The Iowa High School Athletic Association’s latest boys’ basketball rankings were released Monday. Four of the eight schools in the Metro are in the top 10 of their respective classes, including three in Class 4A.
Girls’ basketball: Down 16 in the second quarter, North Linn rallies past Maquoketa Valley 44-37, creating a likely Tri-Rivers West title share.
Girls’ basketball notes: With the aunt-niece duo of Coach Stephanie Dacey and senior Carly Rich leading the way, Williamsburg is on the brink of the Wamac Conference West Division championship.
Despite being defending state champion, advancing to a state championship game seven years in a row and having one of the top players in the state in his class (Mason Bechen), North Linn was left out of the first couple of the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s Class 1A poll after a 20-point loss to Dunkerton a couple of weeks ago. The Lynx are back in this week for the first time this season at No. 10. All of the No. 1s remain the same in Cedar Falls, Huxley Ballard, Western Christian and Bellevue Marquette.
Mike Hilmer has been named one of 24 recipients of a National Coach of the Year award by the National Federation of State High Schools Coaches Association for the 2023-24 school year. Hilmer led North Linn to the Class 1A boys’ basketball state championship before leaving to take a superintendent job at Bellevue.
The North Linn boys’ basketball team has been a state tournament qualifier eight years in a row. It has played in a state championship game seven years in a row, including winning the Class 1A title last season. It has six seniors, including one of the best players in 1A in Mason Bechen. Yet a 20-point loss this past Saturday at Dunkerton meant the Lynx weren’t even included in the first IHSAA top-10 rankings of the season.
Girls’ basketball: Maquoketa Valley-North Linn highlights a weekend full of goodies. Tri-Rivers West Division showdown also is a battle of unbeatens.
The Vinton-Shellsburg boys’ basketball team went 1-21 last season. It won just three games each thre two seasons before that. But despite having no seniors on the roster, these Vikings are off to a 4-0 start.
It’s believed that North Linn’s boys’ basketball team hasn’t lost a home game since 2014, a streak that was in jeopardy throughout Tuesday night’s game against Alburnett. But the Lynx rallied from 13 points back and pulled out a 54-50 victory.
Girls’ basketball: Five early impressions from the first week of the season.
Girls’ basketball: Cedar Rapids Prairie rises to the top spot after opening with wins over Sioux City Heelan, Mount Vernon.
Boys’ basketball 2024-25: 15 area players to watch for the upcoming season.
Rivalry Saturday: North Linn veterans make winning plays late, and the Lynx stretch their win streak to 27 with a 52-51 win over Riceville in a 1A top-five thriller.
Girls’ basketball: IGHSAU releases its preseason state rankings. Johnston, Sioux City Heelan, Estherville ELC, Eddyville EBF and Algona Garrigan are No. 1.
Girls’ basketball 2024-25: Preseason area Super Ten teams to watch. Mount Vernon, Clear Creek Amana, Cedar Rapids Prairie look like three of the area’s best.
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