Collins-Maxwell stops Baxter boys’ conference streak at 40 games

MAXWELL — For the first time since 2021, the Baxter boys basketball team lost a conference game on Friday.

The Bolts started slow and never recovered during a 71-55 road loss to rival Collins-Maxwell during Iowa Star Conference South Division play.

It was the first conference loss since falling 43-42 to Colo-NESCO back on Feb. 5, 2021. The win streak is snapped at 40 games.

It also was the first win for Collins-Maxwell over the Bolts in nine tries. Baxter is 14-2 in the series since 2017.

The Spartans led 21-8 after one quarter and went into halftime with a 15-point lead. A 21-13 advantage in the third extended the lead, but the Bolts closed the gap with an 18-11 fourth.

Cainan Travis led the Bolts (5-2, 4-1 in the conference) with a career-high 21 points and four rebounds, while Eli Dee added 21 points and three boards.

Perrin Sulzle finished with 11 points and seven rebounds, Maddux Tuhn grabbed five boards and Stadan Vansice swiped three steals. Logan Rainsbarger grabbed three rebounds and Dakota Parker finished with two rebounds.

The Bolts shot 45.2 percent from the floor, made 6-of-16 from 3-point range and connected on 11-of-18 from the free-throw line. They turned the ball over 17 times.

Paden Myers led Collins-Maxwell (8-0, 6-0) with 27 points and seven rebounds and Josef Dvorak added 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.

The Spartans shot 45.6 percent from the floor, made 7-of-23 from 3 and turned the ball over only nine times. They also drained 12-of-21 from the foul line.

Martensdale-St. Marys 62, Baxter 36

MARTENSDALE — The Bolts couldn’t overcome severe disadvantages in the second and third frames during a 62-36 non-conference road loss to Martensdale-St. Marys on Thursday.

Baxter trailed 18-12 after one but was outscored 34-10 in the second and third.

Dee led the Bolts with 18 points and three rebounds, while Travis added eight points, four boards and two steals.

Sulzle collected six points and two rebounds and Vansice chipped in three rebounds and two steals.

The Bolts shot 32.6 percent from the floor, made 2-of-14 from 3 and buried 6-of-10 from the foul line.

Colton Wright led the Blue Devils (6-1) with 16 points, while Trey Wright added eight points, nine rebounds and five assists.

Martensdale-St. Marys shot 53 percent from the floor and made 6-of-20 from 3.