The buzz about Montezuma’s starship of a boys basketball team has been how the Braves are being propulsed across the universe by their impulse-speed offense.
True enough, but . . .look just below the surface. The defense hasn’t been resting out there and it didn’t Monday evening, Feb. 15, as the Braves opened post-season play with a 77-44 flash past BGM.
The Braves pressed and trapped the Bears in the corners and along the sidelines. They sagged inside and dared BGM to shoot over the top.
Which the Bears did, with modest success – BGM made seven three-point baskets after showing early reluctance to even launch shots from back there.
The Braves came up with deflections and started transitions, a few of which they mishandled, otherwise they may have had a halftime lead beyond 40-20.
It was 61-31 through three quarters as Montezuma cruised to its 20th victory in 22 games.
“We took care of business tonight,” said Braves Coach Derrick Dengler.
The Braves shot .627 from the field on 32 makes in 51 attempts. BGM shot .409 on 18-for-44.
The win means the Braves move on to Thursday’s semifinals against Lynnville-Sully (13-8), a 72-44 winner over Sigourney on Monday. That game will be at 7 p.m. in Montezuma.
The Braves’ half-court offense hummed. Montezuma assisted 19 of its 32 made field goals.
Guard Trey Shearer cast in six three-pointers and 29 points.
Post forward Eddie Burgess benefited from passing by swing forward Cole Watts (eight assists) and Trey Shearer on his way to 19 points. He also squeezed a dozen rebounds as the Braves ruled on the boards.
Watts scored 15 points and demonstrated his sharpshooting ability with 11 of them during first half play.
Trey Shearer, Burgess and Watts scored the first 48 Montezuma’s points. Gavin Strong broke that string with a three-pointer with 3:45 left in the third quarter. Montezuma’s three scoring leaders shot a combined 26-for-36 from the field.
Strong went on to score seven points in the third quarter, and Owen Cook joined him with two. Masin Shearer picked up a basket in the fourth quarter.
Strong later added a three-pointer to become the fourth Montezuma player in double figures with 10 points.
BGM, which dropped all three of its games against Montezuma this season, bowed out with a 4-18 record.
UP NEXT – The Braves host Lynnville-Sully Thursday at 7 p.m.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
BGM 12 8 11 13 – 44
Montezuma 21 19 21 16 – 77
MONTEZUMA (77)
Cam Johnson 0-2, 0-0, 3, 0. Masin Shearer 1-4, 0-0, 0, 2. Cole Watts 6-8, 2-2, 2, 15. Trey Shearer 11-18, 1-2, 1, 29. Eddie Burgess 9-10, 0-0, 1, 19. Garrett Watts 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Maguire De Jong 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0. Owen Cook 1-2, 0-0, 0, 2. Gavin Strong 4-6, 0-0, 0, 10. TOTALS – 32-51, 3-4, 7, 77.
BGM (44)
TOTALS – 18-44, 1-3, 6, 44.
Line score legend: Field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.
Turnovers: BGM 17, Montezuma 8.
Three-point goals: BGM 7-17, Montezuma 10-19 (T. Shearer 6-11, Strong 2-3, C. Watts 1-1, Burgess 1-1, Johnson 0-1, M. Shearer 0-2).
Rebounds: BGM 17, Montezuma 23 (Burgess 12, T. Shearer 5, C. Watts 3, M. Shearer 2, Cook 1, Strong 1.
Assists: Montezuma 19 (C. Watts 8, Burgess 4, T. Shearer 3, M. Shearer 2, Cook 1, Strong 1).
Steals: Montezuma 13 (C. Watts 3, T. Shearer 3, M. Shearer 2, Cook 2, Burgess 1, De Jong 1, Strong 1).
Blocks: Montezuma 5 (Burgess 3, T. Shearer 2).
