Stormin’ Pointers have grown up fast

It took a while for the youngsters at Center Point-Urbana to figure out the transition aspect of girls' basketball.

We're not talking the defense-to-offense, fast-break transition. We're talking about the promotion to varsity-level competition.

'Colleges coaches say there are three aspects which really change when you bump up a level,” said CPU Coach Philip Klett. 'The speed of the game is faster. The physicality is greater. And the need for communication is so much higher.

'The same thing holds true when you move from middle-school or JV ball to varsity. Especially the physical part. In the Wamac (Conference), if you get bumped, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a foul.”

Seven of the top nine players are new to the varsity game, including five freshmen. They've matured.

After a 5-4 start, the Class 3A seventh-rated Stormin' Pointers (15-4 overall, 11-1 Wamac West) have rattled off 10 consecutive victories. Klett credits the team's defense.

CPU allowed 45.2 points per game in its first nine contests, 36.7 per game in the last 10.

'Early on, our defense was kind of hit-and-miss,” Klett said. 'They were taking some unnecessary chances. We want to get good ball pressure, but they've learned that if they get beat, we want them to get beat on the help side.”

Junior forward Arika Wooldridge has been the focal point of the program since her arrival as a freshman. She has scored 1,120 points in her career, and is posting 16.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game this season.

'You look at her stats, and her scoring is down a little,” Klett said. 'But that's because she doesn't have to carry us as much this year. And she does more on defense than people see.”

Wooldridge's sister, Allison, leads the freshman brigade. She is second on the team in scoring at 11.3 points per game.

Ninth-graders Olivia Brecht, LaMia Sisk, Sydney Boevers and Raegan Dufoe also are in the rotation. CPU does not have a senior on its roster.

'They're young, but most of these kids, whether in softball or soccer or track, have already competed at a high level,” Klett said.

CPU is at Independence on Friday, then hosts Marion (15-4, 10-2) in a divisional showdown to wrap up the regular season Tuesday.

TOP SEEDS ARE PLANTED

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union has released regional pairings, and there's a new twist in Class 5A.

In the past, all regional finals were on a neutral floor. This year, though, 5A regional finals will be placed on the court of the higher seed.

That means three area schools - Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Iowa City West and Iowa City High - will have homecourt advantage for the game to go to state, provided they win their regional semifinals.

Regionals begin Feb. 18 in 5A. Regional finals are Feb. 24.

UPWARDLY MOBILE

The title of 'most improved area team,” in simple terms of wins and losses, goes to Marion this season.

Marion has increased is victory total by nine from last year, from 6-16 to 15-4.

Decorah is next in line, improving by eight wins (from 3-19 to 11-9). West Liberty is up by seven, from 2-20 to 9-11.

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