A nine-day layoff from the Substate Finals to the Boys’ Class 2A State Quarterfinals might seem like a disadvantage, but the PCM boys basketball team knows just how to handle the wait. Mustangs’ head coach Fred Lorensen said the gap between postseason games is the same span that his team endured from the end of the regular season to their first District Tournament game, adding that both the coaching staff and players know how to manage practices to stay focused and continue to improve.

The lay-off also gives more time for senior forward Scott Bruxvoort to recover from a severe ankle injury, though Lorensen says his leading scorer and rebounder still may not be ready to go by the Mustang’s first game at the State Tournament. PCM returns to Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on Tuesday, where they’ll face Fort Dodge St. Edmond in the Class 2A State Quarterfinals.