CPU beats Independence again, but this one doesn’t look like the others

INDEPENDENCE — Center Point-Urbana still controls this rivalry.

But now, it’s a fair fight.

Grace Estling scored seven of her game-high 23 points in the final 2:22, and CPU battled past Class 4A 13th-ranked Independence, 53-49, in a Wamac Conference East Division girls basketball game Tuesday night at Independence High School.

“I just wanted to do whatever the team needed to get us to the end,” Estling said.

CPU (5-2 overall, 1-0 division) defeated Independence for the 26th consecutive time; its last loss to the Mustangs was in 2011. This time, though, a Stormin’ Pointers needed a late comeback.

“We lost a lot of good players, and they gained a good freshman (Kiersten TeBockhorst),” Estling said.

The result was what should be the first of many tight contests in what figures to be a five-team scramble in the Wamac East.

“We warned the girls that Independence was much improved,” first-year CPU coach Nathan Kellogg said. “There wasn’t any panic when we got down early.”

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Independence (3-2, 0-1) got out to a 19-10 lead after a quarter, and stayed in front throughout most of the contest. The Mustangs were up 46-40 when TeBockhorst scored with 6:15 to go.

CPU owned the rest of the contest by a 13-3 count.

Maci Kindschi’s 3-pointer got the Stormin’ Pointers even, 46-46, with 4:12 left, then Estling’s basket in the lane put CPU ahead to stay, 48-47, at the 2:22 mark.

Kellogg succeeds Philip Klett, who took over CPU’s boys program. To the naked eye, this version looks similar to its recent predecessors. The Stormin’ Pointers remain formidable, particularly with their full-court defensive mayhem.

“Klett set a standard,” Kellogg said. “When I took over, I asked the girls what they’re looking for. They said they didn’t want anything to change.”

Adelyn Stien added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Stormin’ Pointers.

Libby Preuss paced Independence with 15 points and 11 rebounds. TeBockhorst added 12 points and four steals before fouling out with 1:24 to go, and Devin Ludwig provided 11 points.

The rematch is Jan. 23 at Center Point.

Center Point-Urbana 53, Independence 49

At Independence

CENTER POINT-URBANA (53): Deni Katcher 1-6 1-2 3, Kyra White 2-7 0-2 4, Grace Estling 7-16 9-14 23, Maci Kindschi 3-7 1-1 9, Adelyn Stien 6-14 0-2 12, Kamille Burrington 1-7 0-0 2, Lily Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Amelia Wilhelmi 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-58 11-21 53.

INDEPENDENCE (49): Kiersten TeBockhorst 5-12 2-4 12, Libby Preuss 5-17 3-4 15, Makenna TeBockhorst 1-2 0-0 2, Morgan Ristvedt 2-2 1-2 5, Devin Ludwig 5-10 1-2 11, Emelia Lange 0-2 0-0 0, Jaeda Rupprecht 2-6 0-0 4, Sage Stetler 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-52 7-12 49.

Center Point-Urbana 10 18 9 16 — 53

Independence 19 12 12 6 — 49

3-point goals: CPU 2-13 (Katcher 0-3, White 0-2, Estling 0-3, Kindschi 2-2, Stien 0-2, Burrington 0-1), Indee 2-12 (K. TeBockhorst 0-1, Preuss 2-8, Ludwig 0-1, Lange 0-1, Stetler 0-1). Team fouls: CPU 10, Indee 18. Fouled out: K. TeBockhorst, M. TeBockhorst. Rebounds: CPU 35 (Stien 7), Indee 40 (Preuss 11). Assists: CPU 10 (Katcher 5), Indee 4 (K. TeBockhorst 2). Steals: CPU 11 (Katcher, Estling 3), Indee 9 (K. TeBockhorst 4). Turnovers: CPU 15, Indee 21.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com