SCORES: Braves dominate sub-state, 58-35

March 1, 2020 admin BOYS BASKETBALL 0

The Braves punched their ticket to state with a 58-35 win over Nodaway Valley. (Allyson Fillmore photo).

KNOXVILLE – Before Nodaway Valley’s players could shout, “we better get after that guy!” Montezuma’s Cole Watts was shooting out their lights.

Watts drained four three-balls in the first three minutes, starting a dominating 58-35 win by the Braves in their Class 1A sub-state game Saturday evening, Feb. 29.

The win sends the Braves back to the state tournament for the second straight year.

Montezuma used a stifling zone defense to keep the Wolverines’ offense on lock-down most of the game.

The Braves led 14-4 after one quarter, 24-15 at halftime and 39-22 through three quarters.

Watts ended up scoring 26 points, and nailed seven three-pointers.

Trey Shearer scored 15 against modified zones rigged to slow him.

Cole Watts works against Nodaway Valley’s press. (Submitted).

Masin Shearer scored nine, Brayden Arendt dropped in six and Eddie Burgess, hampered by foul trouble, produced two.

Clay Holhertz scored 16 for Nodaway Valley, one over his average. But Toby Bower, the Wolves’ other 15-point scorer, was shut out.

Nodaway Valley fired 22 times, but didn’t make its only three-point basket until 3:06 was left to play. By then the horse (Montezuma) was out of the barn and galloping at full stride down the road with an 18-point lead.

Montezuma advances with a 23-2 record. Nodaway Valley finished at 17-8.

UP NEXT – Montezuma will appear in the state tournament, which begins Monday, March 9.

Here’s Cole Watts again, in the process of shooting out the lights against Nodaway Valley. Watts hit seven three-pointers and scored 26 points in Montezuma’s win. (Allyson Fillmore photo).

SCORE BY QUARTERS
Nodaway Valley  4 11  7 13 – 35
Montezuma      14 10 15 19 – 58

MONTEZUMA (58) – Brayden Arendt 2-6, 2-3, 3, 6. Masin Shearer 4-7, 0-0, 0, 9. Cole Watts 9-11, 1-1, 1, 26. Trey Shearer 6-11, 2-2, 1, 15. Owen Cook 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Eddie Burgess 1-4, 0-0, 4, 2. TOTALS – 22-39, 5-6, 9, 58.

NODAWAY VALLEY (35)
TOTALS – 14-46, 6-7, 12, 35.

Line score legend: Field goals made-attempted, free throws made-attempted, personal fouls, total points.

Turnovers: Montezuma 7, Nodaway Valley 6.
Technical foul: Arendt.
Rebounds: Montezuma 25 (T. Shearer 8, Watts 6, Burgess 5, Arendt 4, team 2); Nodaway Valley 22.
Three-point goals: Montezuma 9-18 (Watts 7-9, T. Shearer 1-3, M. Shearer 1-4, Arendt 0-2); Nodaway Valley 1-22.
Assists: Burgess 6, T. Shearer 6, M. Shearer 2, Arendt 1.
Steals: M. Shearer 1, Watts 1, Burgess 1.
Deflections: T. Shearer 3, Arendt 1, M. Shearer 1, Burgess 1.
Blocks: Burgess 2, Watts 1.