Short-handed Xavier still has enough to beat Waverly-Shell Rock

CEDAR RAPIDS - When all the pieces are available, this Cedar Rapids Xavier basketball puzzle looks pretty complete.

Even short-handed, the Saints were pretty complete in a 46-43 win over Waverly-Shell Rock in a battle of top Class 3A teams Saturday afternoon at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

Xavier (2-0) played again without 6-foot-7 Cedar Rapids Kennedy transfer Max Techau, who is nursing an ankle injury. He'll obviously provide a large presence in the middle when he returns.

It also played Saturday without starting senior guard Mitch Burger, who sat on the bench with Techau in a suit and tie. Coach Ryan Luehrsmann said it was a coach's decision and that Burger should be available for Xavier's next game, Friday night against Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

'This win means a lot,” said Xavier's Nolan Butkowski. 'It shows what we're made of as a team, that we can overcome adversity. We've been working really hard together and have confidence in each other that we can come out here and play. We weren't going to worry about the off-the-court issues. Just come out here, play the best that we can and hopefully get the ‘W.'”

Which they got. Butkowski hit a pair of free throws and a jumper that put the Saints ahead for good, 41-37, with 2:59 left.

Waverly-Shell Rock (0-2) did get it within a point in the final minute, but Butkowski and wonderful sophomore point guard Matt Mims hit some clutch free throws. A 3-point attempt from the top of the arc by W-SR's Austin Phyfe in the closing seconds looked good from the release, but it hit the heel of the basket instead and bounced out.

Phyfe, a 6-foot-9 junior post, has committed to Northern Iowa but was a non-factor most of the game, saddled with foul trouble and unable to overcome Xavier's physical double and triple-team defense. He finished with just six points.

'Really pleased with how the guys guarded for 32 minutes,” Luehrsmann said. 'I thought the defense, particularly our man to man, was excellent tonight, and that was key to allowing us to pull off the win today.”

'It was a huge team effort,” said Mims. 'We just stuck to the game plan, and it worked out for us. I feel like we played very well against him. (Senior forward) Ryan Stulken had a really good game against him. Everybody just helped each other out.”

Xavier took an 18-10 lead after a quarter but managed only 15 points combined in the second and third quarters. A corner trey from John Stensland gave W-SR a 32-31 edge headed to the fourth.

Andrew Epley led the Go-Hawks with 11 points. Mims had 19 for Xavier, and appears poised to become one of the Metro's top players sooner than later.

'He's really poised, an excellent floor leader,” Luehrsmann said. 'We're just excited that we've got him for three years. He's only the scratching the surface. He's got a chance to be a really special point guard.”

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AT C.R. XAVIER

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK (43): Camry Moore 2-10 3-4 7, Austin Phyfe 2-6 2-2 6, Joshua Buresh 0-2 0-0 0, Tanner Krueger 0-0 0-0 0, Christian Mosley 1-4 2-2 5, Andrew Epley 5-7 2-3 11, Luke Velky 0-0 2-3 2, Joey McNally 0-2 0-0 0, Jackson Little 1-3 0-0 3, John Stensland 3-5 0-0 9. Totals 14-39 10-12 43.

C.R. XAVIER (46): Jackson Joens 1-6 1-3 3, Ryan Stulken 3-7 1-2 8, Blake Whitten 0-2 0-0 0, Matt Mims 6-10 5-8 19, Nolan Butkowski 2-6 5-6 10, Max Johnson 3-5 0-0 6, Reese Houtakker 0-1 0-0 0, Bryce Schulte 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-37 12-19 46.

Halftime - Xavier 26, Waverly-Shell Rock 22. 3-point goals - Waverly-Shell Rock 5-12 (Phyfe 0-1, Buresh 0-1, Mosley 1-3, Epley 0-1, Little 1-2, Stensland 3-4), Xavier 3-14 (Joens 0-3, Stulken 1-4, Whitten 0-1, Mims 1-2, Butkowski 1-3, Houtakker 0-1). Rebounds - Waverly-Shell Rock 31 (Moore, Buresh 5), Xavier 19 (Stulken 5). Total fouls - Waverly-Shell Rock 22, Xavier 16. Fouled out - None. Turnovers - Waverly-Shell Rock 16, Xavier 7.

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