Linn-Mar bags its fifth top-10 win of the season, 58-48, over Iowa City West

MARION — Linn-Mar didn’t take a free throw in the first half.

The Lions made up for it later, both in quantity and quality.

Foul shots allowed Class 5A 13th-ranked Linn-Mar to keep No. 10 Iowa City West at arm’s length late, and the Lions completed a season sweep of the Trojans, 58-48, in a Mississippi Valley Conference girls’ basketball contest Friday night at Linn-Mar High School.

“Like I told the girls, there are no down nights in our league,” Lions Coach Chad Tompkins said. “This was a good win against a quality team. Now it’s about sustaining it.”

When the Lions (10-5, 6-3 MVC) are on their game, they’re a major headache for anybody. Ask Waterloo West. Or Cedar Rapids Xavier. Or Iowa City West ... twice.

Friday marked the Lions’ fifth top-10 win.

Western Colorado University signee Zoe Kennedy registered 23 points (13 in the fourth quarter) and a career-high 14 rebounds.

After West (11-4, 6-2) cut a 12-point deficit to 42-38, Kennedy drilled a 3-pointer to stifle the Trojans’ challenge. Then, at 47-41, she and Taylor Brunson combined for 11 of 12 at the line in the final 3:01.

“We talk about keeping energy, no matter what,” Kennedy said. “We’ve got to continue with the energy and the unselfishness.

“This was a big one tonight. We’ve got some big wins. We want to keep it up down the stretch.”

All told, the Lions were 17 of 18 from the stripe in the second half.

Linn-Mar didn’t trail all night, scoring the first six points. After West matched that, the Lions tallied the next nine and led the rest of the way.

Brunson supplied 14 points and four assists. Freshman Dreya Kern added nine points, hitting her first three 3-point tries.

Dartmouth signee Meena Tate led West with 12 points, but shot 5 of 19 from the floor. Anna Prouty and Lucy Wolf scored 10 apiece, with Prouty grabbing nine rebounds.

BOYS: Linn-Mar 72, Iowa City West 71 (OT)

The Lions (5-7) rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime, then led the extra session throughout.

Sophomore Davis Kern paced the Lions with 22 points.

West (7-5) appeared to be in control after a 16-0 run gave the Trojans a 54-40 lead entering the final period, but the Lions chipped away. Ian Mindrup’s basket with 0:43 left in regulation tied the game.

Mindrup’s jumper opened the overtime scoring, and the hosts led the rest of the way.

Mindrup and Mason Matson added 12 points apiece for Linn-Mar.

Jack McCaffery led the Trojans with 24 points, including 17 in the third-quarter. TaeVeon Stevens added 21.

Linn-Mar 58, Iowa City West 48

At Linn-Mar

IOWA CITY WEST (48): Meena Tate 5-19 2-2 12, Carolyn Pierce 1-3 0-0 3, Melae' Lacy 0-4 4-4 4, Anna Prouty 4-9 2-3 10, Grace Fincham 2-5 2-3 7, Lucy Wolf 4-7 0-0 10, Keiko Ono-Fullard 1-1 0-0 2, Elle Barnett 0-0 0-0 0, Aly Skala 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-48 10-12 48.

LINN-MAR (58): Ellie Daubenmier 3-7 0-0 6, Tessa Casebolt 1-5 4-4 6, Taylor Brunson 4-13 5-6 14, Dreya Kern 3-5 0-0 9, Zoe Kennedy 6-9 8-8 23, Meredith Koenen 0-0 0-0 0, Emily Koranda 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-39 17-18 58.

Iowa City West 6 13 9 20 -- 48

Linn-Mar 13 14 9 22 -- 58

3-point goals: West 4-15 (Tate 0-4, Pierce 1-2, Lacy 0-2, Fincham 1-3, Wolf 2-4), Linn-Mar 7-14 (Brunson 1-6, Kern 3-4, Kennedy 3-4). Team fouls: West 19, Linn-Mar 8. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: West 25 (Prouty 9), Linn-Mar 31 (Kennedy 14). Assists: West 5 (Fincham, Wolf 2), Linn-Mar 11 (Brunson 4). Steals: West 6 (Tate, Fincham 2), Linn-Mar 7 (Brunson 3). Turnovers: West 11, Linn-Mar 14.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com