CEDAR RAPIDS — For a quarter, it looked like another Linn-Mar laugher. It wasn’t.

Class 3A third-ranked Davenport Assumption pushed 4A No. 3 Linn-Mar to the wire before the Lions prevailed, 52-48, at Rivalry Saturday last night at the U.S. Cellular Center.

“It was a good test for us,” said Kayla Klopfenstein. “It showed us our weaknesses.”

One of them, surprisingly, was rebounding. Assumption (5-2) posted a 36-24 advantage on the glass.

“We knew they would come after us, and they did,” said Lions Coach Mike Brandt. “We gave them too many second shots, too many second opportunities.”

Still, the Lions got through it and improved to 8-0.

Credit the fast start. Linn-Mar jumped on the Knights early. It was 18-9 after a quarter, 22-11 early in the second period.

The Knights rallied and got within a single point on two occasions, the last of which was 46-45 with 3:44 left.

But Kiley Haines hit an important basket for the Lions, then Klopfenstein added two free throws to extend the margin to five.

Klopfenstein led the Lions with 13 points. Norman added 12. Kiah Stokes tallied a triple-double — 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocks.

Marion 67, Dubuque Wahlert 37

“I’d never played well in here before,” Paige said. “But this was a team in which we really wanted to come out and take care of business against.”

Brittany Fish added 17 points for the Indians. Alyssa Reisner scored 10.