Cross-town Clash: Linn-Mar Standouts

I visited Linn-Mar High School on Tuesday to watch the host Lions take on Cedar Rapids Washington. Linn-Mar had a balanced attack and had a number of scorers in double figures - there is a lot to like on this young team, and a few players in particular stuck out yesterday. Check out my take of those players below!    Harleigh Titus was a game-changer for Linn-Mar, especially in the second half, and really showed off her ability to make things happen on both sides of the ball. She stepped up defensively against a much taller center and did well to make entry passes difficult. She chose her spots well offensively by finding pockets in the lane in Washington's zone. She also showed her range by hitting two three pointers when the defender didn't close out enough, and a third three by running ahead in transition. I also liked Titus' shot fake and step through for two. I would keep my eye on Titus as she gains experience during her sophomore year.     [player_tooltip player_id='1090514' first='Maya' last='Seim'] was one of my favorite players on the floor on Tuesday. She came off the bench and was a difference-maker for the Lions - she came in and immediately effected the pace of the game. She does a lot of things well including crashing the boards, positioning herself to score in the lane, handling the ball against pressure, and just making things happen. Though she's right handed Seim had a number of smooth lefty finishes featuring different post moves. She also hit back-to-back threes at a pivotal time in the game. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this freshman progresses this season.     I really liked Hannah Thierer's game on Tuesday. She can flat-out shoot, and showed her range early by hitting four three pointers in the first half (including a few that were a step behind the line). She doesn't need much space and does a good job to create shooting opportunities off of the jab step. When CR Washington started adjusting and pressuring her on the three-point line, she did well to read the defense and get to the rim which led to multiple trips to the free-throw line. Thierer is a solid contributor and an offensive spark for her Lions team.     [player_tooltip player_id='896458' first='Emma' last='Dirks'] showed that she's a solid presence for Linn-Mar on Tuesday. She is a consistent defender - she is disciplined on double-teams and doesn't get scored on easily. She's also got active hands and does a good job of defending without fouling. Offensively, she was smart with the ball against a tall Washington squad. One of my favorite plays of the game was Dirks' face up, shot fake to get her defender in the air, and spin move for a smooth lefty finish.     Dreya is the go-to player for her Linn-Mar squad, and was a leader by example on Tuesday. Kern's best asset on Tuesday was her physicality. Defensively, she's strong and aggressive - she has quick feet and isn't afraid to step in the ball-handler's comfort zone. She also hits the boards hard despite her 5'7" frame. Offensively, a lot of her success came in the paint from finishes through contact. Kern was knocked to the floor multiple times and that didn't stop her from a hitting number of tough buckets. In short, Dreya is gritty, poised point guard who anyone would want on their team.

I visited Linn-Mar High School on Tuesday to watch the host Lions take on Cedar Rapids Washington. Linn-Mar had a balanced attack and had a number of scorers in double figures - there is a lot to like on this young team, and a few players in particular stuck out yesterday. Check out my take of those players below!