Mims, Otting hope to help lead Saints

CEDAR RAPIDS - Freezing temperatures can only mean one thing - basketball season is here.

The Xavier boys' basketball team hopes to continue its success from last season and improve on its 15-9 record. Xavier finished second in the Valley Division of the MVC behind rival Catholic school Dubuque Wahlert in 2013-14.

Xavier lost key members from that team to graduation, including center Matt Nelson and guard Andrew Bisenius. Combined, the two averaged more than 12 points per game and added eight rebounds.

The Saints are looking for new varsity members to contribute to the team's success, including senior transfer Michael Mims. Mims averaged 13.7 points per game at Prairie last season. He also added 52 assists and 31 steals.

'I wanted a change for my senior year, and I wanted to make the best of it,” Mims said. 'I felt Xavier could fulfill that for me academically and athletically. I felt it would be the best situation for me and my brother as well.”

The Saints also are returning three top scorers in senior guard Adam McDermott, senior forward Calvin Winker and junior guard Mitchell Burger. McDermott led the team in scoring at 16.5 points per game and added 56 total assists, 38 total steals and 5.3 rebounds per game. Winker was the second leading scorer, averaging 13 points per game, and Burger added an average of 7.6 points per game.

Mims will be another outside shooting threat to go along with Burger and McDermott. Combined, the three shot close to 40 percent from behind the arc.

'Michael will give us another point guard that can break down the defense off the dribble,” Saints Coach Ryan Luehrsmann said. 'We expect him to be a great distributor and defender from the point guard position.”

Xavier hopes to get production on both the offensive and defensive end from 6-foot-6 junior forward Ryan Stulken and 6-4 senior center Tim Otting. Stulken and Otting look to replace the inside presence of Nelson.

'Everybody on the team has been looking forward to this season,” Stulken said. 'We are all working hard in practice to meet our goals of a state championship.”

The Saints, ranked third in Class 3A in the first Gazette poll, are 1-1 and play at Kennedy on Friday.