Giant-slaying Linn-Mar lands its biggest one yet

Linn-Mar has shown a penchant for showing up for big girls’ basketball games.

This was the biggest one yet.

Senior Zoe Kennedy drilled eight 3-pointers, including one at the end of regulation to extend the game, and the Class 5A 15th-ranked Lions shocked No. 1 Waterloo West in double overtime, 72-68, Tuesday night at Linn-Mar.

“I told them, ‘Enjoy this. But I don’t want you to feel surprised,’” Lions Coach Chad Tompkins said Wednesday morning.

The Lions (8-3) hit a school-record-tying 14 shots from long range, in 30 attempts. Kennedy, a Western Colorado University signee, was 8 for 11 and scored 28 points.

“She’s been shooting really well,” Tomkins said.

Linn-Mar rallied from a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter, then pounced in the second overtime after Oklahoma signee Sahara Williams fouled out.

“Once we got to overtime, I think our depth took over,” Tompkins said. “I felt we were the fresher team.”

This wasn’t the first giant the Lions have slayed this season. They already earned victories over Cedar Rapids Xavier (51-45) and Iowa City West (49-39) in December.

But in a Mississippi Valley Conference scheduling twist, none of those three results count in the league standings.

Linn-Mar prevailed Tuesday despite 24 turnovers.

Freshman Dreya Kern scored 13 points. Taylor Brunson provided 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and “did a hell of a job (defending West’s Halli) Poock,” according to Tompkins.

Emily Koranda came off the bench to score nine points.

The Lions travel to Cedar Falls on Friday, and Tompkins is seeking consistency.

“We do a good job getting up for the big games, and now the big thing is to play that way all the time,” he said. “We can enjoy this one until about 4 o’clock this afternoon.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com