Mt. Pleasant boys basketball drops home opener to Saints

MT. PLEASANT - The Mt. Pleasant boys basketball team dropped their home opener to the Cedar Rapids Xavier Saints, 54 to 43, on Monday evening.

The Saints would take an early lead, finishing the first quarter 15 to 8. However, the Panthers would rally to close that gap and leave the court at halftime with 21 points to Xavier's 26, the closest the Mt. Pleasant boys would get to overtaking the visiting team.

The Saints came into the second half with a renewed enthusiasm, finishing the third quarter 15 points ahead of the Panthers, 42 to 27. Despite attempts to rally back, and a strong start to the final quarter, the Panthers would ultimately fall to the Saints.

Jaxon Hoyle would lead the Panthers in three-pointers, sinking three of his six attempts in the first half. Hoyle, alongside his teammate Keegan Kohorst, would lead the home team in overall points in the game with 11 a piece.

Despite falling to the visiting team, the boys basketball coach, Caleb Akey, is excited for this upcoming season with a team who isn't afraid to go hard on the court.

'It's a pretty good team we played ... they're big and fast and just good basketball players,” Akey said of the opposing team.

But what his team may lack in raw talent, Akey believes his players will be able to make up with 'tenacity” and 'energy.”

There will be more on this game in the Thursday edition of the paper.