CPU works overtime to edge Vinton-Shellsburg, return to girls’ state basketball tournament

CEDAR RAPIDS — After all the drama, all the tension, all of the momentum swings — and four extra minutes — it came down to this:

The best player made the biggest plays in overtime.

Ryley Goebel scored five of her game-high 20 points in overtime, sealing the outcome with a steal on the final possession, and sixth-ranked Center Point-Urbana outlasted No. 13 Vinton-Shellsburg, 50-48, in a Class 3A girls’ basketball regional-final thriller Saturday night at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

“I knew it was going to go down to the wire,” said CPU Coach Philip Klett, who marked his 44th birthday Saturday. “The last two times we played them, it took all four quarters. Tonight, we had to play a fifth.”

CPU (21-3) advances to the state tournament for the seventh time in the last nine years. The Stormin’ Pointers draw No. 3 Ballard (21-3) in the first round at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 1 at Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines.

Ballard won the 4A championship last year.

“I missed it a lot last year,” said Goebel, a UNI signee who was an instrumental part of the Stormin’ Pointers’ 3A championship in 2019. “This had been a goal since the beginning of the season.”

Goebel helped lift the Stormin’ Pointers at the beginning of the extra session.

After Laine Hadsall made the first free throw on CPU’s opening overtime possession, she missed the second. But Goebel was there for the rebound and the putback.

Then she got her hands on the inbounds pass and scored again, putting CPU up 48-43.

Vinton-Shellsburg (15-9) battled right back and tied it on Julia Johnson’s 3-pointer with 2:15 remaining.

Goebel made a tie-breaking free-throw with 1:20 left, then Alivia Sweeney made another to put the Stormin’ Pointers up 50-48.

Both teams had an empty possession, giving the Vikettes one more chance with three seconds left. But Goebel erased it by swiping the inbounds pass — her sixth steal of the night — to secure the victory.

The teams split regular-season decisions, both winning on the road. On a neutral court, they combined for a nail-biter.

“It was insane,” CPU junior Ryanne Hansen said. “I’m so excited right now.”

Vinton-Shellsburg was bidding for its first state appearance since 1999, and put itself in good position late in regulation. The Vikettes scored nine straight points, capped by Abby Davis’ 3-pointer that put them in front, 42-38 with 1:50 to go.

But they couldn’t shut the door, missing three of their final four free throws of regulation, and Tayler Reaves’ 3-pointer got CPU even at 43-all with 23 seconds to go.

“Just too many turnovers,” Vikettes Coach Rich Haisman said. “And too many missed free throws. You can’t miss more than half of your free throws and expect to beat one of the top teams in the state.”

Both teams struggled mightily from the foul line: Vinton-Shellsburg made 13 of 29; CPU converted 9 of 23.

The Vikettes struck first, scoring the initial six points. But CPU landed a haymaker in response, hitting four first-quarter 3-pointers on the way to a 23-11 lead.

But the Stormin’ Pointers cooled, and it was 27-22 at halftime, 35-28 after three quarters.

In addition to her 20 points and six steals, Goebel snagged nine rebounds. Reaves and Hansen added six points apiece.

Alyssa Griffith paced Vinton-Shellsburg with 16 points. Davis tallied eight, Sophia Kreutner and Brylee Bruce seven apiece. Bruce collected 12 boards.

Vinton-Shellsburg returns its entire roster for 2022-23.

Center Point-Urbana 50, Vinton-Shellsburg 48 (OT)

Class 3A Regional Final, at C.R. Xavier

VINTON-SHELLSBURG (48): Abby Davis 2-8 3-4 8, Sophia Kreutner 2-6 2-4 7, Ashlie Meyer 2-8 1-6 5, Alyssa Griffith 6-8 2-2 16, Brylee Bruce 2-4 3-5 7, Julia Johnson 1-7 1-6 4, Kalinda Burke 0-1 1-2 1, Tess Erickson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-42 13-29 48.

CENTER POINT-URBANA (50): Tayler Reaves 2-7 0-2 6, Ryanne Hansen 3-8 0-0 6, Ryley Goebel 9-17 1-5 20, Addy Tupa 2-5 0-1 5, Nicole Rick 1-6 3-5 5, Laine Hadsall 0-0 4-6 4, Kora Katcher 0-2 0-2 0, Alivia Sweeney 1-3 1-2 4, Mya Hillers 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-49 9-23 50.

Vinton-Shellsburg 11 11 6 15 5 -- 48

Center Point-Urbana 23 4 8 8 7 -- 50

3-point goals: Vinton-Shellsburg 5-17 (Davis 1-7, Kreutner 1-3, Griffith 2-3, Johnson 1-4), CPU 5-17 (Reaves 2-6, Hansen 0-3, Goebel 1-1, Tupa 1-2, Rick 0-2, Katcher 0-1, Sweeney 1-2). Team fouls: Vinton-Shellsburg 16, CPU 22. Fouled out: Griffith. Rebounds: Vinton-Shellsburg 36 (Bruce 12), CPU 35 (Goebel 9). Assists: Vinton-Shellsburg 7 (Davis, Griffith 2), CPU 9 (Goebel 3). Steals: Vinton-Shellsburg 9 (Kreutner 4), CPU 11 (Goebel 6). Turnovers: Vinton-Shellsburg 18, CPU 19.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com