Xavier Boys Basketball

Winker leads Saints over J-Hawks

Calvin Winker had 21 points to lead the Xavier boys basketball team to a 71-45 win over Jefferson on Friday at Xavier.

The Saints led 16-9 after the first quarter and 34-19 at halftime. Xavier (2-3) also made nine 3-point goals.

Mitchell Burger added 11 points for the Saints, and Tim Otting had nine points.

Valentino Green had 12 points to lead the J-Hawks (0-6), and Lucas Larson had 11 points.

JEFFERSON (45): Wiederin 0 0-0 0, Galvin 0 0-0 0, McCauley 0 0-0 0, webb 1 1-2 3, Van Oort 3 2-3 8, Davidson 0 0-0 0, Larson 5 1-2 11, Szabo 0 2-2 2, Konigsmark 0 0-0 0, Hall 2 0-0 4, Kramer 1 0-0 3, Furrow 1 0-0 2, Hunt 0 0-0 0, Green 5 2-4 12. Totals 18 8-13 45.

XAVIER (71): Mims 3 0-0 6, Burger 4 3-5 11, Ramlo 2 2-2 7, Klostermann 1 0-0 3, Welch 0 0-0 0, Whitten 1 0-0 3, Downey 2 0-0 6, Winker 7 4-4 21, Stulken 0 0-1 0, Clasen 0 0-0 0, Otting 4 1-3 9, Brems 2 0-0 5. Totals 26 10-15 71.

Halftime – Xavier 34, Jefferson 19. 3-point goals – Jefferson 1 (Kramer), Xavier 9 (Winker 3, Downey 2, Ramlo, Klostermann, Whitten, Brems).

McDonnell paces Rams by Saints

DUBUQUE - Big Luke McDonnell was too big for the Xavier Saints to handle Tuesday night.

McDonnell poured in 25 points as Dubuque Senior defeated the Saints, 62-46, in a Mississippi Valley Conference game in Dubuque.

McDonnell, a 6-foot-10 senior, has signed with the University of Northern Iowa.

Michael Mims scored 13 points for Xavier, which lost its third straight game. Mitchell Burger scored 11 points and Calvin Winker had 10 for the Saints (1-3, 0-2). Adam McDermott, their leading scorer, scored three points.

Jayden Davis contributed 18 points for the Rams (2-1, 2-0).

XAVIER (46): Mims 3 5-6  13, McDermott 0 3-3 3, Burger 3 4-4 11, Ramlo 2 0-0 4, Welch 0 0-0 0, Winker 5 0-0 10, Otting 2 1-3 5. Totals 15 13-16 46.

DUBUQUE SENIOR (62): Masic 2 1-3 5, Hermsen 0 2-2 2, Noel 0 0-0 0, Psihoyos 0 0-0 0, Blackman 2 2-2 8, Hempal-Griffin 2 0-0 4, Davis 7 2-4 18, McDonnell 11 3-4 25. Totals 24 10-17 62.

Halftime - Dubuque Senior 26, Xavier 21. 3-point goals - Xavier 3 (Mims, 2, Burger 1), Dubuque Senior 4 (Blackman 2, Davis 2).

Saints gobble up Panthers in opener

The Xavier Saints snacked on some Thanksgiving leftovers in their season opener Monday night, but they know the menu will get a lot tougher from here.

Adam McDermott popped in 20 points as the Saints belted the young Mount Pleasant Panthers, 66-24, on the first day of high school boys basketball at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

Mount Pleasant, with three freshmen in the starting lineup, was no match for Xavier with its "Big 3" of McDermott, Calvin Winker and transfer Michael Mims on the floor with Mitchell Burger and Connor Ramlo.

The Saints raced to a 25-4 lead in the first six minutes of the game and ignited the continuous clock with a 35-point bulge late in the third quarter.

"I thought we came out and executed our plays like we wanted to, pushed the break like we wanted to," said McDermott, a 6-foot-4 senior who has signed with North Dakota. "I thought we played really well on the defensive end."

Xavier Coach Ryan Luehrsmann liked the way his team performed.

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Saints eye state tourney with Mims

The Xavier Saints came within one game of reaching the Class 3A state basketball tournament last year, falling to Dubuque Wahlert in a memorable substate final in Epworth.

Now the Saints plan to finish the journey to Des Moines with Cedar Rapids Prairie transfer Michael Mims joining Adam McDermott and Calvin Winker in a potent lineup of three all-conference players.

Mims, a 5-foot-9 point guard, averaged 13.7 points at Prairie last season before deciding to play his final year at Xavier. McDermott, who has committed to North Dakota, averaged 16.5 last season. Winker, who has committed to Missouri Western, averaged 13.0 points.

All three players are capable of scoring 20 points on any given night and Coach Ryan Luehrsmann plans to play an up-tempo game to take advantage of their ability.

Luehrsmann claimed he has a new coaching philosophy this year with so much firepower on the club. "Just try to get out of the way," he joked.

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