Montezuma’s shooting crew gets a big assist from Kallie Robison in girls’ basketball regional semifinal win

MONTEZUMA — There’s no hiding it or denying it: Montezuma is an outside-oriented outfit.

But not outside-only.

Kallie Robison gave the Bravettes a big boost in the post, and that helped them survive a quiet night from the arc in a 45-42 Class 1A girls’ basketball regional semifinal win over Springville on Friday at Montezuma High School.

“I know I have the trust of my teammates,” said Robison, a senior. “We’re going to miss shots sometimes. It happens. And when it does, I’ve got to make sure I’m in there.

“I’ve got to keep it simple, and that’s what I did.”

Montezuma (21-3) advances to face No. 3 North Linn in a regional final Wednesday at Van Horne. The Lynx (21-1) handled Calamus-Wheatland, 68-17, Friday.

The Bravettes are a prolific 3-point-shooting team, averaging 9.1 per game. They made 27 in their first two postseason games.

They were 6-of-26 Friday, but Robison’s inside presence — 11 points (on 5-of-6 shooting) and eight rebounds — helped them advance.

“She has the best basketball IQ,” Mia Boulton said. “Tonight, we needed her like crazy.

“We had just enough tonight to grind it out.”

Springville (19-5) had its largest lead of the game, 32-27, with less than a minute left in the third quarter. But Boulton nailed a 3-pointer (it turned out to be Montezuma’s last of the game), then freshman Claire Erselius turned a steal into a basket, and it was 32-32 with a quarter to play.

The Bravettes tallied the first six points of the fourth. Robison’s putback made it 38-32 with 6:10 to go.

Robison scored again to extend the Bravettes’ margin to 40-36, then again to send it to 42-38.

Molly Stamp scored on an inbounds feed to get the Orioles within 43-42 at the 0:51 mark, then Boulton made both ends of a one-and-one, and the Bravettes withstood the Orioles’ last two bids to tie.

“Let me tell you, this was not easy,” Montezuma Coach Janel Burgess said. “This is the postseason, and those were two good defensive teams.”

Jadyn Sharer led the Bravettes with 13 points. Scoreless at halftime, Boulton matched Robison with 11.

Stamp paced Springville with 18 points, hitting 7 of 11 shots. Freshman Rowan Jacobi supplied 12 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

Springville turned it over 23 times, Montezuma 21.

Montezuma 45, Springville 42

Class 1A Regional Semifinal, at Montezuma

SPRINGVILLE (42): Hannah March 0-2 0-0 0, Ashlynne Zaruba 3-7 0-0 8, Kennady Breitfelder 0-1 0-0 0, Isabel Guerrero 2-12 0-0 4, Molly Stamp 7-11 0-0 18, Kennedy Moore 0-0 0-0 0, Rowan Jacobi 5-12 2-3 12, Alivia Hoyt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-45 2-3 42.

MONTEZUMA (45): Madison Johannes 1-8 0-1 3, Ellen Cook 1-12 0-2 3, Mia Boulton 3-9 4-7 11, Jadyn Sharer 5-8 0-0 13, Kallie Robison 5-6 1-2 11, Shiressa Wetering 0-0 2-2 2, Claire Erselius 1-4 0-0 2, Izzy Roorda 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-47 7-14 45.

Springville 14 8 10 10 — 42

Montezuma 15 3 14 13 — 45

3-point goals: Springville 6-16 (March 0-1, Zaruba 2-5, Guerrero 0-3, Stamp 4-6, Jacobi 0-1), Montezuma 6-26 (Johannes 1-7, Cook 1-7, Boulton 1-5, Sharer 3-5, Erselius 0-2). Team fouls: Springville 15, Montezuma 10. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Springville 33 (Jacobi 9), Montezuma 31 (Robison 8). Assists: Springville 13 (Breitfelder 5), Montezuma 9 (Cook 4). Steals: Springville 11 (Guerrero 6), Montezuma 10 (Johannes 4). Turnovers: Springville 23, Montezuma 21.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com