Unbeaten Montezuma seeks 1st state tourney trip in 26 years

CEDAR RAPIDS — Montezuma played a game Thursday night at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. Garwin GMG was the opponent as the opener of a double-header that featured the NBDL's Iowa Energy.

Without trying to jinx it, that could have been considered a reconnassaince mission for the Braves, who have what seem to be legitimate aspirations of returning to The Well in March.

Montezuma was 11-0 going into a game it was expected to win handily. The school hasn't been to the state tournament since winning the Class 1A title under IHSAA Hall of Fame Coach Al Rabenold in 1990.

'You see a picture of the 1990 state championship team on the wall as you walk into the gym, so that's definitely something the kids are aware of,' said head coach Derek Schulte. '(Leading scorer) Brody McKeag's father, Mike, was on that team, so you really can't avoid realizing it.'

Schulte said he has a great relationship with Rabenold, who helps him during the summer and is always there to lend advice. He hasn't needed much, as the buttons he is pushing have been the right ones.

Montezuma is not a big team, by any means, with 6-foot-3 Zach Townsend its tallest player. But it tries to make up for that with the things it can do well.

'It starts with our defense,' said Schulte, in his 10th season at the school. 'We are a guard-oriented team that tries to pressure, turn teams over and speed them up. Then offensively, as you can tell by our stats, we shoot a lot of 3s. But that's our strength.'

Montezuma is fifth in the state in 3-pointers attempted and ninth in 3-pointers made. McKeag averages 18 points per game, with fellow guard Dakota Strong next at 15. Logan Price (9.8), Carson Losure (6.9) and Townsend (6.4) are the other starters, with Price averaging over 10 rebounds.

McKeag is a senior, the others juniors. Montezuma was 21-4 last season and returned four starters, so the undefeated record isn't completely unexpected.

'Brody has a multi-faceted skill set,' Schulte said. 'He can shoot outside and yet attack the lane and get to the hoop. Dakota shoots it really well, Logan is averaging about a double-double.'

The postseason draw for the Braves is interesting and negotiable. South Iowa Cedar League rival Keota appears the most daunting opponent in District 11, while Colo-NESCO, Ankeny Christian and Grand View Christian are all powerful teams in Substate 6.

'I like our draw,' Schulte said. 'We're playing better than a year ago, and that's the main thing.'

Around the hoop

●  The return from injury of one of its standout players has boosted Anamosa. Forward Tyler Zumbach played in the Blue Raiders' first two games, then missed the next six. Since coming back after the holiday break, Zumbach has 14 and 10 points in, not coincidentally, a pair of blowout victories. Zumbach led Anamosa last season in scoring (14.1 points per game). The Blue Raiders are 6-4 as members of the rugged Wamac Conference East Division.

●  The state's top individual scoring performance of the season came right before Christmas and involved an area prep. West Branch freshman Beau Cornwell went off for a staggering 46 points in a 73-44 home win over Mid-Prairie. Cornwell went 17 of 25 from the field, including 6 of 10 from the 3-point arc, in the heroic performance. Just for good measure, he had six steals.

●  Linn-Mar's Jordan Bohannon is the Metro's leading scorer. The University of Iowa signee is averaging 21.7 points going into his team's huge game Friday night at Iowa City West. Cedar Rapids Xavier's Max Techau checks in right behind Bohannon (15.8 PPG), with Cedar Rapids Washington's Laveechie Williams third at 15.4. Williams is the Metro's top rebounder by a wide margin (10.4 per-game average) and is the only Metro prep averaging a double-double.

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com