THORNBURG – For the Montezuma Braves, the taste in their mouths going into the holiday break isn’t so bitter now.
That’s because the Braves came out strong and took care of business, 70-26 over winless Tri-County, in their final game before the holiday break on Thursday evening, Dec. 21.
Two nights earlier, you’ll recall, the Braves came up just short, 55-51, against unbeaten rival Keota.
Winning eases pain, and the Braves left no doubt after racing out to a 29-3 lead after one quarter.
Montezuma’s pressure defense between the circles forced numerous turnovers in the first half, many of which the Braves immediately turned into points.
The Braves’ three leading scorers on the season, guard Brady Boulton, forward Garrett Watts and forward Max Anderson, scored 36 of Montezuma’s 48 first half points.
The Braves have been trying to get other players going on offense. Against Keota, it was forward Kohen Holland, who dropped in 12 points on Tuesday. Against Tri-County, it was freshman Dane Strong, who ran the baselines and found the ball in his hands often enough to score 12, six in each half.
The Braves connected on nine three-point baskets, six of them by Boulton.
Anderson dropped in two from behind the arc, and Alex Black had one.
For the game, Boulton scored 22 points, Watts had 13 and Anderson and Strong each put in 12.
The win lifted the Braves to 7-2 overall, and to 6-2 against the conference.
Tri-County fell to 0-10 and 0-7.
JV team wins – Junior varsity squads from the two schools played a half of basketball, with the Braves winning 27-17. Montezuma led 17-5 after one quarter, but Tri-County got itself back in the game for a while by throwing long passes over the defense, and converting some into points.
Dane Strong scored 10 points and grabbed 5 rebounds, while Easton Hudnut had 6 points and 5 rebounds.
UP NEXT – Montezuma’s boys and girls play at PCM on Thursday, Jan. 4.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Montezuma 29 19 14 8 – 70
Tri-County 3 6 13 4 – 26
MONTEZUMA (70) – Jack Erselius 0-3, 0-0, 1, 0. Dane Strong 6-12, 0-0, 0, 12. Briar Simpson 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0. Garrett Watts 5-8, 3-6, 2, 13. David Rose 0-4, 0-0, 1, 0. Luke Brennan 0-1, 0-0, 1, 22. Bryson Stockman 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Alex Black 2-2, 0-0, 0, 0. Broox Stockman 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Linkyn Bru 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Kohen Holland 2-5, 0-0, 1, 4. Easton Hudnut 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Max Anderson 5-7, 2-2, 0, 14. Jayden Ross 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS – 28-58, 5-8, 10, 70.
TRI-COUNTY (26) – TOTALS – 9-39, 4-10, 12, 26.
Line score legend: field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.
Turnovers: Montezuma 7, Tri-County 17.
Three-pointers: 9-24 (Boulton 6-10, Anderson 2-4, Black 1-1, Erselius 0-3, Strong 0-2, Watts 0-1, Rose 0-1, Holland 0-1, Ross 0-1); Tri-County 4-28.
Rebounds: 32 (Boulton 5, Holland 5, Watts 4, Black 4, Strong 3, Rose 3, Brennan 2, Simpson 2, Broox Stockman 1, Bru 1, Anderson 1, Ross 1.
Assists: 12 (Boulton 4, Anderson 4, Erselius 1, Watts 1, Rose 1, Brennan 1.
Steals: 13 (Holland 3, Anderson 3, Erselius 1, Strong 1, Simpson 1, Watts 1, Brennan 1, Boulton 1, Blake Smith 1).
Blocks: 1 (Simpson).