By Doug Helm
JH Girls Coach
The Montezuma Bravettes JH girls A-team tipped off their season Thursday night, November 12, hosting the English Valleys Tigers in what turned into a defensive slugfest.
It was a clash of styles: Montezuma pressed with a chaotic, hustling defense, while English Valleys settled into a steady 2-3 zone. Neither team found much rhythm offensively, and the Tigers carried a slim 8–5 lead into halftime before pulling away late for a 16–8 victory.
The Bravettes struggled to convert opportunities, finishing 1-for-15 on two-point attempts, 2-for-17 from beyond the arc, and 0-for-2 at the free throw line.
English Valleys fared only slightly better, shooting 6-for-27 on twos, 0-for-3 from deep, and 4-for-8 at the stripe. The Tigers edged Montezuma on the boards, 26–24, while turnovers were plentiful on both sides—19 for Monte and 23 for EV.
Teagan Sutherland came off the bench to lead the team with 6 points, including two three-pointers, and added 3 steals. Lexi Urfer chipped in 2 points and matched Sutherland with 3 steals.
In the paint, Aubree DeJoode pulled down 7 rebounds and recorded a block, while Lucy Semprini added 6 rebounds and a block of her own.
The Bravettes will look to regroup quickly with two games on the horizon: a home matchup against HLV on Monday, November 17, followed by a road trip to Sigourney on Thursday, November 20.