Linn-Mar rights the ship with balance

MARION – It wasn't much of a streak, per se, but it was plenty enough to stick in the craw of the Linn-Mar boys' basketball team.

Anxious to get back on the court after two narrow defeats last week and a Tuesday postponement, the Lions had four players score at least 17 points in an 80-63 victory over Iowa City High in a Mississippi Valley Conference game Friday night at Linn-Mar.

'We wanted to have a chip on our shoulder and we were anxious,' said senior guard Jared Printy, who led all scorers with 20 points. 'I think we really came out and played well tonight.'

Linn-Mar (10-5, 8-3 MVC Valley) jumped out to a double-digit lead midway through the opening quarter thanks to three 3-pointers from Iowa signee Jordan Bohannon.

A string of eight-straight points from forward Beau Klostermann pushed the lead up to 15 in a 30-point first quarter for Linn-Mar. Kostermann finished with 19 points, while Bohannon added 18 with six rebounds.

'We had some good matchups, I thought,' Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson said. 'I thought Beau played really well. (City High 6-foot-9 center Micah) Martin's a big, tough body inside. We wanted him to come out and guard and we thought that was an advantage that Beau would have out there on him.'

City High (10-6, 7-4 MVC Mississippi) pulled within six points twice before halftime. Junior guard Naeem Smith recorded 11 first-half points but was scoreless after the break.

Linn-Mar senior guard Jordan Brandt closed the first half with a pair of old-fashioned 3-point plays, six of his 17 points that returned the Lions' lead to 10 at halftime.

'We definitely want balance,' said Printy, a Western Michigan signee. 'When you're balanced, you're really hard to guard.'

Brandt also distributed six assists.

Forward Jason Jones tallied a team-high 15 points for the Little Hawks, who fought back within five points at 63-58 before a 17-5 Linn-Mar burst closed the game.

Linn-Mar hosts Dubuque Hempstead, while City High travels to Dubuque Wahlert in a pair of Saturday makeup games.

AT LINN-MAR

IOWA CITY HIGH (63):

Kolbie Barnes 0 0-0 0, Naeem Smith 5 0-0 11, Henry Mulligan 4 0-0 9, Conrad Donnelly 0 0-0 0, Jason Jones 6 3-4 15, Nile Ringen 3 2-2 10, Vance Dillon 1 0-0 2, Gabriel Nkumu 1 0-0 2, Micah Martin 4 1-2 9, Johnson 1 1-2 3, Totals 25 7-10 63.

LINN-MAR (80):

Nate Mentzer 0 2-2 2, Jared Printy 7 3-3 20, Riley Murphy 0 0-0 0, Reese Phillips 2 0-0 4, Levi Werkman 0 0-0 0, Jordan Bohannon 5 4-4 18, Andrew Kraus 0 0-0 0, Beau Klostermann 7 2-2 19, Tyler Voves 0 0-0 0, Forrest Cronin 0 0-0 0, Jordan Brandt 4 8-9 17, Totals 25 19-20 80.

Halftime – Linn-Mar 44, City High 34. Three-point goals – City High 3 (Mulligan, Ringen, Smith); Linn-Mar 10 (Bohannon 4, Printy 3, Klostermann 2, Brandt 1). Total fouls – City High 16, Linn-Mar 10. Fouled out –

None.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com