4th-quarter push saves No. 1 Marion at No. 3 Center Point-Urbana

CENTER POINT — Not what the final score indicated.

Exactly what the Marion Indians needed.

Kayba Laube scored 13 fourth-quarter points to boost Class 4A top-ranked Marion to a 52-35 Wamac Conference West Division girls' basketball win over No. 3 Center Point-Urbana on Friday at Center Point-Urbana High School.

'This was a good test,' Laube said after the Indians (7-0 overall, 3-0 Wamac West) outscored CPU (8-1, 3-1) by a 25-6 margin in the fourth quarter, tallying the final 12 points. 'We stayed focused, and we had faith in each other. That enabled us to pull it out.'

Neither team led by more than six points until Marion's final, fateful rush.

Ella Van Weelden's free throws with 4:14 to go gave Marion a 34-33 lead. Then Laube converted a three-point play and hit a 3-pointer in back-to-back possessions, and the Indians were on their way.

'Our two toughest games (against Cedar Rapids Prairie was the other), we were able to finish in the fourth quarter,' Marion Coach Corby Laube said. 'We kept our composure.'

Since Prairie game, the Indians had won by scores of 85-19 and 72-14. So a test was needed. CPU provided it, and Marion passed it.

After making just 5 of 30 shots in the first three quarters, the Indians were 6 of 7 in the fourth. And they were money from the free-throw line all night, sinking 26 of 30 (11 of 11 in the final quarter).

Marion's Chloe Rice led all scorers with 17 points. Kayba Laube added 14.

Allie Wooldridge paced CPU with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Adrianna Katcher added nine points.

Leah Van Weelden's 3-pointer gave Marion its largest lead of the first half, 11-5. But CPU rallied and there were four lead changes in the second quarter.

Marion led, 21-19, at halftime, then CPU held a 31-27 lead early in the fourth quarter.

'I'm happy with our effort, but not our execution,' CPU Coach Philip Klett said. 'They made plays, and we didn't. You can't leave a lot of opportunities out there against a team like that.'

The rematch is Jan. 26 at Marion.

MARION 52, CENTER POINT-URBANA 35

At Center Point

MARION (52): Chloe Rice 4-9 9-9 17, Caitlyn Smith 0-0 1-2 1, Randi Wright 2-4 1-2 6, Mia Laube 0-3 0-0 0, Kayba Laube 3-6 6-7 14, Sophie Willette 0-1 0-0 0, Riley Wright 0-4 5-6 5, Leah Van Weelden 1-4 0-0 3, Ella Van Weelden 1-4 4-4 6, Maddie Knapp 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 11-37 26-30 52.

CENTER POINT-URBANA (35): Adrianna Katcher 3-9 3-4 9, LaMia Sisk 1-6 0-0 2, Olivia Brecht 0-4 2-2 2, Allie Wooldridge 3-5 7-12 13, Kallyn Fox 1-8 2-6 4, Raegan Dufoe 0-1 0-0 0, Sydney Boevers 0-1 2-2 2, Karly Millikin 1-4 0-2 3, Madison Willson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 9-39 16-28 35.

Halftime: Marion 21, CPU 19. 3-point goals: Marion 4-17 (Rice 0-3, Ra.Wright 1-1, M.Laube 0-1, K.Laube 2-4, Ri.Wright 0-2, L.Van Weelden 1-3, E.VanWeelden 0-2, Knapp 0-1), CPU 1-11 (Katcher 0-3, Sisk 0-2, Brecht 0-2, Boevers 0-1, Millikin 1-2, Willson 0-1). Team fouls: Marion 23, CPU 23. Fouled out: Sisk. Rebounds: Marion 29 (Ra.Wright 7), CPU 35 (Wooldridge 10). Assists: Marion 7 (M.Laube 2), CPU 4 (four with 1). Steals: Marion 9 (K.Laube 3), CPU 6 (Katcher, Sisk 2). Turnovers: Marion 12, CPU 18.

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