Xavier Boys Basketball

Johnson sparks No. 10 Saints by City High

Max Johnson checked out of Friday's game against Iowa City High with a  little more than two minutes remaining and got an affectionate head  rub from Xavier Coach Ryan Luehrsmann.

Luehrsmann and the Saints have been looking for a spark off the bench  all season and the 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior delivered with the best  game of his career.

Johnson scored 12 points and snared seven rebounds as the Class 3A  10th-ranked Saints defeated Iowa City High, 57-41, in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

Johnson had scored 12 points all season before matching it in a single  night against the Little Hawks.

"I just want to be someone who can come in and give the team a lot of  energy and make the hustle plays and keep things going, not be a  hindrance," he said.

Johnson was a deep reserve for the Saints when they won the Class 3A  state title last season. He's moved up this year and could be a key guy off the bench as the Saints (3-6) look to get on a roll after a  rough start to the campaign.

"I'm really proud of Max Johnson," said Luehrsmann. "He gave us great  minutes off the bench and great energy.

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Prairie rallies by Xavier boys

The hard times continued for the Xavier boys basketball team Friday night.

Cedar Rapids Prairie torched the Saints for 29 points in the fourth  quarter and rallied to a 70-66 victory in a Mississippi Valley  Conference game at Prairie.

The Saints (2-6) led by eight points heading into the final stanza,  but the Hawks (6-3) surged to victory.

Matt Mims popped in five 3-pointers and led Xavier with 29 points. Max  Techau added 21 points for the Saints.

Max Smith Drahos topped Prairie with 21 points. Jake Eilers nailed  five 3-pointers and scored 15. Keegan Murray hit four triples and  scored 14 points for the Hawks and Griff Clark netted 13.

XAVIER (66): Lux 0 0-0 0, Mims 10 3-4 28, Butkowski 0 0-0 0 Joens 4  1-1 11, Q.Schulte 0 0-0 0, Techau 9 3-3 21, Johnson 1 0-0 2, B.Schulte  2 0-4 4. Totals 26 7-12 66.

PRAIRIE (70): Eilers 5 0-0 15, Serbousek 2 1-1 5, Smith Drahos 5 11-12  21, Ke.Murray 5 0-0 14, Clark 2 8-11 13, Usher 1 0-0 2, Kr.Murray 0  0-0 0, Lorenz 0 0-0 0, Kilpatrick 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 20-24 70.

Halftime - Xavier 32, Prairie 29. 3-point goals - Xavier 7 (Mims 5,  Joens 2), Prairie 10 (Eilers 5, K.Murray 4, Clark 1).

Xavier boys trimmed by Assumption

DAVENPORT - The Xavier boys basketball team won a state title last year, but the Saints are struggling so far this season.

Davenport Assumption trimmed Xavier, 62-60, Tuesday night in Davenport, leaving the Saints with a 2-5 record.

Matt Mims returned from a sprained ankle and led Xavier with 19  points, three assists and three steals. Max Techau collected a  double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Jackson Joens and Bryce Schulte scored 10 points apiece for the Saints.

Xavier trailed 47-38 after three quarters and made a surge in the final stanza before falling two points short. The Saints launched 21 3-point shots in the game, but made only four of them.

Liam Robbins, a 6-foot-11 center, poured in 24 points for Assumption (5-3).

XAVIER (60): Mims 7 3-3 19, Butkowski 2 0-2 4, Joens 4 0-0 10,  Q.Schulte 1 0-0 2, Techau 7 1-2 15, B.Schulte 3 4-6 10, Dempleworth 0  0-0 0. Totals 24 8-13 60.

ASSUMPTION (62): Peeters 3 1-1 7, Fennelly 2 2-2 6, Wallace 2 0-0 4, Fitzpatrick 4 2-2 11, Thrapp 2 1-1 6, Greiner 1 1-1 3, Robbins 10 4-4 24. Totals 24 12-12 62.

Halftime - Assumption 34, Xavier 27. 3-point goals - Xavier 4 (Mims 2, Joens 2), Assumption 2 (Fitzpatrick 1, Thrapp 1).

No. 2 Kennedy boys top Saints

Matt Berst popped in five 3-pointers and scored 17 points Tuesday night as the Kennedy Cougars downed the Xavier Saints, 62-51, in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at the Kennedy gym.

The Cougars, who are ranked No. 2 in Class 4A, raised their perfect record to 4-0. The Saints, who are ranked No. 9 in Class 3A, fell to 2-4 for the campaign.

Xavier point guard Matt Mims, who sprained his ankle last Friday against Jefferson, did not play for the Saints.

Drake Brewster and Jackson Foley contributed 11 points apiece for Kennedy.

Jackson Joens paced Xavier with 13 points. Bryce Schulte pitched in with 10 points. Max Techau, who began his prep career at Kennedy, finished with eight points and nine rebounds for the Saints.

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