SIGOURNEY – Did the Montezuma Bravettes ride over to Sigourney with the bus windows down?
It was cold outside Friday night, Dec. 16, and the Bravettes were cold for a while in their game against the Savages. But it may have been Sigourney’s wide zone defense that was responsible.
The Bravettes won, 46-32, their own defense clamping down after the first quarter.
Sigourney led 8-3 late in the first quarter.
But the Bravettes went with two post players, Shiressa Wetering and Kallie Robison, most of the rest of the way, and they made themselves available for entry passes from the guards.
And although most of Montezuma’s guards weren’t hitting shots, guard Ellen Cook made enough three-pointers – and at the right times – to help Montezuma build and extend a lead.
The Bravettes up 15-14 at halftime, scored the first five points of the second half and never looked back – although they may have blinked a couple of times.
In the end, Montezuma’s defense prevailed.
The Bravettes seem to find a way. Although the other guards were a combined two-for-23 shooting from the field, Cook led Montezuma with 20 points. She was seven-for-16 – but five-for-11 from behind the arc, and Coach Janel Burgess will take that any time.
The Bravettes’ two posts, Wetering and Robison, were scoring. Robison scored 10 points on five-for-seven shooting, showing a soft touch in close.
Wetering was three-for-10 and scored seven points.
Of note: 14 Montezuma assists on 17 made field goals. The Bravettes went with a short pass to the side, then quick dumps inside to the posts, rather than more vulnerable looping passes.
Robison and Wetering knew they were coming and what to do with them.
The Bravettes outscored the Savages 28-18 during the two middle periods, then pulled away with a 13-6 finish.
Mia Boulton scored six points and had trouble connecting from the field. But, she led the team with five rebounds and six assists, and tied with guard Madison Johannes for most assists with four.
Boulton also had six deflections for the Bravettes, who loaded up defensively inside, daring inside-oriented Sigourney to shoot from outside. The Savages were 0-for-4 on three-pointers.
The win lifted the Bravettes to 5-1 overall, and to 4-1 in league play.
Sigourney fell to 5-4 and 2-2.
UP NEXT – The Montezuma girls only are at Williamsburg on Saturday, Dec. 17, with the varsity girls scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. start.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Montezuma 5 10 18 13 – 46
Sigourney 8 6 12 6 – 32
MONTEZUMA (46)
Madison Johannes 0-9, 0-0, 0, 0. Ellen Cook 7-16, 1-2, 1, 20. Izzy Roorda 0-1, 0-0, 2, 0. Alivia Cline 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Claire Erselius 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Mia Boulton 1-10, 3-4, 1, 6. Jadyn Sharer 1-3, 0-0, 3, 3. Robison 5-7, 0-2, 3, 10. Shiressa Wetering 3-10, 1-2, 2, 7. TOTALS – 17-56, 5-10, 12, 46.
SIGOURNEY (32) – TOTALS – 13-40, 6-12, 12, 32
Line score legend: field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.
Three-pointers – Montezuma 7-27 (Cook 5-11, Boulton 1-8, Sharer 1-2, Johannes 0-6); Sigourney 0-4.
Turnovers: Montezuma 12, Sigourney 7.
Rebounds: Montezuma 15 (Boulton 5, Roorda 2, Sharer 2, Robison 2, Johannes 1, Cook 1, Cline 1, Wetering 1); Sigourney – 22.
Assists: Montezuma 14 (Boulton 6, Johannes 3, Cook 3, Roorda 1, Robison 1); Sigourney – not available.
Steals: Montezuma 13 (Johannes 4, Boulton 4, Roorda 2, Sharer 2, Cook 1); Sigourney – 2.
Deflections: Montezuma 9 (Boulton 6, Cook 2, Roorda 1); Sigourney 3.