BAXTER — The Prairie City-Monroe boys basketball team has played its share of close games this year. The Collins-Maxwell-Baxter boys basketball likes making games close.

On Friday night, both of those factors came together for an entertaining night of hoops.

Despite a see-saw battle all game, the Mustangs (16-1, 13-1 Heart of Iowa Conference) had runs at the end of each half to distance themselves from the Raiders (4-14, 3-12), who took yet another close loss with a 67-57 final.

"We knew it was going to be tough coming in," said PCM senior Alex DeWitte, who earned a double-double. "The first time we had a 21-0 run on them, but we knew that wouldn't happen twice. We got a challenge, and we're happy to come out of here with a win."

It was plain to see from the beginning that neither team would have an easy night. Seven players between the two teams scored in the first quarter, which ended with PCM leading 17-13. It also established the battles in the paint and how neither team could hold the momentum for very long.

Although the Mustangs already found themselves in foul trouble to start the second quarter, DeWitte and fellow senior Ethan Kain did their parts to keep CMB at an arm’s length. DeWitte scored down low, at the free-throw line and behind the arch in the quarter, adding 10 points to a PCM run that resulted in a 34-27 halftime lead.