MONTEZUMA – It’s not March yet. But the madness has begun.
Montezuma went to war to get its second win over Sigourney this season. This one was 53-49 Thursday night, Feb. 20, in a Class 1A post-season game.
The Braves were up 43-33 with six minutes left in the game after Brady Boulton assisted a three-pointer by David Rose.
But Boulton ran off the floor with a limp, and Montezuma fans held their breath. Sigourney scored two free throws, then Boulton came bounding back onto the court.
A momentum shift had taken place. Sigourney grabbed the lead, but Kohen Holland recaptured it (at 47-46) with a spin move in the lane.
The next turning point was at hand – an off-balance trey by Boulton off the left baseline that put the Braves up 52-46 with about 1:30 to go. Then Boulton was fouled trying to get a defensive rebound with 21 seconds left.
Max Anderson grabbed a defensive rebound in the closing seconds, then added a free throw to take the lead to seven points, before Isaac Bruns drained a trey at the buzzer.
This game was like the one these teams played Dec. 20 in Sigourney. Only in that one, it was Sigourney that roared ahead in the first half, and Montezuma rallied to win, 61-58.
What’s next? The third meeting between Montezuma (20-3) and North Mahaska (also 20-3). The Warhawks won the first two. This one will be played at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Grinnell High School.
In this game, Montezuma played air-tight defense in the first half, not allowing a more deliberate Sigourney team to get uncontested shots from in the paint.
Montezuma led 10-7 at the quarter break and 28-17 at halftime.
The Savages stepped up their defensive pressure in the third quarter and cut two points off Montezuma’s lead.
But action got wild in the fourth quarter. The Braves won despite being outscored 32-25 in the second half. They also won despite making a game total of 21 turnovers, to Sigourney’s 6.
But Montezuma also won because the Braves had a 42-27 edge in rebounds.
Kohen Holland had his biggest double-double of the season with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Max Anderson added 10 rebounds.
Boulton had to contend with a box-and-one zone defense by Sigourney. It slowed, but didn’t stop him, as he still led Montezuma with 18 points.
The Braves shot .420 from the field to Sigourney’s .298.
Boulton scored 18 for Montezuma, Holland had 14, and David Rose had 12, including some clutch three-pointers.
John Berg led Sigourney with 18 points, while Isaac Bruns scored 17.
North Mahaska beat Baxter, 69-56, in the game opposite this one.
Sigourney closed a 16-7 season, while the Braves move on to face that other 20-3 team.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Sigourney 7 10 14 18 – 49
Montezuma 10 18 12 13 – 53
MONTEZUMA (53) – Dane Strong 0-5, 1-2, 4, 1; Easton Hudnut 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; David Rose 4-6, 0-0, 1, 12; Luke Brennan 2-2, 0-0, 2, 4; Brady Boulton 7-18, 2-2, 2, 18; Broox Stockman 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Kohen Holland 7-11, 0-1, 3, 14; Max Anderson 1-7, 1-2, 0, 4. TOTALS – 21-50, 4-7, 12, 53.
SIGOURNEY (49) – TOTALS: 17-57, 10-13, 10, 49.
LINE SCORE LEGEND: field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.
Three-pointers: Monte 7-20 (Rose 4-5, Boulton 2-8, Anderson 1-5, Strong 0-2). Sig – 5-25.
Turnovers: Monte 21, Sigourney 6.
Rebounds: Monte 42 (Holland 15, Anderson 10, Boulton 9, Strong 3, Rose 2, Brennan 2, Stockman 1). Sig – 27.
Assists: Monte 11 (Rose 2, Boulton 2, Stockman 2, Holland 1, Anderson 2, Brennan 1, Strong 1).
Steals: Monte 4 (Boulton 3, Rose 1).
Deflections: Monte 4 (Rose 2, Brennan 1, Boulton 1).
Blocks: Monte 5 (Holland 4, Boulton 1).