‘Hustle plays’ lift Xavier girls past City High

CEDAR RAPIDS - Each and every time an offensive possession went sideways, it seemed like Cedar Rapids Xavier had someone there to clean it up.

So much so, you half-expected to see Lizzy Bailey or McKenna Andersen with a bucket and mop after the game.

Bailey drilled four 3-pointers during a 19-point first half, while Andersen scored 11 of her 14 points in the second half, and the Class 4A 10th-ranked Saints won for the seventh time in eight games, 55-51, over 5A No. 9 Iowa City High in a Mississippi Valley Conference girls' basketball game Friday night at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

'I think we have some kids that are probably playing with a little more confidence,” Xavier Coach Tom Lilly said. 'They're starting to settle into their roles.”

Xavier's (10-4, 7-2 MVC) lone loss during that span was an overtime tilt at 5A No. 1 West Des Moines Valley. It was the first MVC loss for City High (9-4, 6-1 MVC), which played without star junior Courtney Joens for the second-consecutive game. The Illinois commit continues to have her injured right knee examined, leaving City High Coach Bill McTaggart searching for ways to replace her offensive punch.

'It's a lot of offense,” McTaggart said. 'She's one of the premiere shooters in the state. But tonight, I thought all of the girls played really hard.”

Courtney's younger sister Ashley led all scorers with 21 points on 11-of-11 free throws, but Bailey's fourth 3-pointer of the first half pushed the Xavier lead into double-figures at 28-18.

'We had a lot of great hustle plays,” Bailey said. 'Just distributing the ball, rebounds, offensive rebounds, kicking it out. That's kind of our game.”

A bulk of those hustle plays came courtesy of Andersen, who has rebounded nicely from a knee injury that cost her the entire sophomore season. The junior led the Saints with eight rebounds and two steals.

'You get plays when your teammates make hustle plays,” Andersen said.

A runner from Joens tied the game at 51-51 with 1:35 remaining, but City High was held scoreless for the remainder of the game. Three free throws from Morgan Breitbach over that span sealed it for Xavier.

AT C.R. XAVIER

IOWA CITY HIGH (51): Sarah Plock 3 0-0 6, Sara Blowers 1 0-0 3, Sydney Schroder 2 0-0 4, Ashley Joens 5 11-11 21, Samantha Blowers 0 0-0 0, Bryn Hanrahan 0 1-2 1, Kenya Earl 4 4-4 14, Lillian Christopherson 1 0-0 2, Totals 16 16-17 51.

C.R. XAVIER (55): Brylee Bastian 0 0-0 0, Lizzy Bailey 7 1-2 19, Lexi Noonan 0 1-2 1, McKenna Andersen 5 3-4 14, Morgan Breitbach 2 7-8 11, Claire Christianson 0 0-0 0, Jenny Dickes 0 0-0 0, Madi Nelson 0 0-0 0, Erin Drahozal 1 0-0 2, Amelia Ivester 3 2-2 8, Meghan Joens 0 0-0 0, Totals 18 14-18 55.

Halftime – Xavier 32-27. Three-point goals – City High 3 (Earl 2, Sar. Blowers 1), Xavier 5 (Bailey 4, Andersen 1). Total fouls – City High 21 , Xavier 16. Fouled out – None.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com