Player Evals: Montezuma Notches Big Rivalry Win

<p>NEW SHARON -- Montezuma grabbed control of the South Iowa Cedar West division on Tuesday night, notching a key road win over rival North Mahaska, 57-50.</p> <p>The rivals went back-and-forth for the first four minutes before Montezuma closed the first quarter on a run to give them an 18-11 edge. The Braves were able to extend that lead to nine points, 36-27, before the half when [player_tooltip player_id="956886" first="Masin" last="Shearer"] shook his defender and found Garrett Watts for a 3 at the buzzer.</p> <p>North Mahaska came out of the locker rooms hot, going on a 9-1 run to trim the deficit down to one, 37-36. They were able to briefly tie it up at 40 before a Shearer layup at the end of the third quarter gave the Braves a 42-40 lead, a lead that they wouldn’t give up the rest of the way. The Braves were able to come up with key stops when they needed them, playing a man-to-man the entire night, something that they rarely do (I’ve never seen them not play a 2-3 zone).</p> <p>Montezuma improves to 15-3 (13-2 SICL West) with the win. The Braves were led by [player_tooltip player_id="956886" first="Masin" last="Shearer"], who had a game-high 22 points. Gavin Strong added 12 points, and [player_tooltip player_id="962629" first="Eddie" last="Burgess"] had 6 points, 16 rebounds, and 5 blocks. The Braves 13-2 league mark puts them a game ahead of North Mahaska (12-3) and a game-and-a-half ahead of Lynnville-Sully (12-4).</p> <p>North Mahaska drops to 14-4 (12-3 SICL West) with the loss. The Warhawks were led by [player_tooltip player_id="1367407" first="Lane" last="Harmon"], who battled foul trouble to finish with 13 points. Nolan Andersen added 10 points off the bench, and [player_tooltip player_id="1167746" first="Braden" last="Steel"] had 9 points and 7 rebounds.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Team</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>1Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>2Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>3Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>4Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>F</strong></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;"><strong>Montezuma</strong></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;">18</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;">18</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;">6</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;">15</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;">57</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;"><strong>North Mahaska</strong></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;">11</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;">16</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;">13</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;">10</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center;">50</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Montezuma:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="956886" first="Masin" last="Shearer"] 22, Gavin Strong 12, Owen Cook 9, [player_tooltip player_id="962629" first="Eddie" last="Burgess"] 6, Garrett Watts 6, Nik Kotar 2<br /> <strong>North Mahaska:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="1367407" first="Lane" last="Harmon"] 13, Nolan Andersen 10, [player_tooltip player_id="1167746" first="Braden" last="Steel"] 9, [player_tooltip player_id="1167743" first="Nash" last="Smith"] 7, Ethan Huffman 7, Sean Knockel 2, Chase Grandia 2</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962629" first="Eddie" last="Burgess"] (Montezuma)</strong></p> <p>Burgess' future is on the football field, but the 6-4 big man is so important to what Montezuma does on the hardwood on both ends of the floor. He's an athletic, physical force in the paint who absolutely dominates the glass and is a really good rim protector at the 1A level. He blocked 3 shots early in the game before getting into a little bit of foul trouble, then was able to navigate the next two-and-a-half quarters without picking up another foul by just staying vertical instead of leaving his feet, picking up another pair of blocks in the process. He has great hands, good footwork, and good touch around the rim.</p> <p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id="956886" first="Masin" last="Shearer"] (Montezuma)</strong></p> <p>Masin had an efficient game as a scorer, finishing with a game-high 22 points on 7-12 shooting (3-7 3P) to go with 4 assists. A quick lead guard who is an excellent ball-handler, he has the ability to break down a defense and get to the rim, and he's a really good shooter off the catch. He's a good finisher around the bucket with his right hand and has the ability to get his shot off quickly when he's in the paint, catching bigger defenders off guard.</p> <p><strong>2023 Gavin Strong (Montezuma)</strong></p> <p>A 5-10 off-ball guard who battled a little bit of foul trouble of his own, Strong still found a way to contribute 12 points on 4-6 shooting (2-3 3P). He has good form and a quick release off the catch and does a good job moving without the ball in his hands. He showed the ability to put the ball on the floor and attack hard closeouts, pulling up with mid-range jumpers.</p> <p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1367407" first="Lane" last="Harmon"] (North Mahaska)</strong></p> <p>Harmon's jumper isn't traditional, but he's a good shooter who buries 44.3% of his 3-point attempts on the year (and was 3-3 in this game). He moves really well without the ball in his hands and is ready to shoot on the catch. He finished with 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. </p> <p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167743" first="Nash" last="Smith"] (North Mahaska)</strong></p> <p>A 6-6 playmaking combo forward, Smith probably has the highest upside of any of the players in this game with his ability to create for others, handle the ball, and score from all three levels. He uses his length effectively on the defensive end at the top of the Warhawks halfcourt trapping defense, and he's a fluid athlete who has good court vision and touch around the rim. He can stretch the floor, rebounds well on both ends of the floor, and has excellent size and length that area college coaches will covet. </p> <p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167746" first="Braden" last="Steel"] (North Mahaska)</strong></p> <p>Steel is an incredibly active 6-4 power forward with a relentless motor and a nose for the ball on the glass. He rebounds incredibly well on both ends of the floor, using his physicality, great hands, and high energy to compete hard for every board. He struggled a bit to finish around the rim, but he's a capable finisher off of offensive boards. He's also a solid passer who sees the floor well. He finished with 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. </p>