Linn-Mar gets by with a little help from Davis Kern’s friends

CEDAR RAPIDS - Davis Kern is a given.

The South Dakota State signee is good for 15 to 20 points a game, sometimes more, for the Linn-Mar boys’ basketball team.

But if the Lions are to become what they and many others think they can become this season, it’s other dudes who must help carry some offensive load.

Like the rest of the starting lineup: Payson Nietert, Trey Wright, Tyler Hilton and Mason Matson. All capable guys.

Like guards Max Robertson and Karson Rains off the bench.

“Teams are going to double team Davis, but he’s a really good passer,” said Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson, after his team’s 69-59 win Friday night at Cedar Rapids Prairie. “I had a good talk with him. We’re both big (Minnesota) Vikings fans, and it’s like if they’re going to triple team Justin Jefferson, then T.J. Hockenson is open, Jordan Addison is open. He bought in.”

The 6-foot-9 Kern had 11 points and 12 rebounds in this win but found back-door cutters behind him for layups, shooters on the perimeter for 3-pointers. He didn’t have to score a ton for his team to win.

Nietert had a team-high 22 points, making his first five shots from the field, including a couple of 3s. A signee of Division II Wayne State (Neb.), the 6-7 swingman had been slumping, averaging just 4.3 points and making just 4 of his 20 field-goal attempts.

“It feels nice, but I was never worried because of all the work I’ve put in,” Nietert said. “I trust my teammates. Davis, he’ll always hit me. I knew they (shots) were going to fall eventually.”

Senior point guard Wright transferred in this season from Iowa City High, where he was a multi-year starter. He looked especially aggressive here, going for 17 points with an assorted variety of lane drives and transition hoops.

“This is a completely different program than over at City High,” Wright said. “For me to be able to come over here, a better coaching staff, a better team is just better all around for me. I love it here.”

Prairie (2-1) led by a point at the end of the first quarter but trailed 36-33 at halftime. It was a 53-48 Lions edge after three quarters, with Linn-Mar completely taking over the game in the fourth.

Kern swatted away a handful of Prairie shot attempts down low, and the Hawks just weren’t quite good enough from the perimeter, making just 9 of 37 treys and 22 of 66 shots overall.

Sophomore guard Tae Alexander led Prairie with 13 points, with senior wing Jace McDermott adding 11.

“We know we’re going to shoot a ton of 3s,” said Prairie Coach Todd Kuntz. “But some of our shots maybe weren’t the greatest. We rushed some. Getting to the hole obviously wasn’t easy. They let us play, and it was physical, and any time you’ve got a guy like Kern down there protecting the paint, it’s just tough.

“We knew we were going to have to shoot it, and we knew we were going to have to shoot it well. This was a game where I told our kids we’re young, we’re learning. This is not a loss, it’s a lesson. That’s a good basketball team, and we were right there.”

Linn-Mar (3-1) rebounded from a 61-34 loss Monday night at Cedar Falls. CF went and smoked Iowa City West, another highly regarded Class 4A club, by 38 Friday night.

“I told them in the locker room after that game the other night that it might have been the best thing that could have happened at that time,” Robertson said. “It kind of humbles you a little bit, maybe you’re not quite as good as you think you are. Now let’s go see if we can work to get there.”

The first official boys’ basketball rankings this season from the Iowa High School Athletic Association are expected to drop Monday afternoon.

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AT CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE

LINN-MAR (69): Payson Nietert 8-11 3-4 22, Tyler Hilton 0-1 0-0 0, Davis Kern 4-19 2-2 11, Mason Matson 4-9 0-0 9, Trey Wright 8-12 1-2 17, Max Robertson 3-7 0-0 8, Karson Rains 1-2 0-0 0. Totals 28-61 6-8 69.

C.R. PRAIRIE (59): David Fason 4-15 Devin Ikeda 1-4 0-0 3, Jace McDermott 4-8 0-0 11, Austin Joens 3-9 2-2 9, Tae Alexander 5-13 2-4 13, Will Wehr 3-8 0-0 8, Cayden Larson 2-8 2-2 7, Collin McClintock 0-0 0-0 0, Carson Nove 0-1 0-0 0, Hudson Kimm 0-0 0-0 0, Shraden Lechtenberg 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-66 6-9 59.

Halftime - Linn-Mar 36, C.R. Prairie 33. 3-point goals - Linn-Mar 7-16 (Nietert 3-3, Kern 1-3, Matson 1-5, Wright 0-1, Robertson 2-3, Rains 0-1), C.R. Prairie 9-37 (Fason 0-6, Ikeda 1-2, McDermott 3-7, Joens 1-7, Alexander 1-5, Wehr 2-3, Larson 1-6, Nove 0-1). Rebounds - Linn-Mar 36 (Kern 12, Nietert 8), C.R. Prairie 43 (Alexander 7, McClintock 6). Total fouls - Linn-Mar 9, C.R. Prairie 7. Fouled out - None. Turnovers - Linn-Mar 6, C.R. Prairie 8.

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