Xavier Boys Basketball

Joens, Butkowski pace Saints by Warriors

Jackson Joens popped in 19 points and Nolan Butkowski added 18 Friday  night as the Xavier Saints topped Washington, 60-54, in a Mississippi  Valley Conference game at Washington.

The Saints snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory,  raising their records to 5-9 overall and 3-6 in the league.

Matt Mims dished out 10 assists for Xavier and scored nine points. Max  Techau snared 11 rebounds and scored seven points.

Collin Westmoreland scored 17 points for Washington (3-12, 1-9). Max  Campbell had 12 points and Donovan Beard had 11.

XAVIER (60): Lux 2 0-0 4, Mims 3 2-2 9, Butkowski 7 2-2 18, Joens 7  1-1 19, Demplewolf 0 0-0 0, Q.Schulte 1 1-2 3, Techau 2 3-8 7, Johnson  0 0-0 0, B.Schulte 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 9-15 60.

WASHINGTON (54): Westmoreland 4 7-8 17, Snitker 0 0-0 0, Jonasson 4  0-0 9, Christensen 2 1-2 5, McCurry 0 0-0 0, Beard 3 4-5 11, Campbell  5 2-3 12, McKinstry 0 0-0 0, Pernell 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 14-18 54.

Halftime - Washington 23, Xavier 22. 3-point goals - Xavier 7 (Joens  4, Butkowski 2, Mims 1), Washington 4 (Westmoreland 2, Jonasson 1,  Beard 1).

Xavier boys fall to No. 3 Rams

DUBUQUE - Noah Carter scored 21 points Tuesday night as the Class 4A  third-ranked Dubuque Senior Rams defeated the Xavier Saints, 61-52, in  a Mississippi Valley Conference game in Dubuque.

Carter, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, made 9 of 13 shots from the field as the  Rams raised their record to 11-2.

Matt Mims scored 22 points for Xavier (4-9). Nolan Butkowski added 14 points.

The Saints scored only eight points in the second quarter and eight  more points in the third quarter, digging themselves a 41-30 deficit  that was too big to overcome.

The Saints hurt their cause by making only 12 of 24 free throws.

XAVIER (52): Mims 8 4-5 22, Butkowski 5 1-2 14, Joens 1 1-2 4,  Q.Schulte 1 2-5 4, Techau 2 4-8 8, Johnson 0 0-0 0, B.Schulte 0 0-2 0, Lux 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 12-24 52.

DUBUQUE SENIOR (61): Psihoyos 3 3-5 10, Link 0 6-6 6, Hallstoos 1 1-2  3, Timmerman 3 4-6 12, Hendricks 4 1-2 9, Carter 9 2-3 21, Hermsen 0  0-0 0, Larsen 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 17-24 61.

Halftime - Dubuque Senior 30, Xavier 22. 3-point goals - Xavier 6  (Butkowski 3, Mims 2, Joens 1), Dubuque Senior 4 (Timmerman 2, Psihoyos 1, Carter 1).

Saints fall to Papillion-LaVista in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. - The Xavier Saints lost to Papillion-LaVista, 64-49, in a  special boys basketball event at the Ralston Arena in Omaha Saturday  night.

Papillion-LaVista is ranked No. 9 in Nebraska's Class A.

Matt Mims led the Saints (4-8) with 12 points. Max Techau scored 11  points and Nolan Butkowski had 10.

Ed Chang, a 6-foot-6 junior, poured in 30 points for the Monarchs (12-3).

XAVIER (49): Lux 0 0-0 0, Mims 5 1-1 12, Butkowski 3 2-2 10, Joens 3  2-2 8, Q.Schulte 1 2-3 4, Techau 2 7-12 11, Johnson 1 0-0 2, B.Schulte  1 0-0 2. Totals 16 14-20 49.

PAPILLION-LAVISTA (64): Hiebert 1 0-0 3, Akinwole 6 3-3 16, Emery 0 0-0 0, Deng 2 2-2 6, Carter 0 0-0 0, Chang 11 4-4 30, Priest 3 0-0 9, Feekin 0 0-0 0, Fulton 0 0-0 0, Redding 0 0-0 0, Bahl 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 9-9 64.

Halftime - Papillion-LaVista 35, Xavier 20. 3-point goals - Xavier 3 (Butkowski  2, Mims 1), Papillion-LaVista 9 (Chang 4, Priest 3, Hiebert 1, Akinwole 1).

Saints bumped off by Hempstead

It was easy to look at the Xavier Saints this year and think they had  a good chance to win another Class 3A state title with lots of talent back from last season.

They still might get back to Des Moines and take a crack at a state  crown, but so far it's been a struggle.

The Saints fell apart in the third quarter Friday night and lost to  Dubuque Hempstead, 63-44, in a Mississippi Valley Conference boys basketball game at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

The loss left Xavier with a 4-7 record heading into a special  event Saturday in Omaha against Papillion-LaVista.

Matt Mims, Max Techau and Jackson Joens returned to the starting  linuep this season after helping the Saints win the 2016 state title. Nolan Butkowski, a part-time starter, and Bryce Schulte, a key  reserve, also returned this year.

"There was every reason to be optimistic when you return those guys,"  Coach Ryan Luehrsmann said Friday.

Luehrsmann is still optimistic, but the season is half-over and the  Saints have yet to hit their stride.

Read more...