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Warhawks score 28 in fourth, top Braves 66-57
Boulton finishes with game-high 30 for Braves
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
GRINNELL — Sometimes you just gotta tip your cap.
That was the case for North Mahaska’s Gabe Hora Tuesday night in a Class 1A District 9 final at Grinnell High School. The Warhawks defeated Montezuma 66-57.
Hora hit four threes (three in the fourth) from way deep in the second half to lead the way in the Warhawks’ comeback against the Braves. Caitlin Clark-esque, you could say.
“Sometimes you can do a lot of things right, but if the shot don’t go in or the shot goes in for the other team, that’s what it comes down too,” Montezuma coach Derrick Dengler said.
That’s what happened in the fourth when the Warhawks got hot from three and the Braves, though getting good looks, couldn’t make the shots fall.
Montezuma came out hot right away, executing the game plan and showing a lot of determination to beat the team that has topped them twice already this season.
Three straight baskets from Kohen Holland inside started the game for the Braves. Then Brady Boulton happened.
Boulton torched the Warhawks for 13 points in the first quarter, and the Braves led 21-14.
The lead did not budge at halftime as the Braves led 37-30. Boulton had 21 and Holland and Max Anderson each had eight.
Lucas Nunnikhoven led the Warhawks with eight, Asher DeBoef had seven.
Scoring began to slow down in the third, but the Braves still held control of the game.
A Holland basket put the Braves up 12 in the third.
Hora hit his first of four threes late in the third when the Braves led 46-38.
The fourth belonged to the Warhawks.
Each time Hora hit one from way deep, the momentum slowly shifted.
The lead dropped to 53-50, and Hora’s teammate, Nunnikhoven, added one from deep to tie things up.
The Braves were getting good looks, but were cold down the stretch.
“Honestly, they didn’t even play that bad in the last stretch,” said Dengler, “ The kid (Hora) made four close to half court to beat us. If we get one of those not to fall or we make one of our shots on the other end, I think we’re in a lot different position.”
Once the game was tied at 53, the Warhawks closed it with a 13-4 run.
“Most seasons end like this,” Dengler said. “Maybe not quite in the dramatic fashion of tonight, but I was really proud of them. They played really hard.”
Only three Braves scored in the game, led by Boulton’s 30. Holland had 19 and Anderson 8.
DeBoef led the Warhawks with 19. Two others were in double figures — Nunikhoven with 14 and Hora 12.
The Braves end their season at 20-4, and North Mahaska will play Saturday night for a trip to state.
“Twenty wins in a season is no joke, especially with a lot of the same players as last year where we only won 15,” Dengler said.
“I’m sad the season is over. It’s been a great group of kids that have grown a lot.”
Holland, a senior, really picked up his offensive production for the Braves late in the season.
“Kohen’s growth has been evident,” said Dengler. “He started the season mostly just rebounding, but these last few games he has been an absolute monster.”
