Libby Fandel passes post-defense test; Xavier handles Jefferson, 50-33

CEDAR RAPIDS — Sometimes, Libby Fandel defends the perimeter.

Sometimes, it’s the paint.

“The good posts, I guard,” Fandel said. “It kind of depends on the matchup.

“It’s not my favorite, but it’s not bad. I did it some in club ball.”

Friday night, Fandel’s defensive assignment was Lillie Spicer. The good posts, she guards, and Spicer fits the bill.

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“Libby usually asks to guard the best player,” Cedar Rapids Xavier Coach Tom Lilly said after the Class 4A 10th-ranked Saints handled Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 50-33, in a Metro girls’ basketball contest at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

“I respect that, because at the next level (at the University of Kansas), she’s going to be guarding the best player every night.”

Fandel did a more-than-respectable job against Spicer, yielding 16 points and eight rebounds to the talented sophomore.

“Absolutely, that’s a win,” Lilly said.

Fandel registered 20 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and five steals as the Saints (4-2) steadily, methodically pulled away.

“We could have been better, and so could I,” Fandel said. “We missed a few wide-open layups. I know I missed a couple that I should have made.”

On the other hand, the Saints forced Jefferson (3-2) into 20 turnovers and sub-30-percent shooting from the floor at 11 of 37.

Fandel scored five points in the first 1:40, and Xavier shot to a 9-2 lead. Jefferson got even at 9-all, but the Saints led 15-11 after a quarter, 27-18 at intermission.

Jaselle Lang added 10 points for the Saints; Madden Wilson posted eight points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Spicer was the lone Jefferson player to exceed five points.

Friday’s game did not count in the Mississippi Valley Conference standings. The rematch will, Feb. 7 at Jefferson.

BOYS: Cedar Rapids Xavier 70, Cedar Rapids Jefferson 39

The Saints (3-0) stormed to a 25-11 lead after a quarter, enjoyed a 47-19 halftime cushion, and coasted home.

Four Xavier players reached double figures: Kaleb Wilgenbusch and A.J. Evans scored 13 points apiece, Zander Murray added 11 and Lorenzo Pino tallied 10.

Khai Gatewood led Jefferson (1-3) with 12 points.

Cedar Rapids Xavier 50, Cedar Rapids Jefferson 33

At C.R. Xavier

C.R. JEFFERSON (33): Ava Erger 2-6 0-0 4, Danielle Boche 1-5 3-3 5, Angeline Troh 2-9 0-3 5, Lexi Haller 0-0 0-2 0, Lillie Spicer 5-12 6-8 16, Morgan Hewitt 0-0 0-0 0, Kymara Atwood-Mayes 1-4 0-0 3, Lilli Ulrich 0-1 0-0 0, Mikah Duke 0-0 0-0 0, Dash Wiseman 0-0 0-0 0, Evie Creighton 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 11-35 9-16 33.

C.R. XAVIER (50): Madden Wilson 3-10 2-2 8, Jaselle Lang 4-7 1-1 10, Taylor Rexroth 2-8 2-3 6, Libby Fandel 8-20 0-0 20, Reese Komenda 1-4 1-1 3, Cayleigh O’Brien 0-0 1-2 1, Samantha Dorrity 1-1 0-0 2, Brooklyn Emerson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-51 7-9 50.

C.R. Jefferson 11 7 7 8 — 33

C.R. Xavier 15 12 10 13 — 50

3-point goals: Jefferson 2-14 (Erger 0-4, Troh 1-6, Spicer 0-1, Atwood-Mayes 1-2, Ulrich 0-1), Xavier 5-18 (Wilson 0-5, Lang 1-2, Fandel 4-11). Team fouls: Jefferson 8, Xavier 16. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Jefferson 26 (Spicer 8), Xavier 36 (Fandel 15). Assists: Jefferson 6 (Troh, Haller 2), Xavier 14 (Fandel 4). Steals: Jefferson 12 (Spicer, Atwood-Mayes 3), Xavier 13 (Fandel 5). Turnovers: Jefferson 20, Xavier 17.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com