Boys’ basketball notebook: North Linn’s Mason Bechen breaks a record ... his own

CEDAR RAPIDS — This was a record game, though Mason Bechen refers to it by something else.

“The Flu Game,” the North Linn senior guard said.

Bechen poured in 54 points Tuesday night as the Class 1A 10th-ranked Lynx beat Starmont, 103-47. That’d be a school record, breaking the mark of 48 set by ... Mason Bechen, earlier this season in a game against Ed-Co.

The kid literally outdid himself. With a case of the stomach flu, no less.

“I wasn’t feeling the best,” Bechen said.

Though this surely made him feel at least a little better. Bechen made 18 of 25 field-goal attempts (going 3 for 7 from 3-point range) and converted 15 of 18 free-throw tries.

And he didn’t play a whole lot in the second half as North Linn built a 49-23 lead at halftime and was up 82-34 after three quarters.

“It was the first time in awhile a team played straight up man against us,” he said. “I had a lot of opportunities to go one on one, and I took advantage of that all night.”

He’s been doing that his entire career.

Bechen can get down hill on just about anyone with the dribble-drive and make it to the basket, where he finishes and/or draws fouls, despite being just 6-foot-1. He recently surpassed 1,500 points at North Linn and could become the second-leading scorer all time at the school, trailing only Jake Hilmer, the former Iowa Mr. Basketball who is playing professionally in Europe right now.

Keep in mind how many great players this program has had in the past 10 years or so: Jake Hilmer, Austin Hilmer, Ryan Miller, Tate Haughenbury, Ty Plughaupt, all college players.

“He’s one of the best pure scorers we’ve ever had,” said North Linn Coach Travis Griffith. “He’d have scored a whole lot more points his freshman year if he wasn’t sitting behind the Haughenburys and Hilmers and those guys. His freshman year, he was our fifth or sixth-best player.”

Not anymore. Bechen helped North Linn to the Class 1A state championship last season, named the all-tournament team captain.

He’s had to score more for this Lynx team and done exactly that, going into a Friday night game against North Cedar averaging 30.7 points per game, which ranks second in the state behind Clinton Prince of Peace’s Hakeal Powell, who is scoring at a 32.7-point clip.

Powell also has the highest-scoring game in the state this season of 60 points. Bechen and Montezuma’s Brady Boulton are second at 54.

“I think this season has gone pretty good for myself, but I don’t like individual stats,” Bechen said. “I’d rather have team wins and stuff like that, so whatever I have to do to help our team win and make another run in the postseason, I’ll do. I will do whatever.”

North Linn (17-2) has qualified for the state tournament eight years in a row and been in a state championship game seven years in a row, which is an unbelievable achievement. Though Griffith said there is no question he could play college basketball somewhere, Bechen is pursuing baseball in college.

He has signed with Division II Northwest Missouri State, where he’ll pitch. Bechen was throwing 90 miles per hour this past fall in workouts and games, with Griffith (also North Linn’s baseball coach) saying he expects his fastball to sit 92 to 94 during the upcoming prep season.

“His potential is so high,” Griffith said. “He’s such a hard worker. Everyone knows he’s talented, but I don’t think they realize how hard he works. His (body) frame is impressive because he has put in the time to get that way.”

Around the hoop

— The Iowa High School Athletic Association is expected to release postseason brackets Monday afternoon for Class 1A and Class 2A.

Class 1A district play begins Friday, Feb. 14, with “pigtail” games. A full round of district games is slated for Monday, Feb. 17.

In 2A, district play begins Monday, Feb. 17, except for those teams receiving a first-round bye. The second round is Thursday, Feb. 20.

Postseason brackets for Class 3A and Class 4A will be released a week after 1A and 2A brackets are revealed.

— Teams that have clinched conference championships include Clear Creek-Amana (Wamac West Division), Bellevue Marquette (Tri-Rivers East Division), North Mahaska (South Iowa Cedar League West Division) and La Porte City Union (North Iowa Cedar League East Division). Keota and Sigourney share the SICL East Division title.

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com