Balance and boards stake Linn-Mar to a 57-47 girls’ basketball win over Cedar Rapids Kennedy

CEDAR RAPIDS — Balance won this one.

Balance, and boards.

OK, balance, boards and Brunson.

Class 5A 10th-ranked Linn-Mar placed four players in double figures, ruled the glass and cooled Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 57-47, in a Mississippi Valley Conference girls’ basketball game Tuesday night at Kennedy High School.

“We talk about that all the time,” Lions Coach Chad Tompkins said. “The more players we get in double figures, the harder it becomes to guard us.”

Taylor Brunson posted 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Tessa Casebolt converted all five of her field-goal attempts in a very handy 10-point, nine-rebound performance.

Perhaps Casebolt’s top moment, judging by the Linn-Mar bench, was when she was whistled for an offensive foul in the fourth quarter.

“That shows she’s being aggressive,” Tompkins said.

Linn-Mar (9-4 overall, 4-2 MVC) has posted some eye-popping wins this season, including a shocker over 5A No. 1 Waterloo West.

This was another quality victory; Kennedy (6-5, 2-3) had won six of its previous seven games.

“We’ve definitely come together as a team,” Brunson said. “We need to keep picking each other up. If we keep playing like this, we can continue to progress.”

Linn-Mar prevailed despite a 27-point night from Kennedy’s Kaliyah Sain, who made 10 of 17 shots from the floor.

“Guarding her takes a toll,” Brunson said. “She’s a great shooter.”

Sain scored 18 in the second half. But the Lions had more firepower from more sources.

In addition to Brunson and Casebolt, the visitors got 11 points from freshman Dreya Kern and 10 from Zoe Kennedy.

Ella Daubenmier contributed six points and eight rebounds.

Linn-Mar won the rebounding battle by a 37-23 count and surrendered just two boards on the defensive end.

“When you do that, it’s almost like limiting turnovers because you give them so few second chances,” Tompkins said.

Trailing 10-9 after a quarter, Linn-Mar built a 24-18 halftime lead and extended the margin to 14 points on two occasions.

Linn-Mar 57, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 47

At C.R. Kennedy

LINN-MAR (57): Ellie Daubenmier 3-8 0-0 6, Tessa Casebolt 5-5 0-0 10, Taylor Brunson 4-14 5-8 14, Dreya Kern 3-8 2-2 11, Zoe Kennedy 3-9 2-2 10, Meredith Koenen 1-3 0-0 2, Emily Koranda 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 21-50 9-12 57.

CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY (47): Ella Moser 4-8 0-1 9, Sidney Swartzendruber 0-0 0-0 0, Lexi Moore 1-4 0-0 2, Addy Alber 1-9 0-2 2, Kaliyah Sain 10-17 4-5 27, Grace Park 1-3 0-0 3, Kyla Wright 1-3 0-0 2, Addison Swartzendruber 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 19-46 4-8 47.

Linn-Mar 9 15 16 17 — 57

C.R. Kennedy 10 8 13 16 — 47

3-point goals: Linn-Mar 6-15 (Brunson 1-4, Kern 3-5, Kennedy 2-6), Kennedy 5-14 (Moser 1-4, Moore 0-1, Sain 3-5, Park 1-3, Wright 0-1). Team fouls: Linn-Mar 11, Kennedy 13. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Linn-Mar 37 (Casebolt 9), Kennedy 23 (Alber 7). Assists: Linn-Mar 15 (Brunson 8), Kennedy 5 (Sain 2). Steals: Linn-Mar 6 (Casebolt 2), Kennedy 6 (Moser, Sain 2). Turnovers: Linn-Mar 17, Kennedy 15.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com