Xavier Boys Basketball

Ya gotta believe! Saints whip Lions

If you did not believe in the Xavier Saints before they played at Linn-Mar on Tuesday night, it's time to start.

The Saints put on a sterling performance and whipped the Lions for the third straight year at Linn-Mar, this time 68-63 in the Metro Game of the Year so far.

Xavier is ranked No. 2 in Class 3A by the Associated Press and Linn-Mar is ranked No. 6 in Class 4A, but this game belonged to the gritty Saints who have taken dead aim on the first Mississippi Valley Conference title in school history.

"It's a quality win," Xavier coach Ryan Luehrsmann said. "Anytime you beat a program that's as strong as they are -- and well-coached -- you have to feel good about it.

"I'm really happy with our kids. They just stuck together, showed some toughness and battled it out. That's what you have to do on the road in the MVC."

Xavier trailed 54-49 with less than four minutes remaining, but the Saints went on an 8-0 run and outscored the Lions 19-9 coming down the stretch to emerge with the victory.

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Xavier boys climb to No. 2 in rankings

These are heady times for the Xavier boys basketball team.

The Saints climbed to No. 2 in the Class 3A rankings by the Associated Press Monday after collecting two more wins last week.

The Saints (11-2) were ranked No. 3 a week ago, but they jumped ahead of Dubuque Wahlert this week after the Golden Eagles lost to Linn-Mar Friday night.

Pella (12-1) is ranked No. 1 in Class 3A and received 15 first-place votes. Xavier and Wahlert both received one vote for first place from the state-wide panel.

Linn-Mar (9-3) jumped two spots to No. 6 in the Class 4A poll on the strength of its big victories last week over Ankeny and Wahlert. All-state guard Jordan Bohannon put on a show in both of those games, netting 37 points in the overtime victory at Ankeny and 35 points against Wahlert.

Xavier enjoyed the best season in school history last year when it finished third at the state tournament with an 18-9 record, but the Saints graduated 76.7 percent of their points and 83.4 percent of their rebounds and expectations were fairly low this season with four new starters.

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Techau, Joens lead No.3 Saints

Max Techau scored 17 points Saturday afternoon and Jackson Joens netted 16 as the third-ranked Xavier Saints spanked Muscatine, 73-51, in a non-conference basketball game at Xavier.

The Saints raised their record to 11-2.

Techau grabbed seven rebounds for Xavier. Matt Mims contributed five points, six steals and six assists.

The Saints owned a commanding 35-15 lead at halftime.

XAVIER (73): Schulte 0 0-0 0, Burns 0 0-0 0, Burger 3 0-0 7, Mims 2 1-2 5, Butowski 3 1-1 9, Fettkether 0 0-0 0, Whitten 1 0-2 2, Joens 6 2-2 16, Demplewolf 0 0-0 0, Stulken 4 0-2 9, Houtakker 2 0-0 6, Lux 0 0-0 0, Techau 7 2-3 17, Johnson 1 0-0 2. Totals 29 6-12 73.

Halftime - Xavier 35, Muscatine 15. 3-point goals - Xavier 9 (Butowski, Joens 2, Houtakker 2, Burger 1, Stulken 1, Techau 1).

Butkowski helps Saints top Waterloo East

WATERLOO – The third-ranked Xavier boys basketball team rallied with a 29-14 run in the fourth quarter to escape Waterloo East, 73-66, in a Mississippi Valley Conference game Friday at East.

The Trojans led 52-44 entering the fourth quarter.

Nolan Butkowski popped in six 3-pointers and scored 22 points for the Saints (10-2), Mitchell Burger had 21 points and five assists. Max Techau added 15 points and eight rebounds.

Waterloo East fell to 6-7.

XAVIER (73): Burger 8 4-4 21, Mims 2 0-0 4, Butkowski 8 1-3 22, Joens 2 0-0 5, Stulken 1 1-2 3, Schulte 0 0-0 0, Houtakker 1 0-0 3, Techau 4 7-9 15. Totals 26 13-18 73.

Halftime – Waterloo East 32, Xavier 27. 3-point goals – Xavier 8 (Butkowski 6, Burger, Joens, Houtakker).