MARENGO – The Montezuma Braves went on a 20-8 run to close out the game and score a 56-50 win over Iowa Valley Thursday evening, Jan. 13, in a battle of two of SICL’s top three teams.
The victory also was the 100th career win for Coach Derrick Dengler in his Montezuma career.
The Braves were down 42-36 to start the fourth quarter when they began their winning run.
Eddie Burgess and Owen Cook were positively poisonous to the Tigers.
Burgess scored 21 points and pulled down 21 rebounds.
Cook scored 17 points – on eight-for-nine shooting – and had five rebounds.
“Eddie played a tremendous game,” Dengler said.
“Owen was also really efficient offensively and guarded Iowa Valley’s best player most of the game,” he added.
“Our defense was tremendous all game long,” Dengler said. “We forced them into difficult shots and that was huge to close out the game.”
“As a group, we did a great job adjusting to the calls and got to the line a ton,” Dengler said.
The Braves were 15-for-26 from the free throw line, including a nine-for-12 effort from there by Burgess. Montezuma was called for just 11 fouls, compared with Iowa Valley’s 21.
That helped to make up for 20 Braves turnovers, to just 11 by the Tigers.
Montezuma also had a 31-24 advantage in rebounds.
Guard Masin Shearer scored 10 points for the Braves and dished five assists.
Montezuma’s win lifted the Braves to 9-3 overall, and to 8-2 in South Iowa Cedar League play. It vaulted them to second place behind North Mahaska, which started the day at 9-1 against the league.
Iowa Valley fell to 7-2 in the league, and 7-3 overall.
UP NEXT – Friday’s game at Tri-County is postponed because of the impending snowstorm. The Braves next play on Tuesday, Jan. 18, at HLV. The Tri-County games have been rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 3.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
MONTEZUMA 10 13 13 20 – 56
IOWA VALLEY 13 8 21 8 – 50
MONTEZUMA (56) – Gavin Strong 1-7, 3-4, 2, 6. Masin Shearer 3-10, 3-4, 3, 10. Max Anderson 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Maguire De Jong 0-2, 0-2, 4, 2. Colton Benson 1-1, 0-2, 4, 2. Owen Cook 8-9, 0-2, 1, 17. Eddie Burgess 6-7, 9-12, 0, 21. TOTALS – 19-36, 15-26, 11, 56.
IOWA VALLEY (50) – TOTALS – 21-55, 6-11, 21, 50.
Line score legend: Field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.
Turnovers: Montezuma 20, Iowa Valley 11.
Three-point goals: Montezuma 3-13 (Cook 1-2, Strong 1-4, Shearer 1-6, De Jong 0-1); iowa Valley 2-16.
Rebounds: Montezuma 31 (Burgess 21, Cook 5, Strong 1, Shearer 1, Anderson 1, De Jong 1, Benson 1); Iowa Valley 24.
Assists: Montezuma 10 (Shearer 5, Strong 2, Burgess 2, De Jong 1).
Steals: Montezuma 6 (Burgess 2,Strong 2, Shearer 1, Benson 1).
Blocks: Montezuma 1 (Strong).