KALONA – Montezuma’s boys basketball team was unveiled during a jamboree two quarters of play on Monday evening, Nov. 22.
The Braves outscored hosting Hillcrest Academy, 33-19, over the 16 minutes of play. It was a scrimmage, with no win or loss being credited to either team.
Gavin Strong scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds to lead the Braves. He went three-for-six from behind the three-point arc.
Nik Kotar and Owen Cook each scored five points.
The Braves played without Eddie Burgess, last year’s leading rebounder and a player expected to be a top scorer this season.
Burgess was nursing some bruises left over from Montezuma’s football season, Coach Derrick Dengler said. He said Burgess was expected to play in Tuesday’s (Nov. 30) season opener against HLV.
Even without Burgess, “the boys played well in the jamboree,” Dengler said. “We shot it pretty well from three-point range, which always make things look good.”
The Braves shot .520 from the field, including six-for-12 from three-point range. They also had a 20-9 lead in rebounds over the Ravens, a Southeast Iowa Super Conference team that went 13-8 overall last season.
Montezuma was active on defense, limiting Hillcrest to .320 shooting from the field.
“I thought we played good man-to-man defense early in the half that led to some eacy buckets,” Dengler said
UP NEXT – Montezuma opens its regular season Tuesday, Nov. 30, at home against HLV. The JV team plays Monday evening, Nov. 29, at home.
Montzuma 34,
Hillcrest Academy 19
MONTEZUMA (34) – Jack Erselius 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Gavin Strong 5-8, 2-2, 1, 15. Masin Shearer 1-3, 0-0, 1, 2. Max Anderson 1-3, 0-0, 0, 3. Maguire De Jong 1-3, 0-0, 0, 2. Nik Kotar 2-5, 0-0, 4, 5. Colton Benson 1-3, 0-0, 0, 2. Owen Cook 2-2, 0-0, 0, 5. Houston Van Roekel 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Cam Michalek 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS – 13-25, 2-2, 6, 34.
HILLCREST ACADEMY (19) – 8-25, 1-2, 5, 19.
Linescore legend: Field goals attempted-made, free throws attempted-made, personal fouls, total points.
Braves rebounds – 20. (Strong 5, Shearer 3, Erselius 2, De Jong 2, Kotar 3, Benson 2, Cook 1, Team 2). Hillcrest team – 9.
Braves assists 7. (Shearer 4, Kotar 2, Strong 1).
Braves steals 2 (Strong 1, Shearer 1).
Turnovers – Braves 3, Hillcrest 4.