Linn entered last week’s 64th Legends Bank Holiday Classic at home with high hopes, strengthened by a first-round win over Fatima. However, after losing the next round, the Lady Cats faced off against the Lady Comets a second time, which ended with a loss.

“A few stretches of turnovers hurt us in our other two matchups,” said Coach Caleb Thomas of the losses to Fatima and Eldon. “Outside of those stretches, I am very happy with our effort and competitiveness in the tournament. All three games had multiple double-digit scorers, and we continued our dominance in rebounding.”

In the late going, Fatima held a slim lead, but the Lady Comets used an 8-0 run to put the game out of reach for Linn.

The Lady Cats led 20-16 at halftime, and Fatima cut the lead to one going into the fourth.

Heslie Higginbotham, named to the All-Tournament team after scoring 37 points and grabbing 18 rebounds through three games, drained two three-pointers and went 3-3 at the stripe to score 17 points against Fatima. “She was a standout performer,” said Thomas.

Nicole Grellner (2 treys) added 10, as Ali Russell (trey), Paige Senevey (3-6 FT), and Carley Brandt scored five apiece, and Jorja Kempker (trey) finished with three. Senevey led with four assists, and Higginbotham had two.

On the glass, Brandt snagged a team-high 13 rebounds, and Senevey added 10, followed by Higgs and Grellner (5 each), and Russell (4).

Grellner and Russell counted two steals apiece, and Brandt had the team’s lone block.

In the second round, the Lady Cats lost to Eldon, 54-42.

Linn battled but played from behind, trailing 18-13 after the first quarter and 26-18 at the break. The Lady Cats shot 34% from the field, converting 5-13 from long range and 5-8 at the FT line.

Higginbotham (2 treys) and Brandt scored nine points apiece to pace the team, as Russell (trey) and Senevey (2-2 FT) added eight apiece, and Kempker (5) and Grellner (3) each hit a trey. In the assists column, Grellner led the team with three more from Russell.

Senevey snatched eight rebounds, Brandt added seven, and Higginbotham posted six, as Grellner, Kempker, and Russell finished with four apiece.

Defensively, Brandt posted five steals, and Kempker and Higgs each had two, with a block from Higginbotham as well.

In the opening round, Linn knocked off Fatima, 41-39.

From the tip, the Lady Cats established their presence, jumping to a 14-4 lead through the first quarter en route to a game that saw them shoot 40.5% from the field.

The Lady Comets replied with a strong second, cutting the lead for four, 22-18, by halftime. After an 8-6 edge in the third, Fatima chipped the advantage to two points, a margin the Lady Cats held through a 13-13 fourth quarter for the win.

A trio of Lady Cats — Grellner (trey), Higginbotham (3-3 FT), and Senevey — scored 11 points apiece to lead the Lady Cats. Kempker drained two three-pointers for her six points, and Brandt finished with two. Grellner and Kenzy Hackmann dished the ball thrice apiece, and Russell and Higginbotham shared it twice each.

Senevey’s 16 rebounds gave her a double-double, as Brandt snagged eight, Higginbotham added seven, Grellner had three, Russell posted two, and Hackmann finished with one.

Defensively, Higginbotham posted three steals, as Grellner, Russell, and Senevey each had one. Brandt counted two blocks, and Grellner swatted one.