It’s a missed free throw that the Kickapoo girls’ basketball team will never forget.
Leading 49-47 with 33 seconds remaining and a Class 5 title game berth on the line, Kickapoo’s Jordan Wersinger missed the front end of a one-and-one.
Then, she improvised.
Wersinger got her own rebound and converted a put-back, giving the Chiefs a two-possession lead (51-47) on their way to a 55-49 state semifinals victory over Liberty on Thursday night.
“The shot was going up and I had a feeling it was going to be off,” Wersinger said. “But we had to put the ball in the hole then, so I sprinted toward the ball and got it back in the basket.”
GAME PHOTOS: KICKAPOO VS. LIBERTY
Wersinger didn’t deserve to be the scapegoat anyway, as she scored a game-high 26 to go with 6 rebounds. A 75 percent free throw shooter, it was her only missed free throw in the game in nine attempts.
“I remember the ones where I was on the other end and we allowed them,” said Chiefs coach Jim Pendergrass. “Those are the ones that hurt the most. This is one I’m going to remember forever.”
Pendergrass then turned to his sophomore guard and said, “Thanks, Jordan.”
But the game was far from over after Wersinger’s dramatic play. Liberty senior and career leading scorer Morgan Fleming made two free throws with 21 seconds remaining that brought the Blue Jays within 51-49.
As Kickapoo brought the ball up the court after the ensuing in-bound, Liberty was called for an intentional foul on Kickapoo senior point guard Laura Vierkant. She made two free throws and, after Kickapoo retained possession, Wersinger made two more from the charity stripe with 17 seconds remaining to give the Chiefs a 55-49 lead and seal the victory.
“What a great game tonight,” Pendergrass said. “Everybody here got their money’s worth and were entertained. That’s what the Final Four and state championship should be: the best teams coming together and playing. We beat a good opponent tonight and I’m really proud of our kids.”
BOX SCORE: KICKAPOO VS. LIBERTY
Kickapoo struggled for much of the first half, but found itself down only three (24-21) at halftime. Wersinger drained a 3-pointer on Kickapoo’s first possession of the game. However, the Chiefs would not make another field goal for nearly seven minutes and trailed 10-6 after the first quarter.
“Throughout the year, we played a lot of games where we got up early and had a lead on a team,” Wersinger said. “But, in the postseason, we’ve had to battle with teams. They’re going to stay right there with us, if not (ahead of us). Like tonight. We knew we had to fight back and we weren’t going to quit.”
Liberty’s lead stretched to as many as 10 points in the second quarter. Trailing by three coming out of halftime, the Chiefs utilized a full-court press to speed Liberty up and take control of the game.
Kickapoo outscored Liberty 19-11 in the third quarter. The Chiefs nearly took a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter, but Liberty scored five straight to cut the margin to five (40-35) going into the final eight minutes.
After shooting 30 percent in the first half, Kickapoo shot 60 percent (11-for-18 from the field) in the final two quarters. Pendergrass said limiting offensive rebounds was also key for his team.
“We needed to limit them to one shot and done,” Pendergrass said. “In the first half, it seemed like every loose ball went their way. We would have it for a second, then the ball rolls out and (Liberty) gets it and puts it back in for a layup. Or it’d be a long rebound and they’d take a long possession. We talked about trying to limit those extra opportunities we were giving them. In the second half, we did that. They were one and done.”
Fleming scored 16 to lead three Liberty players in double figures. The Blue Jays (26-3 overall) were 14-for-15 from the free throw line but 5-for-21 on 3-point attempts.
Kickapoo’s leading scorer and rebounder, Jordan Sanders, played much of the game in foul trouble. She finished with only 4 points and 3 rebounds, but was a factor on the defensive end with 3 steals and 3 blocks.
“We don’t like having her on the bench,” Pendergrass said. “We’re a lot better team with her on the floor. But, the other girls stepped up when they had to. (Sanders) is a big part of our team offensively and defensively. But, everybody else had to step up more in her absence. We were able to buy time with her on the bench and get the game shortened to maybe limit the chance of her getting that extra foul.”
Kickapoo, which is at state for the first time since the 2009-10 season when it finished third, takes on Kirkwood at 2:40 p.m. on Saturday, March 19 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia. The Chiefs, who last won state in the 2004-05 season, will be going for their sixth girls’ state championship overall.
“(Winning state) has been our goal the entire season,” Vierkant said. “Our motto in the postseason has been to, ‘Rise Up.’ Rise to each occasion. Today, things weren’t really going our way and we got together and rose up to the occasion and did what we needed to do.
“It’s just really exciting, we’re all looking forward to (Saturday).”
Kickapoo 55, Liberty 49
Kickapoo 6 15 19 15 — 55
Liberty 10 14 11 14 — 49
Kickapoo – Jordan Wersinger 26, Laura Vierkant 9, Audrey Warren 8, Jordan Sanders 4, Sharon Lopez 3, Hannah Collins 3, Hannah Cantrell 2
Liberty – Morgan Fleming 16, Taylor Gernster 12, Kayel Newland 10, Sydney Offield 6, Nicole Griffin 3, McKenzie Hull 2
