Metro Sports Report

No.3 Lions escape Saints with strong finish

Jimmy Roth popped in five 3-pointers and scored a career-high 23 points Saturday night to help Linn-Mar survive a big scare against the Xavier Saints.

Just think what he might have accomplished if the referees hadn't called a phantom foul against him, causing him to miss the final 4 minutes and 41 seconds of the first half.

The third-ranked Lions rallied in the final two minutes and topped the Saints, 70-61, in a spirited Mississippi Valley Conference battle at Xavier.

Prairie boys dance past Mount Vernon

Perhaps the Hawk boys were inspired by the “Interlude Dance,” the UNI hoops student section craze that’s become a YouTube sensation.

Prairie’s own cheerleaders and young fans broke out the jumping routine just before halftime of the home game with Mount Vernon Saturday night. And after a somewhat somnolent first half, their team came out of the locker room smoking hot.

Not only did the Hawks hold the visiting Mustangs to a single basket very early on in the third quarter, they put on their own 15-0 run to take command of what had been a tight contest.  Prairie coasted the rest of the way for a 44-34 much-need win after last week’s 20-point shellacking by Xavier.

Warriors come up short on Rivalry Saturday

Having the home-court advantage didn't quite work out to Cedar Rapids Washington's satisfaction on Rivalry Saturday.

The fifth-ranked Warriors played No. 2 Southeast Polk extremely tough into the fourth quarter before falling, 64-60, in a non-conference girls basketball game.

Washington dropped to 8-4. Southeast Polk is 15-1.

Washington put together a couple good runs at the beginning of quarters, but it was the Rams that had the final say with a run early in the fourth to take control of a back and forth battle.

Wooldridge's FTs lift CPU past Marion

Shooting potential game-winning free throws in a half-full gym of screaming Indians is one type of pressure.

Shooting free throws in your backyard while the neighborhood boys "moon" you is another.

The latter helped Center Point-Urbana junior Jessica Wooldridge accomplish the former in the first game of Rivalry Saturday at Washington.

Wooldridge made 6 of 8 free throws in overtime and the Stormin' Pointers upset the No. 12 Marion Indians, 57-51, in a Wamac Conference girls basketball game.

"I just had to clear my mind," said Wooldridge, whose 10 points included 8 of 10 free-throw shooting. "I work on it a lot with my neighbors. In our backyard, they're always mooning me and doing dumb stuff trying to distract me. They're like my brothers."