If you were an English Valleys player and wanted to drive the ball to a certain area, you found that a Montezuma player was already there.
The Bravettes shut down a Bears team that came in with a 10-1 record and came away with an important 49-27 league win at home on Friday evening, Jan. 7.
Offense wasn’t forgotten – there was more than enough for the 9-2 Bravettes – but it was defense that keyed the win in this match up of strong teams from the eastern and western sides of the South Iowa Cedar League..
The Bears wanted to take the ball inside, either by a pass or by driving. Montezuma curtailed their passing angles and consistently shut off English Valleys drives until well after halftime.
English Valleys players often had to pick up their dribble on offense. By contrast, the Bravettes rarely needed to do that, as Madison Johannes, Mia Boulton, Jadyn Sharer and Ellen Cook kept the ball moving out front.
The Bears did get to the rim after intermission, but not often enough to threaten seriously.
Mia Boulton connected for 18 points, all on three-pointers, and Shanae Wetering scored 13, from various places on the court for the Bravettes.
Montezuma led 12-4 after one quarter, 23-10 and halftime and 35-18 through three periods.
Jadyn Sharer scored eight points for the Bravettes and Ellen Cook had six.
English Valleys’ only loss was 65-25 to SICL leader North Mahaska, which handed the Bravettes their only league loss.
UP NEXT – Montezuma hosts Belle Plaine on Tuesday, Jan. 11.
The Bears stand at 7-2 against the league and 10-2 overall.
Montezuma climbed to 7-1 in the league, and 9-2 on the season.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
English Valleys 4 6 8 9 – 27
Montezuma 12 11 12 14 – 49
MONTEZUMA (49) – Madison Johannes 1-4, 0-0, 1, 2. Shanae Wetering 5-14, 2-2, 2, 13. Mia Boulton 6-11, 0-0, 1, 18. Jadyn Sharer 3-7, 1-2, 0, 8. Korrinn Kehoe 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0. Ellen Cook 2-10, 2-2, 3, 6. Izzy Roorda 1-2, 0-1, 0, 2. Kallie Robison 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0. Shiressa Wetering 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0. TOTALS – 18-49, 5-7, 10, 49.
Line score legend: Field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.
Turnovers: Montezuma 6.
Three-point goals: Montezuma 8-19 (Boulton 6-11, Shan. Wetering 1-1, Sharer 1-2, Johannes 0-1, Cook 0-4).
Rebounds: Montezuma 17 (Johannes 3, Sharer 3, Kehoe 3, Cook 3, Roorda 2, Boulton 2, Robison 1).
Assists: Montezuma 9 (Shan. Wetering 4, Boulton 4, Sharer 1).
Steals: Montezuma 10 (Cook 2, Johannes 2, Shan. Wetering 1, Boulton 1, Sharer 1, Kehoe 1, Robison 1, Shir. Wetering 1).
Blocks: Montezuma 4 (Shan. Wetering 2, Sharer 1, Shir. Wetering 1).