KNOXVILLE – It was a basketball clinic, with a sub-state championship and a trip to state attached.
The Montezuma Braves were sharp in execution in all phases of their game as they swept by Mount Ayr, 64-29, in a Class 1A sub-state game Saturday evening, Feb. 27.
The win, Montezuma’s 17th in a row, lifted the Braves to 22-2 overall and into the state tournament, starting Monday, March 8, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
The Braves have drawn the number seven seed and will face number two Lake Mills (25-0) in the 2 p.m. game.
It might be fair to say the Braves were keyed by their defense, which put a lot of distance between Mount Ayr’s front- and back-court players, and stifled Raiders attempts to get production from their post players.
But it wouldn’t be fair NOT to say Montezuma was a gas on offense, too.
Mount Ayr’s zone must not have looked to the Braves like the one Keota threw at them last game, because Montezuma snapped confident-looking passes over and through it.
Four Braves reached double figures, and senior point guard Trey Shearer made sure three of his teammates made it there before he did.
The result was a Mount Ayr defense that was back on its heels most of the night.
Post forward Eddie Burgess scored 16 points by rolling to the basket on set plays, grabbing passes in mid-stride, and putting down shots.
Guard Masin Shearer dropped in 16, including a pair of three-point baskets.
Forward Cole Watts scored 13, and Trey Shearer scored 11.
Montezuma led 13-5 after one quarter and 32-10 at halftime.
The Braves put any lingering doubt aside with a 17-0 run to open the second half and start a continuous clock.
Burgess and the Braves ruled the boards at both ends of the floor.
Jaixen Frost, a 6-2 sophomore who came in with a 22-point scoring average, was able to net just three.
Erik Trujillo, a 6-2 forward, led Mount Ayr with 11 points, but was the team’s only double digits scorer.
Unofficially, Mount Ayr made 16 turnovers, to Montezuma’s seven.
The Raiders bowed out with a final record of 19-5.
Quarterfinal games at state take place Monday, March 8. Come back here later for official stats, pairings, and more!
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Mount Ayr 5 5 11 8 – 29
Montezuma 13 19 22 10 – 64
MONTEZUMA (64)
Cam Johnson 1-2, 1-2, 0, 3. Masin Shearer 6-8, 2-2, 1, 16. Cole Watts 5-12, 1-1, 3, 13. Trey Shearer 4-8, 0-0, 1, 11. Eddie Burgess 8-12, 0-0, 0, 16. Sawyer Tindle 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Owen Cook 1-4, 0-0, 0, 2. Gavin Strong 1-1, 0-0, 1, 3. Joey Kercheval 0-0, 0-0, 0,0. Ryan Cheney 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS – 26-48, 4-5, 6, 64.
MOUNT AYR (29)
TOTALS – 12-40, 1-3, 6, 29.
Line score legend: Field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.
Turnovers – Mount Ayr 17, Montezuma 8.
Three-point goals: Mount Ayr 4-18, Montezuma 8-20 (T. Shearer 3-7, M. Shearer 2-2, Watts 2-8, Strong 1-1, Cook 0-2).
Rebounds: Mount Ayr 18, Montezuma 27 (Burgess 13, T. Shearer 6, Watts 5, Johnson 1, M. Shearer 1, Kercheval 1).
Assists – Montezuma 15 (Watts 5, T. Shearer 4, Johnson 2, M. Shearer 2, Cook 2).
Steals – Montezuma 9 (Watts 3, T. Shearer 2, Johnson 1, M. Shearer 1, Burgess 1, Cook 1).
Blocks – Montezuma 6 (Burgess 4, T. Shearer 1, Johnson 1).
