Linn-Mar bests North Scott at Crossover Challenge

CEDAR RAPIDS — Linn-Mar has traditionally played well at the Crossover Challenge.

The Lions have been a fixture at the third-year boys basketball showcase, which features some of the premier teams from central and Eastern Iowa for intriguing non-conference matchups. Over the past two editions, Linn-Mar suffered narrow defeats to West Des Moines Valley and Ankeny.

The Lions now have a win to show for their efforts.

“We really wanted to focus on doing whatever it takes to get a win,” Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson said after the Lions held off North Scott, 66-61, on Saturday at Alliant Energy PowerHouse. “I feel good. I think this team has a long way to go. I think we can get a lot better, so these building blocks are huge for our confidence.”

The win was the fourth in a row for Linn-Mar (4-2), which needed to withstand a Herculean effort from North Scott’s 6-foot-7 junior forward Josiah Harrington, who has verbally committed to Iowa State. Harrington drilled four three-point baskets and finished with a whopping two-thirds of the Lancers’ point total (42 points).

“His length, first of all, he’s a 6-7 guard,” said Linn-Mar senior Tyler Hilton, a Wayne State (Neb.) recruit. “He makes difficult shots. He can dunk it. Super athletic, super bouncy, super crafty. He’s a great player.”

Hilton paced Linn-Mar with 20 points, while junior guard Karson Rains added 15 and senior guard Garrett Bauermeister contributed a dozen.

After trailing by 18 points at halftime, Harrington and North Scott (4-2) got within two points in the waning seconds before Linn-Mar salted the game away with defense and three free throws from junior guard Dexter Brunscheen.

“It’s great,” Hilton said. “We have a lot of guards who didn’t play last year, so it was really great to see that those guards would step up, handle the ball, get it past the court and run the offense. Just super proud of them and how they handled the pressure.”

Linn-Mar returns to Mississippi Valley Conference play Monday at Dubuque Wahlert.

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