What happens when you lose your leading scorer to a mid-game injury in the state quarterfinals?
If you’re fortunate to be as deep as the Kickapoo Chiefs, you call on your role players to step up and hand the keys over to your star-studded backcourt.
GAME PHOTOS: KICKAPOO VS. BLUE SPRINGS SOUTH
With Jared Ridder suffering an ankle injury early in the second quarter, Kickapoo’s guards took the game over and guided the Chiefs to a 95-81 victory over defending Class 5 state champion Blue Springs South Saturday night at SBU in Bolivar.
“We just had to get the other guys ready to go,” said Kickapoo coach Dick Rippee. “Jared’s a heck of a player, everybody knows that. We’ve got a good team. We just tried to re-focus our guys on doing their thing. Nobody needs to try to be Jared. Just be themselves, we have plenty of good players.”
The Chiefs are headed to the Final Four for the sixth time in program history and first since 2006. Kickapoo reached three Final Four between 2003-06.
Kickapoo guards Isaac Johnson – a Drury commit – and Cam Davis led the way against Blue Springs South. Johnson scored a game-high 30, besting Blue Springs South’s KJ Robinson by one point. Davis added 24 points.
“I thought our guys answered the bell and did a heck of a job in the second half without Jared,” Rippee said.
Roughly half of Johnson and Davis’ point totals came at the free throw line, an area that played a big role in the final outcome.
With Blue Springs South trailing by 13 going into the fourth quarter, the Jaguars extended the game in the final five minutes by repeatedly fouling Kickapoo after each basket.
The result was Kickapoo shooting 35 free throws in the fourth quarter alone, making 24 of those attempts. Johnson was 11-for-12 at the line in the fourth quarter. Davis attempted 19 free throws in the game and was 9-for-13 at the line in the fourth quarter.
“Honestly, it felt like a practice,” Davis said. “When we get on the line and shoot free throws (in practice), that’s what it felt like. Every time we were getting the ball, we were going to the free throw line. I’m just glad our guys stepped up and made free throws when it mattered.”
As a team, Kickapoo finished 33-for-48 at the free throw line.
The Chiefs led by as many as 18 in the fourth quarter, but Blue Springs South’s desperation foul strategy was somewhat effective as the Jaguars cut the deficit to 10 in the final minutes.
Kickapoo led 32-27 at halftime, then got a boost from sixth-man Derrick Roberson and high-flying guard Niekie Thomas-Fontleroy to begin the second half. The pair scored Kickapoo’s first 11 points of the third quarter, nine of them coming on a trio of three-point plays.
Late in the third quarter, Kickapoo stretched its eight-point lead up to 53-40 – its largest lead at the time – as Johnson scored five quick points. Said Rippee: "First half, I thought we stood around a little bit. Second half, we did a better job getting to the rim."
The Chiefs also got work-man like efforts from starting forward Travis Vokolek and reserve Isaac Blakeslee, who combined for 11 points.
“Whenever somebody goes out, our team at least, we’re able to step up,” Davis said. “We have guys who are ready, who are prepared. Coach (Rippee) prepared us very well.”
Thomas-Fontleroy finished with 15 points and had three rim-rocking dunks in the second half. He also hauled in several big rebounds as Kickapoo held its own on the glass despite missing the 6’7” Ridder, who averages about 20 points and 7 rebounds per game for the Chiefs.
“Any time you take away someone that plays 32 minutes a night and does a lot of good things for us – not just scoring, but defensively and rebounding – we had to have other guys plug in,” Rippee said. “I thought Niekie Thomas-Fontleroy was great in the second half. Not just scoring, but defensively and rebounding. That’s what we needed, guys to step in and do their part.”
Kickapoo (27-2 overall) meets undefeated Lee’s Summit (29-0) in the Class 5 semifinals on Thursday, March 17 at 8:30 p.m. at Mizzou Arena.
Lee’s Summit beat Blue Springs South twice this season: 99-89 in overtime on Feb. 5 and 76-55 at home on Feb. 23.
Kickapoo’s two losses this season came in the Tournament of Champions, to Sierra Canyon (Calif.) and Christ the King (N.Y.).
Rippee hopes to have Ridder, who suffered a left ankle sprain, game-ready by Thursday.
“We’ll get (Ridder) treatment and see what he can do,” Rippee said. “(Ridder) will do everything he can. Our trainer will do everything he can. We’ll just pray for the best.”
Kickapoo 95, Blue Springs South 81
Blue Springs South 14 13 15 39 — 81
Kickapoo 16 16 23 40 — 95
Blue Springs South – KJ Robinson 29, Briley Moore-McKinney 16, Steven McKay 10, Dorian Wright 7, Tyler Clark 6, Curtis Ferneau 6, Ethan Swanegan 4, Michael Jones 3,
Kickapoo – Isaac Johnson 30, Cam Davis 24, Niekie Thomas-Fontleroy 15, Derrick Roberson 9, Jared Ridder 6, Travis Vokolek 6, Isaac Blakeslee 5
