Hot shooting keys City High

IOWA CITY -- How do you overcome a rash of turnovers?

Here's how.

Class 4A 13th-ranked Iowa City High shot 59 percent from the floor and defeated Linn-Mar, 66-53, in a ragged Mississippi Valley Conference girls' basketball game Tuesday night at City High.

Sierra Chambers scored 21 points and Mickey Hansche added 19 as the Little Hawks (3-0 overall, 1-0 MVC) overcame 27 turnovers.

"We haven't beaten them since I've been at City High," said Chambers, a senior. "We really wanted to come out and win tonight."

The Little Hawks shot 65 percent (15 of 23) in the first half on the way to a 35-22 lead, then played the Lions (2-1, 0-1) even the rest of the way.

City High finished at 26 of 44, with Chambers making 10 of 15 and Hansche hitting 5 of 7.

"Our press got us a lot of steals and a lot of shots," Hansche said. "We've got to cut down on our turnovers, but I think we're up there with the big teams if we play to our potential."

Linn-Mar got as close as six points in the fourth quarter before City High closed it out.

"(The Little Hawks) are very long. Trying to throw around them or through them is very difficult," said Lions Coach Mike Brandt. "We'll learn from the experience and move on."

The game was decided in the final 9 minutes of the first half.

Trailing 16-11, the Little Hawks scored the final six points of the first quarter and closed the half with a 24-6 run for a 35-22 lead at intermission.

Haley Lorenzen added 13 for the winners.

"We're a little deeper at the post than we've been, so foul trouble isn't as much of an issue for us," said City High Coach Bill McTaggart. "We're a little more difficult to defend. And we have the most success when we're pressing."

Linn-Mar had 21 turnovers of its own.

Mykaela Brandt scored a career-high 24 points for Linn-Mar, including 18 in the second half. Courtney Major added 10 points.

Linn-Mar hosts Dubuque Wahlert on Friday; City High hosts Waterloo East.

IOWA CITY HIGH 66, LINN-MAR 53

At Iowa City High

LINN-MAR (53): Mykaela Brandt 10-20 1-5 24, Sara Strauel 0-5 4-4 4, Rachel Thrune 0-0 0-0 0, Shanice Cheatham 2-4 1-1 5, Courtney Major 4-6 0-0 10, Hannah Yearling 3-8 0-0 7, Alexis Libenguth 0-2 0-0 0, Kristen Eiles 1-4 0-0 3, Jenna Harms 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-49 6-10 53.

IOWA CITY HIGH (66): Kiera Washpun 2-3 1-2 5, Mickey Hansche 5-7 8-10 19, Harper Beasley 3-5 0-2 6, Haley Lorenzen 5-8 3-4 13, Aliyah Gustafson 1-4 0-0 2, Sierra Chambers 10-15 1-3 21, Jordan Sullivan 0-1 0-0 0, Claire Crew 0-1 0-0 0, Brie Hightshoe 0-0 0-0 0, Katherine van der Woude 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-44 13-21 66.

Halftime: Iowa City High 35, Linn-Mar 22. 3-point goals: Linn-Mar 7-13 (Brandt 3-5, Major 2-3, Yearling 1-1, Eiles 1-3), Iowa City High 1-2 (Hansche 1-2). Team fouls: Linn-Mar 19, Iowa City High 17. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Linn-Mar 24 (Strauel 6), Iowa City High 32 (Chambers 9). Assists: Linn-Mar 8 (Brandt, Yearling 2), Iowa City High 12 (Gustafson 3). Steals: Linn-Mar 12 (Brandt 4), Iowa City High 12 (Chambers 4). Turnovers: Linn-Mar 21, Iowa City High 27.

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