Xavier finds its game at right time

CEDAR RAPIDS – Somehow, someway, they got it together. At the perfect time, too.

This boys' basketball season has been a challenge for the Cedar Rapids Xavier Saints. So much was expected from a team that returned a Division I college signee, a D-II signee and had one of the best point guards in the Mississippi Valley Conference transfer in.

Things started out well with a blowout of Mount Pleasant, though they suddenly went sideways. Xavier lost its next three games and had an 8-8 record in early February.

Look at the Saints now. They have won six in a row going into their Class 3A district final game Thursday night against Solon at Cedar Rapids Kennedy and are clicking on all cylinders.

'I think it just took time,” said Xavier's Adam McDermott. 'We had some chemistry issues. It was just a matter of time getting the offense and defense together.”

McDermott is the Division I guy, a 6-foot-4 pure shooter who will play at North Dakota. He leads Xavier in scoring at 17.3 points per game.

Forward Calvin Winker, who has signed with Missouri Southern, has started on the varsity for three years, as has McDermott. Michael Mims came in from Cedar Rapids Prairie and provided a very good lead guard and an outstanding trio.

But his arrival pushed Mitch Burger, last season's point guard, to off guard.

'It was a big change for our team,” said Xavier Coach Ryan Luehrsmann. 'Last year, it was Mitchell that had the ball in his hands all the time. He was the one that controlled it. Now all of a sudden, we have more of a true point guard being thrown into the mix. It took awhile for us chemistry wise. Not only for those two, but everybody else, to settle into a rhythm on the offensive end.”

Burger finished the regular season scoring double figures in the last eight games. In his final four, he averaged 21 a game.

'His confidence is through the roof,” Mims said. 'We've been harping on him (to) ‘Shoot the ball. You are a great player. Keep that confidence.' He's showed it. I'm proud of him.”

'When Mitch started to play more like an off guard for this team, that's when we took off,” Luehrsmann said. 'He's been much more aggressive the second half of the season than he was the first half. We needed to have another scorer out there, and he's been able to provide us with that.”

Xavier (14-8) is a heavy favorite against Solon (10-12). If it wins, it advances to a substate final Monday night at the U.S. Cellular Center against either Davenport Assumption (17-5) or Mount Vernon (14-8).

'We've been saying we need to play for each other, play like we're brothers,” Mims said. 'I think that's helped a lot.”

'We're just playing well as a team, and it's been fun,” McDermott said.

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CLASS 3A DISTRICT FINALS

(All games at 7 p.m.)

Metro-Area

Cedar Rapids Xavier (14-8) vs. Solon (10-12) at Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Mount Vernon (14-8) vs. Davenport Assumption (17-5) at Clinton

Center Point-Urbana (9-13) vs. Dubuque Wahlert (13-9) at Epworth

Williamsburg (21-1) vs. Clear Creek-Amana (16-6) at Iowa City West

Decorah (12-10) vs. Crestwood (11-10) at Waukon

State

Gilbert vs. Perry at Ames

Bondurant-Farrar vs. Dallas Center-Grimes at Ankeny

Fort Madison vs. Keokuk at Burlington

Waverly-Shell Rock vs. Charles City at Cedar Falls

Glenwood vs. Harlan at Council Bluffs Lincoln

Carlisle vs. Norwalk at West Des Moines Dowling

Humboldt vs. Webster City at Fort Dodge

Denison-Schleswig vs. Carroll at Carroll Kuemper

Pella vs. Chariton at Oskaloosa

Spencer vs. Spirit Lake at Sheldon

LeMars vs. Sergeant Bluff-Luton at Sioux City North

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CLASS 1A DISTRICT FINALS

(All games at 7 p.m.)

Area

Belle Plaine (22-1) vs. Montezuma (21-3) at Brooklyn

West Central (20-3) vs. North Linn (18-5) at Elkader

Jesup (16-7) vs. Gladbrook-Reinbeck (23-0) at Hudson

Lone Tree (19-4) vs. Bellevue Marquette (18-4) at Burlington Notre Dame

Sigourney (17-5) vs. Lynnville-Sully (18-5) at Knoxville

State

Ar-We-Va vs. Maple Valley/Anthon-Oto at Odebolt

Pleasantville vs. Grand View Christian at Ankeny Centennial

Denver vs. Nashua-Plainfield at Parkersburg

West Hancock vs. Mason City Newman at Garner

Earlham vs. Murray at Truro

Paton-Churdan vs. Nodaway Valley at Panora

Fremont-Mills vs. Sidney at Shenandoah

Boyden-Hull vs. South O'Brien at Sioux Center

Woodbury Central vs. Lawton-Bronson at Sioux City West

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com