Marion stymies Center Point-Urbana for 40th straight win

CENTER POINT — Snow outside. And according to Philip Klett, 'a snowball effect' inside.

'We just weren't getting shots to fall,' said the Center Point-Urbana girls' basketball coach. 'We had opportunities, but we couldn't take advantage.'

Class 4A top-ranked Marion held 3A No. 3 CPU to 17-percent shooting and earned its 40th consecutive victory, 53-34, Saturday afternoon at Center Point-Urbana High School.

'It's nice to play a really good team; we haven't gotten to play somebody like this in a while,' Marion's Kayba Laube said. 'We were excited for this one.'

Marion (14-0 overall, 13-0 Wamac Conference) can claim overall conference bragging rights. Credit the defense, which held CPU (15-2, 14-1) to nine field goals in 53 attempts, including 1 of 17 from 3-point range.

'We talked about it in the locker room; the one thing we can control is defense and hustle,' Marion Coach Corby Laube said.

Marion trailed just once, at 4-2. The Indians closed out the first quarter with a 9-2 run for a 14-7 lead, and extended it to 29-14 by halftime.

Leah Van Weelden paced the Indians with 16 points, hitting 4 of 5 long-range shots.

'Obviously, we're all in the gym a lot. Tonight, it was just falling for me,' Van Weelden said. 'Shoutout to my teammates for all the good passes to me.'

Laube posted 14 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, and Ella Van Weelden added 13 points.

CPU made a little charge in the third quarter to cut an 18-point deficit to 37-26, but Marion scored the next six points to put any full-fledged comeback hopes to bed.

Callyn Fox led the Stormin' Pointers with 10 points. Freshman Ryley Goebel collected eight points and 10 rebounds.

Marion faces another big challenge in a week, at Iowa City West in a game that matches the defending state champions in 4A and 5A.

'It's good to have challenges like this game and that one,' Leah Van Weelden said. 'It gets us ready for the end of the year.'

MARION 54, CENTER POINT-URBANA 35

At Center Point

MARION (54): Leah Van Weelden 6-8 0-0 16, Riley Wright 2-4 0-0 4, Sophie Willette 1-4 2-2 5, Kayba Laube 6-15 1-4 14, Ella Van Weelden 5-10 1-2 13, Randi Wright 1-3 0-0 2, Sadie Struchen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-44 4-8 54.

CENTER POINT-URBANA (35): Adrianna Katcher 2-15 3-4 8, Karly Millikin 1-5 3-4 5, Rylee Clark 0-2 0-0 0, Madison Willson 1-7 2-2 4, Callyn Fox 3-12 4-4 10, Ryley Goebel 2-8 4-7 8, Bryn Hadsall 0-1 0-0 0, Peyton Kriegel 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 9-53 16-21 35.

Halftime: Marion 29, CPU 14. 3-point goals: Marion 8-21 (L. Van Weelden 4-5, Riley Wright 0-1, Willette 1-2, Laube 1-6, E. Van Weelden 2-6, Randi Wright 0-1), CPU 1-17 (Katcher 1-5, Millikin 0-2, Clark 0-1, Willson 0-4, Fox 0-2, Hadsall 0-1, Kriegel 0-2). Team fouls: Marion 14, CPU 10. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Marion 41 (Laube 11), CPU 30 (Goebel 10). Assists: Marion 15 (Laube 4), CPU 3 (three with 1). Steals: Marion 7 (E. Van Weelden 3), CPU 10 (four with 2). Turnovers: Marion 19, CPU 8.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com