Champions in blue were on parade in Montezuma on Thursday.
First, the major reason for the game: Montezuma’s boys needed a win over HLV to tie Keota for the South Iowa Cedar League championship.
Mission accomplished! The Braves sped past HLV, 79-41 as Coach Derrick Dengler used 17 players.
It’s a “three-peat” for the Braves: Their third straight SICL title, matching the accomplishment achieved last week by the girls team.
Why HLV? Well, it was the last game in Montezuma’s conference season. It had been weathered out twice previously. There was no need for the girls to play, because they already had clinched. So they didn’t play, but most were on hand to watch.
Braves senior guard Joey Kercheval was recognized before the game for his national championships in two divisions of the Scholastic Action Shooting Program. It also was announced he has enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
Wait, there’s more. Senior Trey Shearer was saluted for establishing a school record in career steals – now at 244 – and for a single season school mark for field goals – now at 196 and counting.
Then, there was the game. The Braves did the things they usually do: Defend, rebound, get out in transition and shoot out the lights.
Post player Eddie Burgess was Chairman of the Boards in this one: He had 22 rebounds – a school record for one game – including 14 off the defensive glass. His outlet passing got Montezuma flying to the basket.
Montezuma led 22-10 after one quarter and 50-15 at halftime after a roaring 28-5 quarter. Montezuma’s three season scoring leaders: Trey Shearer, Cole Watts and Burgess, had 44 of Montezuma’s 50 first half points.
The Braves’ lead ensured a continuous clock to start the third quarter.
Trey Shearer scored 26 points on 11-for-17 shooting, including four-of-nine from behind the three-point arc. And, he had a double-double by also dishing 11 assists. That means 22 of Montezuma’s 33 field goals touched his hands. He also had four steals to lead the Braves in that department.
Cole Watts put on a shooting show. He scored 23 points on nine-for-10 shooting from the field, including two-for-three from behind the arc. Some of his were acrobatic shots on the run.
Burgess scored 16 points on seven-for-11 shooting. He also had two assists and three steals.
The Braves shot .541 from the field, to .314 by the Warriors.
HLV is 7-13, including 4-10 in league play.
The Braves close their regular season at 18-2, including a 15-1 SICL mark, the same as Keota. Montezuma beat Keota 80-46 when they played, but the SICL says both schools get to hang a championship pennant in their gyms.
UP NEXT – Montezuma opens tourney play at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 15 at home.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
HLV 10 5 16 10 – 41
Montezuma 22 28 20 9 – 79
MONTEZUMA (79)
Landen Morrison 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Cam Johnson 1-3, 0-0, 0, 3. Jack Erselius 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Masin Shearer 2-7, 0-0, 0, 5. C. Watts 9-10, 3-5, 1, 23. G. Watts 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Sawyer Tindle 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Maguire De Jong 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0. Trey Shearer 11-17, 0-0, 0, 26. Colton Benson 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Owen Cook 1-4, 0-0, 1, 2. Jacob Ross 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0. Gavin Strong 2-6, 0-0, 0, 4. Eddie Burgess 7-11, 2-2, 2, 16. Joey Kercheval 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0. Camden Michalek 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Ryan Cheney 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS – 33-61, 5-7, 7, 79.
HLV (41)
TOTALS – 16-54, 6-20, 5, 41.
Turnovers: HLV 17, Montezuma 14.
Three-point goals: HLV 5-19, Montezuma 8-28 (T. Shearer 4-9, C. Watts 2-3, Johnson 1-3, M. Shearer 1-4, Cook 0-3, Strong 0-3, G. Watts 0-2, De Jong 0-1).
Rebounds: HLV 20, Montezuma 45 (Burgess 22, Strong 4, C. Watts 6, T. Shearer 3, Johnson 3, Cook 2, Tindle 1, De Jong 1, Benson 1, Strong 1, Michalek 1).
Assists: HLV not available, Montezuma 19 (T. Shearer 11, M. Shearer 2, C. Watts 2, Burgess 2, Cook 1, Johnson 1).
Steals: HLV not available, Montezuma 11 (T. Shearer 4, Burgess 3, Johnson 1, C. Watts 1, Cook 1, Strong 1).
Blocks: Montezuma 4 (Burgess 2, C. Watts 2).