March 18, 2024

Sharpshooting Saydel buries eight treys in win over CMB

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DES MOINES — Collins-Maxwell/Baxter opponents have made a habit out of playing their best game of the season against the Raiders this season.

That trend continued Tuesday when Saydel buried eight 3-pointers and scored 24 more points than its season average during a 64-50 victory over the Raiders during Heart of Iowa Conference play.

The Eagles came into the game shooting 28 percent from long range, but the eight 3-point makes came in 13 attempts.

Adding to CMB head coach Scott Brummel’s frustration, two Saydel players combined to score 26 more points than their season average.

“I don’t think we rotate particularly well in the corners, but tonight it was the top of the key,” Brummel said of Saydel’s eight 3-point makes. “They were a few feet behind the line. Normally, you don’t have to go that far out. Guys get hot sometimes.

“They just made 3-pointers tonight. I am tired of watching teams make way more 3-pointers than they average though.”

Saydel has just two wins on the season, but the Eagles are 2-2 in their last four games. CMB (2-17 overall, 2-13 in the HOIC) has now lost 10 straight games.

The Raiders played well at times, but the consistency level at both ends of the floor is not where it needs to be.

Brady Kemp scored five of CMB’s first seven points, and the visitors led 7-2 early.

The Raiders never trailed in the quarter, but Kole Walker got hot in the second frame to turn the momentum over to the Eagles (2-17, 1-14).

Walker scored back-to-back buckets to tie the game at 12-all.

He tied it again with another basket a few possessions later, and his final four points of the quarter pushed Saydel to a 28-24 lead at the break.

Walker came into the game averaging 13.5 points per game but scored 27 and had nine rebounds against the Raiders.

Jake Philipsen got into the 3-point parade in the third quarter. His second 3-pointer of the game put Saydel up 36-28. The Raiders rallied behind Hunter Gunderson but still trailed 43-40 at the end of the third.

“The first half it was at the high post that they got open shots from,” Brummel said. “I thought we covered it up in the second half, but then they hit some shots from outside. We had to play zone at times and there’s too many holes in it.”

Gunderson had CMB’s first two points of the fourth, but Saydel seize complete control of the game with an 8-2 run. Brady Stover converted back-to-back layups to get CMB within five, but Philipsen hit his fourth trey of the game.

Philipsen came into the game averaging 5.3 points per game but scored 18 and dished out four assists. He was 5-of-7 from 3-point range.

“What we don’t do is we are not opportunistic,” Brummel said. ‘We can get three or four stops at the defensive end, but then we don’t score at the other end. Then we’ll score on three or four straight possessions but won’t get a stop at the other end.

“We don’t put both ends of the floor together enough to overcome a seven-point deficit, and we can’t run away from someone if we have a lead.”

Walker eventually gave Saydel its first double-digit lead of the game. After Stover’s layup got CMB within five, the Eagles ended the game on a 13-4 run.

Gunderson led the Raiders with 12 points, while Will Clapper had 10 points and five rebounds and Brady Stover chipped in nine points, four rebounds and three steals.

Brady Kemp fouled out with 2:42 to play in the final quarter, but he still scored eight points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

Saydel made more than half of its shots from the floor, connecting on 23-of-44, but made only 10-of-20 from the free-throw line. CMB was 19-of-49 from the field and 10-of-18 from the line.

CMB returns to action at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Woodward-Granger. The Raiders finish the regular season at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Gilbert and then begin postseason play at 6:30 p.m. Monday against Woodward Academy in Madrid.

Collins-Maxwell/Baxter 12-12-16-10—50

Saydel 8-20-15-21—64

CMB (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): McWhirter 2-1-3-5, Stover 3-3-3-9, Gunderson 4-4-2-12, Kemp 3-0-5-8, WIll Clapper 5-0-3-10, Lindemoen 0-0-1-0, Caple 0-0-1-0, Ritter 2-2-1-5. Totals: 19/210-19-50.

Saydel (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Smith 3/2-1-2-9, Taylor 0-0-0-0, K. Walker 10-7-3-27, Philipsen 6/5-1-1-18, R. Martin 2-0-4-4, Boehler 1-0-1-2, McKee 1-0-0-3, Sepich 0-0-0-0, Riddleberger 0-0-4-0, Porter 0-0-0-0. Totals 23/8-10-19-64.