Hot-shooting Orioles, Lynx collide

They're two of the most accurate shooting teams in the state. Not coincidentally, they're two members of an ever-dwindling club of unbeatens.

Sole possession of the Tri-Rivers Conference West Division is on the line Friday night, when Class 1A 10th-ranked Springville (9-0, 5-0) visits 2A No. 3 North Linn (10-0, 5-0).

Tipoff is 6:15 at Troy Mills.

'If we're able to handle their pressure, this is the first year since I've been around that I think we can score enough to stay with them,” said Orioles Coach Nate Sanderson.

An influx of talented freshmen has added to Springville roster, and the results have been staggering. After a 10-12 season last year, the Orioles have run the table so far. They lead the state in field-goal shooting at 54.1 percent.

North Linn is third at 50.3 percent.

'Springville is very well coached. They execute their stuff, and they don't take bad shots,” said Lynx Coach Brian Wheatley. 'If they have an opening, they're going to shoot. If not, they're going to pull it out.”

North Linn has been a steady winner the past few years. A 2A state semifinalist last year, the Lynx have posted a 78-8 record since the arrival of Nicole Miller, a Drake University signee and a Miss Iowa Basketball 2015 candidate.

Miller averages 27.3 points per game and is also among the state leaders in assists, steals and free-throw shooting.

North Linn has won its first 10 games by an average of 47.1 points per game.

'We returned four starters from last year,” Wheatley said. 'Losing Libby (Falconer, to graduation) was a blow. But every kid we brought back has gotten better.”

Sisters Maddie and Morgan Boer are averaging more than 25 points between them.

Springville, meanwhile, is reliant on balance. The Orioles had five different leading scorers in their first five games. Freshmen Mikayla Nachazel and Rylee Menster are averaging 12.1 and 10.0 points per game. Megan Wagaman, a junior, is at 10.1 ppg.

Nachazel 'tweaked a muscle” in her back Saturday, Sanderson said, and didn't play Tuesday. He is hopeful she will return Friday.

'I knew we'd be a lot better, but definitely not 9-0 at this point,” Sanderson said. 'We've had some challenging games - against Alburnett, Maquoketa Valley, Durant and Cedar Valley Christian. I thought a split in those four games would be pretty good.”

RIVALRY SATURDAY XI APPROACHES

The 11th installment of Rivalry Saturday is, of course, Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Center, a set of six games with the best ones saved for last.

It starts at 11:15 a.m., when Iowa Valley (6-3) faces Williamsburg (1-9), then River Valley Conference foes Durant (7-4, 6-2) and Monticello (6-5, 5-3) collide at 1 p.m.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy (7-3) meets Ames (4-5) at 2:45, then Mediapolis (9-0) takes on Pekin (8-1) in a Southeast Iowa Superconference battle at 4:30.

Then it gets really good. Wamac Conference East Division co-leaders Western Dubuque (9-0, 4-0) and Solon (8-1, 4-0) do battle at 6:15, and Linn-Mar (7-1) plays Marion (8-2) in the finale at 8.

WOOLDRIDGE, BECK HIT 1,000

Center Point-Urbana junior Arika Wooldridge and BGM senior Kayleen Beck reached the 1,000-point mark on Tuesday.

Wooldridge, who is averaging 18.1 points per game this season, has scored 1,002 points. Beck is at 1,014.

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