Whatever Cedar Rapids Kennedy Coach Bob Fontana told his team during a third-quarter timeout Saturday night certainly worked out.

The Cougars immediately made two points without even touching the ball.

Playing a sluggish game up to that point against undermanned Center Point-Urbana, the suddenly energized Kennedy boys scored 13 straight after the gift basket and went on to pound the Pointers, 54-39, at the Kennedy gym.

The turning point came midway in the third period after the Cougars went ahead of the pesky visitors 29-27 on a dipsy-do driving layup by Anthony Carter on a sweet dish from big Ben Struss.

Fontana then called what turned out to be a strategic timeout.

On the ensuing inbounds pass under the Kennedy basket, wide-open CPU sophomore Mason McCauley caught the pass and scored an uncontested layup in the other team’s hoop.

The goal was given to Cougar Johnathon Koelling since he was the closest one to the wrong-way shooter.

Over the next four minutes, Kennedy stretched its slim lead to 47-30. Up to that point, small school Center Point-Urbana more than held its own against the big-city opponent.

By using a patient offense and taking only high-percentage shots, the Pointers (5-3) cut a seven point first-quarter deficit to go ahead 20-19 withunder a minute left in the half.

A layin at the buzzer by Koelling (which he actually shot) let the Cougars go into the locker room with a narrow 21-20 lead.

Fontana, dismayed by his team’s lackluster performance at home Friday night when it allowed Washington to snap a 26-game losing streak with a 53-50 win, revamped his lineup for the Saturday non-conference affair. Instead of the upperclass regulars, he started four juniors and a sophomore.

The subs played gamely, but it wasn’t until the 6-foot-5 Struss came off the bench at the six minute mark that Kennedy (4-2) showed much offense. Against the undersized Pointers, he scored four easy baskets before the quarter ended.

Missed layups and errant passes let CPU hang around, however, until the tide turned on the phantom field goal.

Struss led Kennedy with 12 points.

CENTER POINT-URBANA (39): Logan Holtz 4 1-2 9, Joshua Jirak 4 2-2 11, Ryan  Wilkin 0 0-0 0, Levi Gastrot 4 2-3 10, Dane Salow 1 2-3 4, Brandon Griswold 0 0-1 0, Adam Millikan 0 0-0 0, Devin Tuomala 0 0-0 0, Dylan

Boevers 0 0-0 0, Brayton Brandt 1 0-0 3, Mason McCauley 1 0-0 2, Reede Sagert 0 0-0 0,

Nathan Ward 0 0-0 0, Jacob Bruce 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 7-11 39.

KENNEDY (54): Anthony Carter 2 0-2 4, John Bardsley 0 2-2 2, Zachary Daniels 1 0-0 3, Austin Holzer 1 0-0 2, Drew Heitland 0 0-0 0, Benjamin Struss 6  0-0 12, Jonathan Koelling 4 2-2 10, Riley Fergus 3 0-0 6, Draven

Fuller 0 0-0 0, Andrew Johnson 0 0-0 0, Blake Murdock 1 4-4 7, Pat Martin 2 4-7 8, Seth Gilmore 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 12-17 54.

Halftime - Kennedy 21, CPU 20. 3-point goals – CPU 2 (Brandt, Jirak), Kennedy 2 (Murdock, Daniels).