The Linn-Mar Lions have All-World senior Kiah Stokes on their basketball team again this year, so they’ll win all their games by comfortable margins and cruise to another Class 4A state title.

“Lots of outsiders say that,” Linn-Mar senior Kailee Karr said with a knowing smile.

The Lions fervently hope they win another state title, but they know there’s stiff competition and determined opponents. They also know they graduated eight key seniors, making this a new year and a new team.

But make no mistake, having Stokes is a great start.

“Kiah is one of those players who will come out here and bust her butt every single time,” Linn-Mar Coach Michael Brandt said. “She wants to improve, every game. She’s just a great team player.”

Stokes, a 6-foot-3 center, averaged 19.5 points, 13.3 rebounds and 5 blocked shots last season when the Lions went 26-0 and beat Des Moines East, 38-35, in the championship game at Wells Fargo Arena. She has signed a national letter-of-intent with top-ranked UCONN and is considered one of the top high school players in the country.

Basketball is a team game, however, and the Lions have to build a new championship team if they want to cut down the nets again. Stokes will draw lots of attention from opponents, which means teammates must be ready to deliver.

“If they put all five (defenders) on Kiah, we have to do something with the rest of us,” Karr acknowledged.

Linn-Mar graduated Kayla Klopfenstein, D.J. Norman, Morgan Terpstra and Kiley Haines, who combined to average 32 points per game last season, and also lost Megan Young, Noor Amr, Whitney Rissi and Erin Hutchins.

“It’s not the same team,” Brandt said. “They know they have a lot of work to do.”

Karr, a 5-8 senior, averaged 5.0 points last season, and Jenna Eells, a 5-5 senior, averaged 3.7 points. None of the other returning players scored more than five points all year, so nothing is automatic. On the other hand, Linn-Mar has a strong program and seems to find good players every year.

“I’m really excited,” Eells said.

“I don’t see a huge change in our style,” Brandt commented. “Obviously when you have somebody as dominant as Kiah, we want to work the ball through her. So that kind of philosophy is not going to change.

“We might not have as much quickness as we had last year, so that might change a little bit what we do. But we still want to get up and down the floor. Kiah runs the floor really well, so having a post that can run is a nice thing.”

The Lions ate cupcakes after one of their practices last week, but it wasn’t because they were still celebrating the 2010 state title. It was a player’s birthday, but the Lions had their cake and ate it, too.

They were state champs and it feels mighty good.

“People say it a lot and it’s kind of a cliche, but it’s definitely like a dream,” Karr said. “We didn’t even see it coming throughout the season. It was our goal, but we didn’t assume it. I mean, I have dreams. I replay in my mind that whole bit when the buzzer went off.”

There were hugs, tears and true joy.

“It was unbelieveable,” Brandt said. “When it was all over, it was pretty amazing to look back.

“They knew what they wanted. And they have that mentality, they didn’t care who did it each game,” he said. “Those kids really believed in each other and didn’t care who scored and who did what. It was really a great group that we’ll never forget.”

The Lions had to deal with more than just opponents last year. They also had to deal with the distraction of seeing the famous coaches from UCONN, Tennessee, Georgia, Maryland and Iowa in the stands, watching Stokes and watching them.

That part is over, now that Stokes has picked a school. Brandt said his star player handled all the attention with amazing grace.

“I think a lot of credit goes to Kiah herself, because she would just go out and do her job,” he said. “It really didn’t faze her. She was great through the whole process.

“It’s a lot of fun, coaching these kind of kids,” he said. “She’s such a great team leader, she kind of blends in that way and makes her teammates better. I just love that about her.”

Stokes is the best player on the team, but she’s one of the most popular players on the team as well. That’s a good combination.

“She’s such a nice girl,” Eells said. “She brings a lot of life onto the court.”

The Lions open the regular season at Muscatine on Saturday, Nov. 27. The new quest begins.

“I totally believe that anything is possible,” Karr said. “We could do it again, and we’re wanting to.”

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ROSTER

Seniors (8)

Leandra Martins (5-4), Kenz Seckman (5-9), Kailee Karr (5-8), Jenna Eells (5-5), Megan Sherwood (5-8), Kiah Stokes (6-3), Noelle Clark (5-5), Kelsey Koelker (5-10).

Juniors (4)

Rachel Thrune (5-7), Madison Olesen (5-6), Shanice Cheatham (5-9), Daisey Clymer (5-7).

Sophomores (3)

Mykaela Brandt (5-6), Sara Strauel (5-10), Courtney Major (5-9).

SCHEDULE

Saturday, Nov. 27 — at Muscatine, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 30 — Iowa City High, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 3 — at Dubuque Wahlert, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 4 — at Mount Vernon, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 7 — Jefferson, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 10 — vs. Sioux City Heelan (at Sioux City North), 6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 11 — vs. Sioux City North (at Sioux City Heelan), 1 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 14 — at Cedar Falls, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 17 — Prairie, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 21 — Iowa City West, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 4 — at Waterloo West, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 7 — at Xavier, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 11 — Dubuque Hempstead, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 13 — at Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 21 — at Kennedy, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 22 — vs. Ballard, at U.S. Cellular Center, TBA

Tuesday, Jan. 25 — Waterloo East, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 28 — at Prairie, 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 4 — Xavier, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 8 — Dubuque Senior, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 10 — Washington, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 16, 19, 22 — Regional, TBD

March 2, 4, 5 — State, Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines