Dee drops 45 points in Bolts’ win over GMG

GARWIN — A big second quarter propelled the Baxter boys basketball team to a road win over GMG on Tuesday.

The Bolts trailed by two after one but dominated the second frame and held off a late charge from the Wolverines during a 71-64 victory in Iowa Star Conference South Division play.

Eli Dee put in 45 points and made all 16 of his free-throw attempts in the victory. Baxter won the second 22-8, and GMG closed the gap with a 42-37 advantage in the final two periods.

Dee added seven rebounds and five steals to his 45 points. He was 13-of-21 from the floor and made 16-of-16 from the free-throw line.

Dee is shooting 86.3 percent from the foul line, which ranks eighth in Class 1A. His 29 points per game ranks fourth in the class.

Perrin Sulzle totaled 16 points, 14 rebounds and three assists, Cainan Travis added six points, seven boards and two blocks and Maddux Tuhn collected four points and two rebounds. Stadan Vansice totaled two rebounds and two assists.

The Bolts (10-7, 7-2 in the conference) shot 50 percent from the floor despite making 3-of-12 from 3-point range. They buried 20-of-24 from the foul line and turned the ball over 18 times.

Colin Teske led GMG with 20 points, six rebounds and five steals and Rider Kupka had 17 points and six boards. The Wolverines (6-12, 2-8) shot 39 percent from the floor, made 6-of-18 from 3 and turned the ball over 12 times.

Baxter won its ninth straight against GMG and improved to 14-2 in the series since 2017.

West Marshall 62, Baxter 61

STATE CENTER — The Bolts couldn’t hold a three-possession lead after the first quarter and fell 62-61 to 2A West Marshall on Thursday.

Baxter led by seven after the first but was outscored by eight in the second and fell by a single point in the non-conference contest. Both teams scored 31 points in the second half.

Dee scored 35 points, grabbed three rebounds and swiped three steals. He was 6-of-8 from 3 and 3-of-4 from the foul line.

Sulzle tallied a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double and Travis had nine points, six rebounds and two blocks. Vansice totaled four rebounds and two assists and Tuhn grabbed three rebounds.

The Bolts shot 47 percent from the floor, made 8-of-14 from 3 and buried 7-of-12 from the foul line.

West Marshall (10-7) shot 43 percent from the floor, connected on 7-of-18 from 3 and buried 5-of-6 from the foul line.

Lucas Barnes led the Trojans with 17 points and six rebounds and Cash Johnson had 15 points and seven boards.