Linn-Mar Boys Basketball

Cougars trip Lions for trip to state

The Kennedy Cougars are at their best when they are "playing downhill."

Coach Jon McKowen's team prides itself in being aggressive on both ends of the floor and it was evident in Tuesday's night's Class 4A substate final against Linn-Mar at the U.S. Cellular Center.

The Cougars had the Lions on their heels from the start. The offensive strategy was to get to the basket and it resulted in 42 free throw attempts. On defense the plan was to harass the Lion duo of Jordan Bohannon and Nic Uhlir all over the floor.

The result was a hard-fought 58-54 win and a second straight trip to the state tournament. Kennedy (18-5) drew the No. 6 seed and will play No. 3 seed Pleasant Valley on Wednesday, March 11 at 6:35 p.m. in Des Moines at Wells Fargo Arena.

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Nic Uhlir wins Metro Spotlight Award

Nic Uhlir of Linn-Mar is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school boys this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Uhlir, a senior guard, is a key member of the Linn-Mar boys basketball team that will face Kennedy in the Class 4A substate finals Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Center.

The sixth-ranked Lions enter the game with an 18-4 record and boast a 10-1 mark in their last 11 outings. The ninth-ranked Cougars enter the game with a 17-5 record and sport a 9-1 mark in their last 10 games.

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Bohannon nets 30 as No. 6 Lions roll along

When it comes to defensive schemes, Linn-Mar's slick tandem of Jordan Bohannon and Nic Uhlir have seen just about all of them.

The Lion sharpshooters got a variety of defensive looks from Waterloo West in Friday night's Class 4A substate semifinal at Linn-Mar.

None of them proved successful.

Bohannon torched the Wahawks for 30 points, including six 3-point baskets, and Uhlir finished with 17 as the No. 6 Lions (18-4) rolled to a 66-45 victory.

That sets up the much-anticipated rematch with Kennedy in the substate final Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Center. The Cougars advanced with a 71-55 win over Cedar Falls in their substate semifinal at Kennedy.

West dropped a 60-50 decision to the Lions in the regular-season finale last Thursday in Waterloo as both teams stuck to the basics in anticipation of Friday's tournament contest.

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Bohannon scores 22 in Linn-Mar victory

WATERLOO – Jordan Bohannon scored 22 points to lead the sixth-ranked Linn-Mar boys basketball team to a 60-50 win over Waterloo West on Thursday in a Mississippi Valley Conference game in Waterloo.

The Lions jumped to an 18-11 lead in the first quarter.

Lane Halupnik made four 3-pointers and scored 14 points for the Lions. Jason Tichy added 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Linn-Mar, which finished the regular season 17-4.

Lincoln Conrey scored 22 points and Carondis Harris-Anderson added 15 for Waterloo West (7-14)

LINN-MAR (60): Uhlir 1 2-2 4, Murphy 0 0-0 0, Noble 2 0-0 4, Bohannon 9 3-3 22, Klostermann 0 2-2 2, Tichy 4 2-3 11, Halupnik 5 0-0 14, Schmidt 0 0-0 0, Brandt 1 0-0 3. Totals 22 9-10 60.

WATERLOO WEST (50): Sehic 0 0-0 0, Conrey 9 2-2 22, Funchess 0 0-0 0, Pepin 1 1-2 4, Samardzic 0 0-0 0, Moore 1 0-0 2, Harris-Anderson 6 2-2 15, Kuljuhovic 1 3-4 5, Schultz 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 8-10 50.

Halftime – Linn-Mar 29, Waterloo West 22. 3-point goals – Linn-Mar 7 (Halupnik 4, Bohannon, Tichy, Brandt), Waterloo West 4 (Conrey 2, Pepin, Harris-Anderson).