Metro Sports Report

J-Hawks upset No. 6 Lions, 71-70

After coming close so many times this season, the Jefferson boys basketball team simply found a way Friday night.

Valentino Green grabbed a rebound off a missed Dennis McKinney free throw and banked it home just before the final horn to give the J-Hawks a stunning 71-70 Mississippi Valley Conference win over No. 6 Linn-Mar at the Jefferson gym.

Green's winning basket set off a wild celebration as players and fans mobbed the 6-foot-2 senior while the Lions stood near their bench in stunned silence.

"We didn't have a play on," Green said. "We wanted to make the shot, but I knew if he missed it I was going to get the rebound. I battled for it and I knew I had to go up strong.

"This win shows just how hard we've been working," he continued. "Since Christmas break, we've been getting a lot better and it showed tonight."

Jefferson coach Brandon Horman just stood back and watched the celebration unfold. The J-Hawks dropped a 3-point decision on Tuesday at Dubuque Wahlert and refused to back down against the highly-regarded Lions.

Burger nets 30 as Saints top Wash

Xavier boys basketball coach Ryan Luehrsmann rolled the dice with Mitchell Burger on Friday night and hit the jackpot.

Burger shook off early foul problems and poured in 30 points as the Saints pulled away from Washington, 74-55, in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at Xavier.

The Saints, who are ranked No. 2 in Class 3A, raised their overall record to 13-2 and climbed to 9-1 in the MVC.

Burger picked up his second foul with 2:08 left in the first period and sat for awhile, but Luehrsmann put him back in the game with 16 seconds left in the quarter and the Saints trailing 13-9.

Ollinger, Finley lead Lions by J-Hawks

When their team needed them most, Linn-Mar’s two stars came out bright Friday night.

First, senior Amanda Ollinger single-handedly wiped out a fast start by the energized visitors from Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

Then, as the scrappy J-Hawks made a fourth-quarter rally to pull within three points, steady sophomore Kamryn Finley swished seven free throws down the stretch to preserve a 55-44 Lion victory.

"I started out kind of slow,” said Finley, who made just one basket in the first half and another in the third quarter. “My shot wasn’t falling.

"When I started driving to the hoop and getting to the line for free throws, that sort of got my confidence back.”

For her part, Ollinger scored 18 of her team’s 20 first-quarter points (including the first dozen in a row) to assume a lead after a make-shift starting line-up on senior night spotted the J-Hawks to a 12-0 opening spurt.

"She had a fantastic first quarter,” Linn-Mar coach Jaime Brandt said. “It was special to start those five seniors. But Amanda really took over when she came in and gave us a spark when we needed it.”

Ollinger made just one basket and three free throws the rest of the way but made her presence felt with 23 points, 12 rebounds and six steals.

No. 20 Mustangs shot down by Waldorf

Mount Mercy coach Aaron Jennings said two months ago that his team's defense (or lack thereof) would determine how far the Mustangs get this season.

He's still saying it.

The 20th-ranked Mustangs suffered massive breakdowns on defense in the first half Thursday night and lost to Waldorf, 99-92, in an NAIA shootout at the Hennessey Recreation Center.

Waldorf poured in 65 points in the first half and shot 62.3 percent for the game as Mount Mercy's eight-game winning streak came to a screeching halt.

All-American Erik Brewer sparkled with 28 points for Waldorf, Tyler Parrish popped in 25 points and June Prowell added 22 as they riddled the Mustangs all night.