GRUNDY CENTER – It’s what you want right before tournament time: A test against a quality team.
Grundy Center provided the push. Montezuma pushed back, overcoming a slow-paced third quarter by pulling away late to win in a 63-52 match-up of good teams from different classes on Tuesday evening, Feb. 9.
The victory moved Class 1A seventh-rated Montezuma to 17-2 on the season. Grundy Center, a 2A school, is 13-5.
“That was a very good game for us,” Montezuma Coach Derrick Dengler said.
The Braves started fast and led 23-17 after one quarter and 40-31 at halftime.
But the Spartans, who employed two rangy post players, were more patient on offense in the third quarter. And when Montezuma wing forward Cole Watts picked up his third personal foul midway through the third quarter and had to come out, the Spartans started chipping away at a Montezuma 10-point lead.
The Braves led 46-41 heading into the fourth quarter, but then re-established control.
Watts was back on the floor and stroked a trey, then Trey Shearer did, too, to extend the lead. The Braves put up a 17-11 quarter, padding their lead with free throws.
The game was physical, but also filled with subtleties, like hand-checks, bumps on shots that usually weren’t called and some monster ball screens, which were not all that subtle, really. “Grundy Center is a physical team,” Dengler said. “It was good ffor us to adjust to that.”
The Braves probably won not just because they shot better, but because of where they shot from. Montezuma shot .500 from the field on 22-for-44. Grundy Center shot .354 on 17-for-48. The Braves produced points from the paint most of the night, except during their six-point third quarter, when they made just one two-point basket.
In the first quarter, the Spartans were prepared to run the Braves off the three-point arc. But when they came out, the Braves took off for the basket. Shearer got to the rim. So did Watts, or he passed to Burgess who finished in close.
Guard Trey Shearer scored 24 points for the Braves and Grundy Center made him work for them. He did drop in four three-point baskets. And he shot well. His seven-for-12 from the field included four-for-eight on three-pointers. He was six-for-seven from the line. And he grabbed seven rebounds, in strong support of eight by Eddie Burgess.
Cole Watts also made four from behind the arc. He scored 16 points in all and made a huge difference in this game’s outcome. Watts was five-for-10 from the field and had three assists.
Burgess scored 10, all in the first half, and Masin Shearer penetrated for eight points.
Grundy Center made five three-point baskets.
Turnovers were at a minimum. Grundy Center made 9, to Montezuma’s 10.
Wes Willis led Grundy Center with 12 points. Brayden Sawyer scored 10 and dished four assists. Dexter Whithill scored eight points, and 6-4 Nick Ascher had six rebounds.
JV’s DEFEATED – Montezuma’s JV boys were on the short end of a 57-41 scores.
UP NEXT – The Braves play at makeup game at 5 p.m. Thursday against HLV. It will be varsity only and boys only. Montezuma needs to win in order to claim part of the South Iowa Cedar League championship. Then on Friday, the Braves host Gladbrook-Reinbeck in a JV/varsity doubleheader.
LIVE STREAM? YOU CAN HELP – Activities Director Tim Burgess reports there is a fee involved for live streaming or televising post-season tournament games. But it is possible, and Montezuma will be hosting boys games on Feb. 15 and 18, and girls games on Feb. 16 and 19. If you wish to sponsor, as a business or individual, and get some advertising value, please contact Burgess at the school. This decision must be made by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 12.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Montezuma 23 17 6 17 – 63
Grundy Center 17 14 10 11 – 52
MONTEZUMA (63)
Cam Johnson 1-2, 1-2, 1, 3. Masin Shearer 3-7, 2-2, 2, 8. Cole Watts 5-10, 3-3, 4, 16. Trey Shearer 7-12, 6-7, 3, 24. Eddie Burgess 5-8, 0-0, 3, 10. Owen Cook 1-3, 0-0, 0, 2. Gavin Strong 0-2, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS – 22-44, 12-14, 13, 63.
GRUNDY CENTER (52)
TOTALS – 17-48, 13-17, 16, 52.
Line score legend: Field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.
Turnovers: Grundy Center 9, Montezuma 10.
Three-point goals: Grundy Center 5-12, Montezuma 7-20 (T. Shearer 4-8, Watts 3-5, Johnson 0-1, M. Shearer 0-2, Cook 0-2, Strong 0-2).
Rebounds: Grundy Center 25, Montezuma 22 (Burgess 8, T. Shearer 7, Watts 3, Cook 2, Strong 1, M. Shearer 1).
Assists: Grundy Center 11, Montezuma 9 (Watts 3, T. Shearer 3, Johnson 1, Burgess 1, Strong 1).
Steals: Grundy Center 4, Montezuma 6 (T. Shearer 2, Johnson 1, M. Shearer 1, Watts 1, Burgess 1).
Blocks: Grundy Center 0, Montezuma 2 (Burgess 2).