March 28, 2024

Montezuma sweeps PCM basketball

MONTEZUMA — Trey Shearer and Cole Watts combined for 69 points, Montezuma buried 12 3-pointers and the Braves rallied past PCM's boys' basketball team on Thursday night.

The Mustangs led by four after three quarters but the Braves outscored PCM 26-11 in the fourth and went on to win 82-71 during the second game of a non-conference varsity doubleheader.

Montezuma (1-1) led 18-13 after one quarter and held a seven-point lead at halftime. PCM rallied back in the third with a 27-16 advantage, but the Braves used a fourth-quarter surge to pull away.

Four players scored in double-figures for PCM, led by junior Carson VandeLune, who finished with a career-high 17 points, six rebounds and two assists.

Senior Grant Landgrebe also had 15 points and eight boards, senior Gatlin Boell chipped in 13 points, 11 rebounds and three assists and senior Andrew Mitchell tallied 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Junior Durant Van Dyke finished with eight points, nine rebounds and eight assists, junior Matt Rosonke chipped in four points and five boards and sophomore August Stock grabbed three rebounds.

The Mustangs (0-2) out-rebounded Montezuma 45-21 but also turned it over 20 times. PCM made 8-of-25 from 3-point range and connected on 9-of-17 from the free-throw line.

Senior Trey Shearer tallied 33 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals for the Braves, while senior Cole Watts added 36 points, five boards, three assists and four steals.

Montezuma was 12-of-36 from 3-point range and made 16-of-21 from the foul line. The Braves committed only five turnovers.

The Mustangs return to action for a girl-boy varsity doubleheader against Nevada starting at 6 p.m. on Friday in Nevada.

GIRLS

Montezuma 59, PCM 38

A tough start plagued PCM's girls' basketball team on Thursday night. Class 1A No. 10 Montezuma led 19-2 after one quarter and never looked back during a 59-38 home win.

PCM outscored the Bravettes 29-24 in the second half, but the early deficit was too much to overcome.

"We have to put four quarters of defense together," PCM coach Jeff Lindsay said. "We gave up too many open looks in the first half."

The Bravettes (2-1) hit 11 3-pointers in the game but only two came after halftime. Sophomore Mia Boulton buried five first-half treys and finished with 19 points to lead all scorers. Senior Elise Boulton scored 12 for the Bravettes.

Sophomore Paige Steenhoek led PCM (0-3) with eight points. Seniors Emma George, Celeste Wagaman and Lilli Baird all scored seven points.

Baird added five rebounds and two assists, Wagaman pulled down four boards and George grabbed three rebounds and tallied two steals.

Sophomore Sidney Shaver contributed five points and five rebounds, senior Riley Hjortshoj tallied two points and five boards and junior Emily Foster scored two points and added four rebounds.

"We have to get off to a better start offensively," Lindsay said. "Between the lack of offense and not many stops on defense in the first half, it was tough to get out of the early hole."