Metro Sports Report

Saints trim Cougars in MSR Classic

While the basketball season officially tips off for them next week, both the Xavier and Kennedy boys were still feeling the effects of football in their hardcourt matchup Saturday at the MetroSportsReport.com Pride Challenge at Johnson Hall.

Several Saints who may be starters sat on the sidelines since they've barely practiced after playing in last week's gridiron state championship. As for the Cougars, their few football players played but were still a tad rusty switching suddenly from one sport to another.

The game itself on the Kirkwood Community College campus sometimes had a scrum-like feel to it as 41 fouls were called, and each team made more free throws than field goals.

Xavier won it, 54-47, with a furious fourth-quarter comeback, mostly because nine of its 14 baskets came from 3-point range.

Olson leads J-Hawks in MSR Classic

If family history has anything to do with it, Johnson Hall could be the next home court for Cedar Rapids Jefferson guard Jacob Olson.

The crafty senior guard, with his brother, Taylor, looking on, seemed right at home playing on the Kirkwood Community College hardwood. He scored a game-high 18 points as the J-Hawks downed Cedar Rapids Prairie, 64-44, in the opening game of the Metro Sports Report Classic Pride Challenge, which benefitted the Salvation Army.

Taylor Olson is a sophomore at Kirkwood in his second year as a starter. Jacob didn’t do anything Saturday to hurt his chances of maybe joining the Eagles.

Lions embrace new role as underdogs

Times have changed for the Linn-Mar boys basketball team.

They won't come into the new season with glossy rankings or high expectations in the general public, at least not in comparison to their glory days, but that doesn't seem to faze this group of Lions at all.

"I think we'll do really well," senior Ben Larson said Saturday after Linn-Mar beat Marion, 67-39, in the Metro Sports Report.com Classic at Johnson Hall. "A lot of people think we're going to be the underdogs this season."

"Underdogs" is a new role for Linn-Mar, which has won three Class 4A state titles in the past 10 years and finished second on two other trips to Des Moines.

Warriors overwhelm Huskies at MSR event

Cedar Valley Christian may have given the Washington Warriors a good game last year when the Huskies had five seniors in their starting lineup and the Warriors were coming off a winless campaign with a brand-new coach.

Not this year, however. Heavens no.

Washington blitzed the young Huskies, 91-7, in the final game of the Metro Sports Report.com Classic at Johnson Hall Saturday.

The Warriors have a collection of good athletes and good shooters and look like a club that could have a fine season. The Huskies, by contrast, are starting basically from scratch after finishing 14-9 last year with a veteran squad.