When members of the honored 1970 Montezuma state champion girls basketball team settled in to watch the current edition operate, they had flashbacks to happy memories.
Why? Because the Bravettes were doing a happy time number on English Valleys. It wound up 61-23 for the now-12-0 Bravettes. But it was 27-4 after one quarter and 46-14 at halftime.
The game – and ceremonies – were Monday night, Jan. 20.
The Bears were 8-4 coming in and improving, with a guard-oriented offense. The Bravettes hadn’t played for a while, and Coach Janel Burgess was concerned with matters like “getting our legs under us” and “timing.”
The legs were running, and on time.
The Bravettes put three girls into double figures and just missed getting a fourth.
Shateah Wetering led with 17 points. She added eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a three-pointer.
The University of Iowa recruit continues to work on her all-around game, which will make her all the more valuable to the Hawkeyes next season.
Burgess said Wetering has developed quite a court vision and has grown an increasing like for playing lockdown defense.
Shateah was five-for-seven from the field, and six-for-seven from the line.
Elise Boulton’s 15 points came on six-for-nine shooting, including a trio of three-point baskets.
Boulton also had two assists, four rebounds, two steals and a deflection.
Senior guard Maddy McKeag continued to increase her offensive numbers with 11 points, on four-for-eight shooting, which included three made bombs from beyond the arc.
Freshman guard Mia Boulton scored eight points, on three-for-three shooting, including a pair of treys.
Montzuma’s starting rotation played about half the game.
Burgess is working to develop anincreasingly versatile offense that can turn to anyone on the floor for production, in the event someone finds a way to slow down Wetering.
She also says the team will be installing more defenses in the coming weeks.
It appears that things are coming along just fine.
UP NEXT – The Bravettes are at Keota on Tuesday, then have their big rematch at North Mahaska on Friday.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
English Valleys 4 10 7 2 – 23
Montezuma 27 19 13 2 – 61
MONTEZUMA (61) – Maddy McKeag 4-8, 0-0, 0, 11. Shane Wetering 0-2, 0-0, 1, 0. Kierstyn Price 0-2, 0-0, 1, 0. Mia Boulton 3-3, 0-0, 0, 8. Shateah Wetering 5-7, 6-7, 1, 17. Alyssa Cline 0-0, 0-0, 2, 0. Elise Boulton 6-9, 0-0, 0, 15. Carissa Van Zee 1-5, 2-4, 1, 4. Madison Johannes 1-2, 0-0, 0, 2. Dylan Holland 1-6, 2-2, 2, 4. Madelyn DeJong 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0. Kallie Robison 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0. Korinn Kehoe 0-0, 0-0, 2, 0. TOTALS – 21-45, 10-13, 11, 61.
ENGLISH VALLEYS (23)
TOTALS – 8-31, 3-4, 8, 23.
Line score legend: Field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.
Turnovers: Montezuma 7, English Valleys 17.
Rebounds: Montezuma 29 (Shat. Wetering 8, E. Boulton 4, Holland 4, Shan. Wetering 3, Robison 3, McKeag 1, M. Boulton 1, Van Zee 1, DeJong 1, Kehoe 1, team 2); English Valleys 18.
Three-point goals: Montezuma 9-17 (E. Boulton 3, McKeag 3, M. Boulton 2, Shat. Wetering 1); English Valleys 4-14.
Montezuma assists: Shan. Wetering 2, McKeag 2, Shat. Wetering 2, E. Boulton 2, M. Boulton 1.
Steals: Shat. Wetering 2, E. Boulton 2, Van Zee 2, McKeag 1, Shan. Wetering 1, Johannes 1, Robison 1.
Deflections: McKeag 3, M.Boulton 3, Johannes 3, Shan. Wetering 2, Clne 2, Van Zee 2, Robison 1, E. Boulton 1.
Blocks: McKeag 1, Shan. Wetering 1.