By Doug Helm
Junior high girls basketball coach
SIGOURNEY – The Montezuma Bravettes junior high girls basketball ‘A’ team opened its season with an exciting 19-18 win over Sigourney on Monday, Nov. 25.
We expected a tough, close game and that is exactly what we got.
The Bravettes started the game tight as they struggled to score. Sigourney took a 6-2 lead at the end the first quarter. Monte rallied in the second quarter led by Brielle Haughey, who scored 6 first half points to give the Bravettes a 9-8 lead at halftime.
Monte held a close lead throughout the second half until Sigourney hit two shots to take a 16-15 lead with 4 minutes to go. The Bravettes got a critical steal from Kady Schmidt who drove coast to coast to find Lilly Bushong for a layup. Monte now led 17-16.
The Savages banked in a long shot to take back the lead 18-17 with under 2 minutes to play. With 36 seconds to go, Kady found Brylee Latcham underneath the hoop. Latcham powered it up and in, to give the Bravettes a 19-18 lead. Keegan Gunderson blocked a shot with 2 seconds remaining and Brylee secured the rebound for the exciting win.
Montezuma shot 8-40 from the field, 0-5 from the 3-point line and 3-6 from the charity stripe. Sigourney was 7-37 from the field, 0-2 from the 3-point line and 4-14 from the free throw line. Monte edged the rebound battle 35-32. Each team had 21 turnovers.
Brielle Haughey had a double-double 10 points & 16 rebounds. Kady Schmidt had a solid game with 3 points, 4 assists, 4 steals and a block. Brylee Latcham had 2 points & 3 steals. Mallory Warden & Lily Bushong each had 2 points. Keegan Gunderson had a block.
The Bravettes are 1-0 on the season. They played Keota on Tuesday, November 26 at home. Then, they host Colfax-Mingo on December 2 at 4:45.