Ashley Tull’s block saves North Linn at the buzzer

TROY MILLS — Ashley Tull felt some contact and heard a whistle.

'I thought (the officials) had called a foul,' she said. 'I thought, 'Oh, my gosh, (assistant coach Bob) Mudd is going to kill me.'

Instead, Tull's block of Brianna Mensen was ruled clean, and Class 2A fourth-ranked North Linn escaped a late charge by No. 15 Maquoketa Valley, 52-50, to clinch the Tri-Rivers Conference West Division girls' basketball championship Tuesday night at North Linn High School.

'It was crazy,' Lynx Coach Brian Wheatley said. 'But it usually is when we play those guys.'

The Lynx (21-0 overall, 11-0 division) held a 16-point lead with 7:40 left in the game, but it wasn't decided until Tull's swat at the buzzer.

'Games like this are going to really help us,' said Tull, who led the Lynx with 18 points. 'This just shows how far Maquoketa Valley has come. They played excellent.'

North Linn handled Maquoketa Valley (16-4, 7-3) by 20 points earlier this season at Delhi. Tuesday, the Wildcats almost made it all the way back from a 40-24 deficit.

A 9-0 run got the Wildcats within shouting range, and they kept chipping away. Payton Ries' short baseline shot made it 49-47 with 44 seconds to play, then Mensen hit the first of two three throws to cut it to one.

Kylie Kurt and Tull combined for three of four free throws to make it 52-48 with 11 seconds left, but Gracie Gellersen's bucket got the Wildcats within two with 0:04 to go, and Maquoketa Valley called timeout.

Caitlin Schuman stole the inbounds pass and got the ball to Mensen, but Tull snuffed out the final effort.

'We did what we wanted to do tonight,' Wildcats Coach Scot Moenck said. 'We're good enough to play with anybody; the girls just need to believe that we belong.'

North Linn prevailed despite heavy foul trouble throughout. Down 13-9 early in the second quarter, the Lynx managed a 20-18 edge at halftime, then scored the first 13 points of the second half for a 33-18 margin.

Anna LeGrand added 12 points for the Lynx. Kurt tallied 10.

Mensen paced the Wildcats with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Sam Wall posted 14 points.

In the boys' game, 1A No. 1 North Linn got 27 points from Jake Hilmer (23 in the first half) in a 79-36 triumph.

Ryan Miller added 24 points for the Lynx (17-0, 11-0).

NORTH LINN 52, MAQUOKETA VALLEY 50

At Troy Mills

MAQUOKETA VALLEY (50): Sam Wall 4-10 3-4 14, Brianna Mensen 6-20 8-10 20, Macy Hoeger 0-1 1-2 1, Payton Ries 3-8 1-1 7, Gracie Gellersen 2-8 2-2 7, Caitlin Schuman 0-0 0-0 0, Maci Freiburger 0-0 0-0 0, Olivia Hoeger 0-0 1-2 1, Lydia Helle 0-1 0-0 0, Abby Holtz 0-1 0-0 0, Madison Imler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-49 16-21 50.

NORTH LINN (52): Grace Flanagan 1-8 2-3 4, Abby Flanagan 1-4 1-2 4, Anna LeGrand 5-11 0-2 12, Ashley Tull 5-12 8-13 18, Emma Ware 1-1 2-2 4, Kylie Kurt 3-9 3-4 10, Sydney Burke 0-0 0-0 0, Hannah Bridgewater 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-35 16-26 52.

Halftime: North Linn 20, Maquoketa Valley 18. 3-point goals: Maquoketa Valley 4-13 (Wall 3-7, Mensen 0-1, Gellersen 1-4, Holtz 0-1), North Linn 4-17 (G.Flanagan 0-2, A.Flanagan 1-4, LeGrand 2-7, Kurt 1-4). Team fouls: Maquoketa Valley 24, North Linn 21. Fouled out: A.Flanagan. Rebounds: Maquoketa Valley 37 (Mensen 13), North Linn 36 (G.Flanagan 10). Assists: Maquoketa Valley 7 (Mensen 3), North Linn 12 (G.Flanagan 4). Steals: Maquoketa Valley 6 (Schuman 2), North Linn 8 (Tull 3). Turnovers: Maquoketa Valley 12, North Linn 11.

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