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Linn-Mar with disappointing loss to Ankeny
Lions fall to underdog Hawks, 61-55, in ServPro Crossover Challenge
Jan. 4, 2025 6:58 pm
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CEDAR RAPIDS — When you’ve got one of the best players in the state, you’d figure the basketball ought to go to him offensively. Especially when he’s got a physical edge on the opponent.
But that didn’t happen as often as it probably should have Saturday afternoon, and Linn-Mar suffered an unexpected loss in the ServPro Crossover Challenge in part because of it.
“For some reason, we just go away from what the plan is,” Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson said, after his Lions fell to Ankeny, 61-55, at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse.
That plan was to work it inside, specifically to feed Davis Kern. The 6-foot-8 South Dakota State signee is a “dude,” a guy who can shoot it from the perimeter but who also can be unstoppable in the post because of his strength and footwork, and his willingness to pass to open teammates when two or three defenders gang up on him.
Yet there seemed to be too many possessions where Kern never got touches, and when other guys’ shots weren’t falling, that spelled trouble. Underdog Ankeny (3-4) hung around and led a lot of this game.
The teams were tied at 44 after three quarters, with Linn-Mar (6-2) not scoring for almost the first four minutes of the fourth, allowing Ankeny to build a decent enough sized lead to push it over the top.
“I don’t think it’s selfish, but I just don’t think we’re as locked in as we need to be,” Robertson said. “Good teams are going to play through their best player, and he is good enough to find you. When he gets doubled and tripled, you are going to get open looks.”
Kern finished with 19 points. Tyler Hilton added 14.
Linn-Mar played without starting point guard Trey Wright, who missed the game because of the flu. That certainly was a factor, too, but the Lions blitzed a good Dubuque Wahlert team Friday night without him.
“It’s very frustrating, but I trust my teammates to get me the ball,” Kern said. “Sometimes I’ve just got to be more vocal, because there’s not a single person in the state who can guard me, I feel. They were a smaller team, so they’re going to send (defensive) help, but something I pride myself on is passing. I’m going to hit someone when I get doubled and tripled. There were just more times there where I needed to take over more.”
Ankeny got a game-high 21 points from Rio Aguirre, who is a fine player in his own right. The Hawks’ record is deceiving because their losses were to West Des Moines Valley, Johnston, Waukee and Cedar Falls, all of whom are considered top-10 caliber in Class 4A.
Still Linn-Mar felt this was an opportunity wasted.
“We all know we’re the better team,” Kern said. “We have the height, we have the shooting, just all around. They have good players, but we have more. We didn’t have Trey, but that’s still not an excuse. We should have won, no matter what.”
“For a group of seniors and experienced players, it’s going to have to click soon,” Robertson said. “It’s frustrating because I think we are better than what we showed today.”
Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com
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