So why, you ask, does Montezuma go out of its way to schedule non-conference basketball games against bigger schools, often with much taller teams?
Well, now comes Moravia, to show you why.
The Mohawks are a Class 1A team, a not particularly tall club, with a 21-1 record, and no rating attached to their name.
Why not? Probably scheduling. The people who rate such things don’t think Moravia’s schedule is as difficult as that played by the 16-5 Braves.
Moravia is the next obstacle on the Braves’ post-season schedule. It’s scheduled for Thursday night at 7 in Moravia – the state decides that, based on records. So Moravia gets the home game.
If you hold tickets, check the school’s website before you leave. That part of Iowa is supposed to get a big, clawhawkus snowstorm, so it could be postponed.
When they do play, the Braves will be across from a team that is used to winning and will start out playing with confidence.
Gage Hanes, a 6-2 senior, scores 19.7 points a game, shoots .556 from the field, and averages 7.4 rebounds.
Riley Hawkins, a 6-3 junior, scores 14.3 per contest.
Shane Helmick, a 6-2 junior, scores 12.3 and gets 8.9 rebounds.
Jackson McDanel, 5-8, averages 3.4 assists.
The Moravia loss was to New London about mid-season.
The Mohawks outscore their opponents by an average of 74-43 – almost 31 points a game.
The Braves are outscoring their opposition by 20 points a game, but have been extended a bit more by some of those opponents.
BCMoore Rankings rates the Braves’ schedule a little higher – and has made Montezuma the favorite in this game by .53 of one point.
That’s pretty close. . .