The Basketball season came to an end in Marion this afternoon, Friday, March 12, as the Linn-Mar Lions lost to the Southeast Polk Rams, 41-38, in the Class 4A boys' state basketball semifinals in Des Moines.

The Lions, who were the number-two seed heading into the tournament and now finish the season with a 23-2 record, built up a seven point lead halfway through the first period, but gradually lost momentum to Polk, who recovered to lead by as much as six points in the third period.

A late fourth-period Lion drive brought Linn-Mar within one point of the Rams with under 20 seconds to play, until a foul against Polk by Josh Montague allowed the Rams to hold out until the final buzzer.

Southeast Polk, the number-three seed, now has a 21-3 record on the season. They move on to play heavily-favored, undefeated Ames in the 4A final game tomorrow night, March 13, for the championship.