By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Kickapoo coach Jim Pendergrass has seen plenty of high-level basketball talent in his career.
He’s never coached any player who can rebound like Indya Green.
“She’s the best rebounder I’ve ever coached at the high school level or the college level,” he said. “She’s relentless going to the ball and she gets herself in really good position when the shot goes up. A lot of that is effort, which is a credit to her.
“If you’re going to be a good rebounder, that’s an effort category and she’s a great one.”
Green and the Lady Chiefs pounded the boards and were unstoppable in the paint in Wednesday night’s 65-39 win over Mt. Vernon in the Pink Division semifinals at Parkview High School.
Green poured in a game-high 26 points. Most of her buckets came on putbacks or her trusted drop-step, bank shot from the low block.
Green, a 5’11” senior who averaged 16 points and nearly 12 rebounds per game last season, said she prides herself on rebounding.
“I truly believe that rebounding wins games, so every game I just go out there and my goal is to get at least 10 (rebounds),” Green said. “I think that’s really a game-changer if you can rebound the ball a lot.”
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Athleticism runs in Green’s family. Her older sister, Azyah, currently plays for the Missouri State University volleyball team.
“I’m better at basketball but she has the edge in volleyball,” Green said. “That’s not my sport.”
The Lady Chiefs go for the Pink Division championship of the Pink and White Lady Classic on Thursday. Kickapoo plays Willard at 10 a.m. at Parkview High School.
Kickapoo, with four starters at 5’11 or taller, overwhelmed an undersized Mt. Vernon squad by going inside early and often.
Bella Fontleroy scored 15 and Kaylee Corbin added 14 points for the Lady Chiefs (11-2 overall). Kickapoo did not make a 3-pointer in the game.
“We were able to get some offensive rebounds and some second-chance shots. That really helped us down low,” Pendergrass said. “Mt. Vernon is a very good rebounding team, and that was evident tonight. They ran down a lot of rebounds after their (missed) shots and took a lot of rebounds away from us.”
Kickapoo outscored Mt. Vernon by 11 in the second quarter and led 31-17 at halftime.
Junior guard Lacy Stokes led Mt. Vernon with 22 points. No other Mt. Vernon player scored more than six.
“Stokes is one of the best guards in Southwest Missouri,” Pendergrass said. “It was awesome for our team to go against her tonight and to be able to play against a guard of that caliber.
“I’m proud of our girls. Stokes ended up with a lot of points, but I still feel like our girls really tried, effort-wise, to contain her.”
Mt. Vernon, which suffered its first loss and dropped to 8-1 overall, plays Skyline at 10 a.m. Thursday at Kickapoo High School in the 3rd place game.
Kickapoo 65, Mt. Vernon 39
Mt. Vernon 10 7 13 9 — 39
Kickapoo 13 18 15 19 — 65
Mt. Vernon (8-1 overall) – Lacy Stokes 22, Ellie Johnston 6, Jolie Prescott 4, Lisa Kruger 4, Raegan Boswell 3,
Kickapoo (11-2 overall) – Indya Green 26, Bella Fontleroy 15, Kaylee Corbin 14, Madie Barrett 2, Kaya Goldsby 2, Ari Mosley 2, Callie Muldoon 2, Rachel Senn 2
