Linn-Mar Boys Basketball

Roth doubles his fun with Linn-Mar

Jimmy Roth drove in two runs and made a couple of nice plays at first base Friday night when the Linn-Mar Lions swept a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader from Prairie.

The next morning, he traded his spikes for sneakers and played for Linn-Mar in the 2012 Corridor Classic Basketball Tournament, the first of five games for the Lions in the weekend tournament that was held at Kennedy, Xavier and Jefferson.

Monday night, Roth will don his spikes again and grab his first baseman's mitt for Linn-Mar's big doubleheader at top-ranked Kennedy with first place in the MVC at stake.

"It's busy," said Roth, a 6-foot-5 senior-to-be. "It's a lot of fun at the same time."

Roth mixes the two sports as best he can during the summer, but said baseball takes priority during the baseball season. He plays basketball when he can.

"Not a lot, but I usually like to wake up early and get to the gym and shoot some shots," said Roth, a starting forward this past season when the Lions reached the semifinals of the Class 4A state tournament.

Linn-Mar has a rich tradition of pickup basketball games during the summer when its distinguished list of alumni, many of them current or former Division I college players, return to the school for games against next year's varsity.

"When I have time I try to make it," said Roth.

Time management is important, because Roth also has a summer job with his father's lawncare company. "He treats me well," he said with a smile.

Roth grew up playing baseball and basketball and stuck with both sports in high school. "They're both a lot of fun," he said. "I like to play both."

Marcus Paige has graduated after a remarkable four-year career with the Linn-Mar basketball team, so the Lions will look like a different team next season. Roth and Matt Lassen, another experienced 6-foot-5 senior-to-be, did a fair share of ballhandling in the Corridor Classic as Coach Chris Robertson looks to put another successful club together.

Iowa City West won all five of its games in the Corridor Classic to win the championship as the only undefeated team, but the Trojans barely escaped Des Moines Hoover 40-38 in their final contest.

SUNDAY'S RESULTS

ROUND 1

Vinton-Shellsburg def. Solon
Ottumwa def. Williamsburg
Dubuque Hempstead def. Benton Community
Muscatine def. Burlington

ROUND 2

Johnston def. Kennedy
Jefferson def. Des Moines Roosevelt
North Scott def. Washington
Prairie def. Xavier

ROUND 3

Southeast Polk def. Des Moines Hoover
Iowa City West def. Linn-Mar
Urbandale def. Iowa City High
Ankeny def. Bettendorf

ROUND 4

Vinton-Shellsburg def. Xavier
Dubuque Hempstead def. Williamsburg
Muscatine vs. Ottumwa
Burlington def. Benton Community

ROUND 5

Johnston def. Washington
Des Moines Roosevelt def. Solon
Kennedy def. Iowa City High
Prairie def. Jefferson

ROUND 6

Iowa City West def. Des Moines Hoover
Linn-Mar def. Ankeny
Bettendorf def. Southeast Polk
North Scott def. Urbandale

Paige healthy again, ready to join Tar Heels

Marcus Paige has recovered from foot surgery and plans to leave for the University of North Carolina on June 14.

Paige was treated for a stress fracture in his left foot in early April after experiencing pain at the McDonald's All-America Game in Chicago.

"It's all healed up. Ready to go," the Linn-Mar senior said Tuesday night while watching the Bob Vrbicek Metro Baseball Tournament at Linn-Mar.

Paige plans to drive to North Carolina and begin working out with the Tar Heels this summer. He also plans to begin his academic schedule this summer.

Paige, a 6-foot-1 guard, averaged 28 points this past season and was named the state's Mr. Basketball. He led the Lions to the semifinals of the Class 4A state tournament.

Paige needs surgery for foot injury

Linn-Mar High School All-American Marcus Paige is scheduled for a medical procedure next week to treat a stress fracture in his left foot, Linn-Mar Coach Chris Robertson confirmed Wednesday.

Paige will have a pin or screw inserted into his foot to promote healing. The procedure is scheduled for Tuesday at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, according to Robertson.

"It sounds like it's a simple procedure," said Robertson.

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Paige named Iowa Gatorade Player of Year

Linn-Mar High School senior Marcus Paige has been named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Iowa, the company announced Thursday.

Paige is the second Linn-Mar boys basketball player to win the award. Jason Bohannon was honored by Gatorade in 2006.

Page, a 6-foot-1 guard, averaged 28 points this season and led the Lions (20-5) to the semifinals of the Class 4A tournament.

The Gatorade Player of the Year award is based on athletic excellence,academic achievement and exemplary character. Paige has a 4.07 GPA and isa member of the National Honor Society. He's also an elementary school
speaker, a youth basketball coach and a member of Students OK Without Drugs & Alcohol (SODA).

Jarrod Uthoff of Cedar Rapids Jefferson won the award in 2011.