BROOKLYN – It was a grinder.
But Montezuma’s girls proved they can win that kind of game – one that’s low-scoring for various reasons – and did just that, beating BGM 39-21 on the Bears’ floor on Tuesday evening, Dec. 17.
The Bears came in with a 3-2 record, and their being above .500 was enough to draw Class 1A 11th-ranked Montezuma’s attention.
BGM played defense, but so did the Bravettes, who limited BGM to six points in the first quarter, just six more in the second – and then none in the third. By then the Bravettes led 29-12 – and was long down the road to victory.
Montezuma was limited to 22 percent field goal shooting, but the Braves used their overall height advantage to snare 42 rebounds, leading to many second shot attempts.
Guard Vivian Cook scored 19 points to lead the Bravettes. She was five-for-18 from the field, but five-for-9 from the free throw line.
Post player Syd Burgess scored nine, but grabbed 14 rebounds in a near double-double performance.
Sophia Semprini also snared 14 rebounds for the Bravettes.
Cook had 4 assists and 3 steals to lead in those departments.
Semprini blocked 2 BGM shots.
Montezuma led 12-6 after one quarter, 18-12 at halftime and by 17 points through three periods.
The Bravettes went to 5-1 overall, which includes 5-0 in league play.
BGM tumbled to 3-3 overall.
Montezuma’s teams host Keota on Friday, Dec. 19.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Montezuma 12 6 11 10 – 39
BGM 6 6 0 9 – 21
MONTEZUMA (39) – Vivian Cook 5-18, 5-9, 2, 19; Syd Burgess 3-7, 3-4, 3, 9; Claire Erselius 2-18, 0-0, 0, 4; Lauryn Larmore 1-3, 1-2, 4, 3; Sophia Semprini 1-3, 0-0, 3, 2; Rylee Thompson 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Brielle Haughey 0-0, 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Ryanne Williams 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Alexa Rose 0-1, 0-0, 1, 1, 0; Lindsey Henry 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Letisia Wilson 1-3, 0-0, 0, 2; Brylee Latcham 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS – 13-59, 9-15, 14, 39.
Line score legend – field goals made-attempted; free throws made-attempted; personal fouls, total points.
Turnovers – 12.
Three-pointers – 4-26 (Cook 4-13, Erselius 0-8, Larmore 0-1, Rose 0-1, Jones 0-3).
Rebounds – 42. (Burgess 14, Semprini 14, Erselius 6, Cook 4, Larmore 1, Wilson 2, Rose 1).
Assists – Montezuma 8 (Cook 4, Larmore 2, Burgess 2).
Steals – Montezuma 10 (Cook 3, Erselius 2, Larmore 2, Semprini 1, Jones 1, Burgess 1).
Blocks – 2 (Semprini 2).