Quick healer Paige helps Linn-Mar rally past Waukee, 53-48

MARION - No worries, Jon Schlotterback. You won't go down as the kid who broke Marcus Paige.

Schlotterback is a sophomore center for the Linn-Mar Lions, and it was his foot that all-everything guard Paige came down on after driving the lane for a shot in practice Monday night. The North Carolina signee turned his left ankle, a sprain so bad there was serious question as to whether he'd play in Tuesday night's season opener against Waukee.

“I really didn't think he would, to be honest with you,” Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson said.

But on top of his immense talent and character, Paige apparently is a quick healer, too. His game-high 23 points including a sparkling second half that helped his team to a come-from-behind 53-48 win.

“It was just one of those freak accident things,” Paige said. “It was unfortunate, but I tried to work through it. I stayed at school last night doing ice and stim treatments and everything because I really wanted to play this game. I still kind of questioned it before the game, but I decided to give it a go. Once I got going, I didn't think about it too much.”

Linn-Mar's 27-game win streak was in serious jeopardy after Waukee point guard Chad Gutschenritter splashed a 3-pointer for a 42-35 edge with 7:09 left. But Paige and defense spurred a 14-0 run that brought the Lions back.

Gutschenritter, who finished with 20 points, went scoreless the final seven minutes, and Paige was unstoppable on drive after drive after drive to the hoop. It was his penetration and kick for a Matt Lassen trey that began the run.

“We were down seven and not much time left,” said Lassen, who added 10 points. “Marcus pulled us together and said we were not losing. We all listened and nodded our heads.”

“At first, I was a little tentative and settled for jump shots,” said Paige, who scored 16 second-half points. “Once I made my first one, I forced too many after that from the outside. But I trusted my teammates a little more later and got to the rim more, which opened up things for everyone else.”

A very nice opening win for a Linn-Mar team that lost four starters to graduation. Waukee also was a state-tournament club last season, returning three of its top four scorers.

“I thought our guys really competed,” Robertson said. “I'm excited, I like this team. We may take some lumps early because of our youth. But I think if we keep working, by the end of the season, we could be pretty good.”

Here is the game boxscore and a short video interview with Paige:

AT LINN-MAR

WAUKEE (48): Jordan Stotts 2-8 0-0 5, Cole Pederson 4-10 1-1 11, Nate Gehring 1-1 2-2 4, Beau Easley 1-2 0-0 3, Chad Gutschenritter 8-17 0-0 20, Michael Jacobson 1-3 1-2 3, Kellen Kollmorgen 0-0 0-0 0, Komuri Lejukole 0-0 0-0 0, A.J. Allen 1-1 0-0 2, Tyler Wellendorf 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-42 4-5 48.

LINN-MAR (53): Jimmy Roth 2-7 1-3 6, Andy Henry 2-5 0-0 4, Derrik Gogg 4-8 0-0 8, Matt Lassen 3-8 2-2 10, Marcus Paige 11-22 0-0 23, Zach Martins 0-2 0-0 0, Nate Dick 0-0 0-0 0, Jon Schlotterback 0-0 0-0 0, Jacob Hutchins 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 23-53 3-5 48.

Halftime - Waukee 24, Linn-Mar 23. 3-point goals - Waukee 8-21 (Stotts 1-7, Pederson 2-3, Easley 1-2, Gutschenritter 4-10), Linn-Mar 4-16 (Roth 1-5, Lassen 2-3, Paige 1-7, Martins 0-1). Rebounds - Waukee 34 (Stotts 7), Linn-Mar 22 (Paige 6). Total fouls - Waukee 16, Linn-Mar 9. Fouled out - None. Turnovers - Waukee 19, Linn-Mar 5.