Unity Christian Beats North Linn For Class 2A Girls Basketball Championship

Unity Christian fell one step short of winning a state championship a year ago. Given a second chance in the finals, the Knights finished the job and claimed the 2015 Class 2A Girls Basketball State Championship.

Kassidy De Jong scored 29 points and top-ranked Unity Christian dominated from the start in beating No. 7 North Linn 69-40 to win the Class 2A title in convincing fashion.

Anna Kiel added 15 points and eight rebounds and Chanda Zomermaand scored 13 for the top-ranked Knights (27-0), who won their first state title in girls basketball after finishing as the Class 3A runners-up last year.

North Linn (25-2) had upset three-time defending champion Western Christian in the semifinals, but the Lynx couldn't keep up with a skilled Unity Christian team that had both good athletes and good shooters.

Drake University recruit and all-tournament captain Nicole Miller scored North Linn's first 14 points and finished with 22. Maddie Boer and Morgan Boer each scored six points for the Lynx, who reached the championship game for the first time.

Unity Christian shot 52 percent and showed off all facets of its game. The Knights scored off steals, in transition, on putbacks and from long range.

Zomermaand knocked down three 3-pointers in the first half and the Knights finished 8-for-17 from long range.

Miller did what she could to try to keep North Linn in it, scoring consistently on drives to the basket and hitting three 3-pointers. It just wasn't enough.

Down 38-24 at halftime, North Linn managed to cut the lead to 47-34 on Katie Kurt's 3-pointer. But the Lynx got no closer. Unity Christian went inside to Kiel for a basket and the Knights were off and running again, putting together a 14-1 run that stretched the lead to 61-35 and ended any North Linn hopes of a combeback.

Zomermaand finished with 12 3-pointers in the tournament to match the record that Springville's Sarah Matus set in 1A play. The previous record had been 11.

Class 2A All-Tournament Team

• Morgan Boer, North Linn
• Kassidy De Jong, Unity Christian
• Haley Birks, South Central Calhoun
• Jamie Gesink, Western Christian
• Chanda Zomermaand, Unity Christian
• Nicole Miller, North Linn (Captain)