-2); Colfax-Mingo 5-21.
Rebounds: Montezuma 40 (Burgess 24, Strong 5, Cook 4, Benson 2, Tindle 2, Shearer 1, Williams 1, Cheney 1); Colfax-Mingo 28.
Assists: Montezuma 16 (Burgess 5, Shearer 5, Strong 4, Cook 1, Williams 1); Colfax-Mingo 8.
Steals: Montezuma 13 (Burgess 4, Shearer 3, Strong 2, Cook 1, Watts 1, De Jong 1, Michalek 1); Colfax-Mingo 10.
Blocks: Montezuma 3 (Strong 1, Benson 1, Burgess 1); Colfax-Mingo 2.
Colfax-Mingo leaders – Scoring: Cole Bracewell 15, Cael Bracewell 10. Rebounds: Cael Bracewell 7, Trey Hockenmier 5.