Montezuma did more than just run out to an 18-12 lead over North Mahaska in their girls Class 1A district semifinal game on Friday evening, Feb. 19.
The Bravettes established authority and it continued in their 57-36 victory on their home hardwood.
Five different Montezuma players splashed down three-pointers in that first quarter. That gave the Warhawks a lot of court to cover with a six-girl rotation. That gets fatiguing.
The other aspect was Montezuma’s defense on the perimeter, which led to turnovers. The Warhawks had 13 in the first half, to just five by Montezuma.
The Warhawks fared well when they could take the ball inside to Addie Schilling or Layla Hargis, who put up some points.
But the Bravettes were putting them up faster.
Montezuma outscored the Warhawks 7-2 to start the second quarter, giving them a 25-14 lead and some working capital.
The Bravettes led 30-18 at halftime. The third quarter had a slow start, but a trey by Montezuma’s Mia Boulton and a Shanae Wetering drive put the Bravettes up 37-22 halfway into the period.
The Warhawks got no closer than 13 points the rest of the way.
Mia Boulton, who didn’t make a three-pointer in her previous two games, found her stroke again. She dropped in five of them and led Montezuma with 16 points.
Elise Boulton scored 14 and was determined to take the ball to the basket. Sometimes she scored off those drives, other times she dished. Montezuma’s all-time assists leader had nine of them in this game.
Shanae Wetering worked drives for 13 points, and Dylan Holland worked down under for nine. Holland also squeezed 11 rebounds for the Bravettes.
The win sends the 21-1, sixth-rated Bravettes to the regional championship game against 22-1, 12th-rated Collins-Maxwell. That game is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, in Pleasantville.
North Mashaka closed the books on a 15-4 season, with three of the four defeats coming at the hands of Montezuma.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
North Mahaska 12 6 12 6 – 36
Montezuma 18 12 16 11 – 57
MONTEZUMA (57)
Shanae Wetering 6-12, 0-0, 3, 13. Kierstyn Price 1-3, 0-0, 2, 2. Mia Boulton 5-9, 1-2, 1, 16. Elise Boulton 5-13, 3-5, 3, 14. Dylan Holland 4-7, 0-2, 1, 9. Madison Johannes 1-3, 0-0, 0, 3. Jadyn Sharer 0-2, 0-0, 1, 0. Korrinn Kehoe 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS – 22-49, 4-9, 10, 57.
Line score legend: Field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.
Turnovers: North Mahaska 20, Montezuma 8.
Three-point goals: Montezuma 9-21 (M. Boulton 5-7, Wetering 1-3, E. Boulton 1-3, Holland 1-1, Johannes 1-3, Price 0-2, Sharer 0-2).
Rebounds: Montezuma 25 (Holland 11, M. Boulton 4, Wetering 2, Price 2, E. Boulton 2, Sharer 2, Johannes 1, Kehoe 1).
Assists: Montezuma 13 (E. Boulton 9, Wetering 2, Price 1, M. Boulton 1).
Steals: Montezuma 13 (Holland 4, E. Boulton 3, M. Boulton 2, Johannes 2, Wetering 1, Price 1).
Blocks: Montezuma none.
