Xavier prolongs Linn-Mar’s slide

MARION — Morgan Breitbach dished, and believed.

'Oh, yeah,' she said. '(Lexi Noonan) doesn't miss that shot very often.'

Noonan banked home a 5-footer from the left side with 1 second left to give Class 4A 11th-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier a 38-36 win over Linn-Mar in a non-conference game between two Metro rivals Tuesday night at Linn-Mar High School.

'The kids remember, they crushed us twice last season,' said Xavier Coach Tom Lilly. 'The seniors had that in the back of their minds.'

Xavier (12-5) won for their ninth time in its last 11 games and continued to push and progress toward the postseason, where it's always dangerous. Linn-Mar (10-7) is headed the other direction, dropping its sixth game in a row.

'We just need to score the basketball,' said Lions Coach Jaime Printy Brandt. 'With the talent we have, the scorers we have, we've got to find it. We need to build our confidence back up.'

A somewhat stagnant game found its flow late. The teams combined for two ties and four lead changed in the fourth quarter, and the Saints had the final say.

Xavier took possession with 35 seconds left. The Saints ran it down to the 9-second mark and called timeout.

Breitbach was the playmaker, driving the ball into the lane before getting cut off. Noonan was the recipient of the pass, and the eventual hero.

'She called for it,' Breitbach said. 'I think we're communicating better.'

After a timeout, Linn-Mar's Amanda Ollinger received a pass at halfcourt, but her heave hit the back of the rim, and was late anyway.

And thus ended a game in which neither team led by more than six points.

'It had some exciting moments,' Lilly said. 'At other times, it was kind of dull and lifeless. Sometimes that happens when two teams meet that know each other really well.'

Xavier led, 21-16, at halftime, but a third-quarter run put the Lions in front, 25-24, and it was back and forth the rest of the way.

Ollinger had a five-point flurry to give the Lions a 30-27 lead early in the fourth quarter. Ollinger led all scorers with 13 points.

Lizzy Bailey and McKenna Andersen led the Saints with 11 points apiece. Breitbach added seven.

Bailey's 3-pointer put the Saints in front, 36-35, with 2:30 left, then Linn-Mar freshman Kamryn Finley hit one of two free throws at the 2:11 mark.

That was the end of the scoring until the end of the game, when Noonan hit the winner. Xavier won despite hitting just 33 percent of its shots (13 of 39).

The rematch is Feb. 10 at Xavier. That game will count in the Mississippi Valley Conference standings.

CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER 38, LINN-MAR 36

At Linn-Mar

C.R. XAVIER (38): Lizzy Bailey 4-10 0-0 11, McKenna Andersen 4-10 2-2 11, Morgan Breitbach 2-5 2-3 7, Amelia Ivester 0-3 2-2 2, Meghan Joens 1-3 1-2 3, Jennifer Dickes 0-2 0-0 0, Lexi Noonan 2-5 0-0 4, Erin Drahozal 0-1 0-0 0, Madi Nelson 0-0 0-0 0, Claire Christianson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 13-39 7-9 38.

LINN-MAR (36): Lexi Frese 1-2 1-2 3, Brittney Lancial 1-1 0-0 3, Olivia Montague 0-3 0-0 0, Niki Sharma 1-2 3-4 5, Kamryn Finley 1-8 1-2 4, Claire Larson 1-5 0-1 2, Amanda Ollinger 5-11 0-0 13, Megan Murphy 2-4 0-0 6, Lannie Nietert 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 12-37 5-9 36.

Halftime: Xavier 21, Linn-Mar 16. 3-point goals: Xavier 5-9 (Bailey 3-4, Andersen 1-2, Breitbach 1-1, Dickes 0-1, Drahozal 0-1), Linn-Mar 7-21 (Lancial 1-1, Montague 0-3, Finley 1-7, Larson 0-1, Ollinger 3-6, Murphy 2-3). Team fouls: Xavier 15, Linn-Mar 11. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Xavier 26 (Andersen 5), Linn-Mar 27 (four with 5). Assists: Xavier 9 (Breitbach 3), Linn-Mar 8 (Sharma 3). Steals: Xavier 10 (Breitbach 4), Linn-Mar 7 (Frese, Larson 2). Turnovers: Xavier 13, Linn-Mar 16.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com