T-R FILE PHOTO - Marshalltown junior center Frankie Long (44) goes up for the shot against Des Moines Lincoln during their Class 5A Region 3 first-round basketball game at the Roundhouse on Feb. 18. Long led the Iowa Alliance Conference’s North Division in rebounding and blocked shots for the second year in a row and was voted to the all-conference first team for the third-straight season.

For the second year in a row, Marshalltown’s 6-foot-3 center Frankie Long led the Iowa Alliance Conference’s North Division in rebounding and blocked shots.

For the third year in a row, Long was honored with selection to its all-conference first team.

Long, a junior, tallied league-highs of 10.7 rebounds and 4.7 blocked shots per game to lead the Alliance North and earn all-conference first-team selection for the third-straight season — this time unanimously.

Long was one of three players unanimously voted to the seven-player first team in a poll of league coaches, but the only Bobcat named to the top squad again.

Marshalltown senior guard Millie Heitmann and junior guard Amairra Johnson both were named to the all-Alliance North second team, while seniors Kinsley Bowie and Jorja Janssen scored honorable mention status after helping the Bobcats into a three-way tie for second in the division.

Ames went unbeaten in league play at 8-0 while Marshalltown, Mason City and Waterloo East all tied for second at 4-4. Fort Dodge went 0-8.

Long helped the Bobcats make the climb from last year’s league cellar by averaging 5.9 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.7 blocks in North Division play.

Marshalltown allowed just 43.6 points per game in divisional action — a number that was enhanced by the Bobcats’ shot-blocking prowess. Heitmann, a second-team selection for the second year in a row, ranked second in the league with 4.1 blocks per contest.

And whether or not Long was scoring, the double-teams drawn to her opened up opportunities for her Bobcat teammates. Johnson added 8.6 points per game in league play, Heitmann got 7.9 points, Janssen 7.1 and Bowie 5.3 as MHS had a league-leading 36 percent field-goal percentage in conference play.

Heitmann also ranked sixth in the conference in getting 8.3 rebounds per game and Janssen averaged 5.3 to rank ninth.

Heitmann ranked second in the league with 3.0 assists per game and was fifth with 3.3 steals per contest in garnering her third all-conference selection overall. She was honorable mention as a sophomore, too.

The second-team selection was the first for Johnson. Bowie was voted honorable mention for the third year in a row, while Janssen’s honor was her first.

All-Iowa Alliance Conference North Division Girls Basketball Teams

(* denotes unanimous selection)

FIRST TEAM

*Frankie Long, jr., C, MHS

*LJ Maehl, sr., F, Fort Dodge

*Victoria Williams, jr., G, Ames

Gracyn Braun, sr., F, Mason City

Natalya Deardorff, sr., G, Ames

Anna Latham, jr., G, Mason City

Ka’Jhira Moon, jr., G, W’loo East

SECOND TEAM

*Graysyn Downing, sr., G, W’loo East

*Brogan Evans, sr., G, Mason City

Parker Bivins, fr., G, Ames

Siyanna Cody, sr., G, W’loo East

Millie Heitmann, sr., G/F, MHS

Amairra Johnson, jr., G, MHS

Kaelin Knipp, sr., C, W’loo East

HONORABLE MENTION

Lyza Britten, fr., G, Ames

Sophia Hatcher, sr., G, Ames

Brooklyn Gilliland, fr., G, Fort Dodge

Kinsley Bowie, sr., G, MHS

Jorja Janssen, sr., F, MHS

Leah Dykstra, so., G, Mason City

Magalli Gonzalez, so., G, Mason City

Alayna Henderson, jr., F, W’loo East

Final Conference Standings

W L

Ames 8-0

Marshalltown 4-4

Mason City 4-4

Waterloo East 4-4

Fort Dodge 0-8