PHOTOS: Linn-Mar, Stokes win 28th straight

MARION - Two additional items of concern when scouting Kiah Stokes:

She's in shape. And she's got help.

Stokes was typically brilliant - accumulating 29 points and 19 rebounds – in Class 4A fourth-ranked Linn-Mar's 60-48 Mississippi Valley Conference girls' basketball triumph over No. 3 Iowa City High on Tuesday night at Linn-Mar High School.

She also appeared extremely well-conditioned. The 6-foot-3 University of Connecticut recruit played from beginning to (almost) end without a break. Her only bench time came with 14 seconds left and victory secure.

“I'm in better shape than I was in volleyball,” she said. “In practice, we always go hard. I could use a little more conditioning, but it can only get better.”

Linn-Mar (2-0, 1-0) won its 28th straight game and extended its regular-season and MVC streaks to 45 and 34, respectively.

Any worries about a decline after the graduation of four starters appear to be answered.

Guards Jenna Eells and Mykaela Brandt weren't hesitant to shoot when the Little Hawks (2-1, 0-1) opted for a box-and-one to start the game.

Eells was 4-for-8 from long range and scored 14 points to go with seven rebounds. Brandt provided 11 points and five steals.

“When people double down on Kiah, we know we have to relocate and pump that shot,” Eells said.

Stokes said, “When teams try to double-team me, it's great that I can kick it out and the guards can shoot. It's all I can ask for.”

City High has a reasonable answer for Stokes in Iowa recruit Virginia Johnson, who had 23 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and four steals. And the Little Hawks felt her absence when she picked up her second foul.

The whistle came at the 5:16 mark of the second quarter, with the Little Hawks leading, 23-20. While Johnson sat, the Lions went on a 13-4 run - Stokes had seven points in the surge - to take a 33-27 lead.

“At that point, we really wanted to attack,” said Lions Coach Mike Brandt. “We wanted to go right at them as much as we could.”

Johnson returned for the final possession of the half and scored, and Linn-Mar took a 33-29 advantage into the locker room.

Stokes scored 10 points in the third quarter as the Lions extended the lead to 50-37, and the margin didn't slip into single digits again.

Johnson was City's only double-figure scorer.

“If we're going to go far, we've got to have three scorers,” said City Coach Bill McTaggart. “We're still working on that.

“This team is going to get better. The mistakes we made tonight are correctable.”

City High is at Waterloo East on Friday. Linn-Mar is at Dubuque Wahlert.

AT LINN-MAR

IOWA CITY HIGH (48): Kiera Washpun 2-9 0-0 4, Mickey Hansche 1-5 0-0 2, Kelsey Coleman 0-1 0-0 0, Sierra Chambers 1-2 0-0 2, Virginia Johnson 10-19 0-0 23, Haley Lorenzen 3-5 2-2 9, Kayla Hyche 2-5 1-1 6, Erin Danielson 0-5 0-0 0, Harper Beasley 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 20-53 3-3 48.

LINN-MAR (60): Mykaela Brandt 4-14 2-5 11, Sara Strauel 3-3 0-0 6, Kailee Karr 0-6 0-0 0, Jenna Eells 5-14 0-1 14, Kiah Stokes 13-16 3-5 29, Leandra Martins 0-2 0-0 0, Rachel Thrune 0-2 0-0 0, Courtney Major 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-58 5-11 60.

Halftime: Linn-Mar 33, City High 29. 3-point goals: City High 5-15 (Washpun 0-4, Johnson 3-5, Lorenzen 1-1, Hyche 1-4, Danielson 0-1), Linn-Mar 5-17 (Brandt 1-5, Karr 0-2, Eells 4-8, Thrune 0-1, Major 0-1). Team fouls: City High 11, Linn-Mar 10. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: City High 37 (Johnson 13), Linn-Mar 34 (Stokes 19). Assists: City High 8 (Johnson 4), Linn-Mar 12 (Karr 5). Steals: City High 7 (Johnson 4), Linn-Mar 13 (Brandt 5). Turnovers: City High 17, Linn-Mar 9.

Photos by Jim Slosiarek

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