As a guy who's been around the block a few times, I have learned one thing: Don't ever think or say to a fan that you've seen it all in the world of sports, because I guarantee you haven't.

And so it was in the recently concluded Linn-Mar versus Jefferson basketball game. The fans attending Tuesday night got to see something they probably will never seen again at the high school level, where two players on one team scored 30 points apiece and the other players on the team scored 10.

In my experience, I don't believe over time that two players have done that in a Metro game, maybe ever. And there was a reason Matt Bohannon and Marcus Paige needed those 30 points apiece, because the two "bigs" for Linn-Mar, Ian McBrayer and Josh Montague, were both out with injuries.

It's also remarkable that Jarrod Uthoff of Jefferson had amazing numbers of 26 points, 14 rebounds and at least a half-dozen blocked shots. It was high school basketball at its best, and a near-capacity house was treated to the type of basketball that the Metro has produced in this 2011 season.

It also should be noted that near the end of the game, with Bohannon sitting on 30, to equal that performance Paige missed the first of two free throws and made the second for his 30th point, either planned or by chance.

For the two teams, they put on a top-notch performance. By the time you read this, Linn-Mar will have had its 21st victory of the year and will have finished an unbeaten regular season (prediction). But the question now will come for the postseason tournament, as to the health of Montague and McBrayer.

I would think those two players will be needed if the Lions are to make a run at the state tournament. Some nights, two can beat five, but not in a state tournament series. So we wish them a quick recovery.

Also noted on the Jefferson side was the return of Taylor Olson. And I think that will certainly help the J-Hawks become a winning force in the tournament series.

Cedar Rapids and Marion should have top-notch representation in Des Moines.

NOTES: A tip of the fedora to the Washington swim team on its fourth-place finish in the state championships, and to two retirees on the high school sports front.

At Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Dennis Roloff has retired from teaching, but I hope he continues to coach the girls basketball team and boys track team. Also, here's a special salute to Cedar Rapids Washington girls cross country coach Dave Coates on his retirement.

It should be noted that both of these gentlemen coached for their teams, not just for the top individual talent. It's been my view that their legacy should be taken up by other coaches in the city who seem to fall in love with the star syndrome.

These men took interest in all of their athletes and did not go for individual stars. They just came along because of their coaching.