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By Michael Cignoli (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
SPRINGFIELD — Indya Green led all scorers with 30 points, Bella Fontleroy added 17 and Kickapoo’s on-the-fly change to a zone defense neutralized the Nixa attack as the Chiefs cruised to a 68-41 victory over the Eagles in a Class 6 girls basketball sectional on Wednesday.
Using its height to its advantage, Kickapoo dominated the battle for rebounds and held Nixa without a field goal for parts of three quarters to win its 23rd consecutive game and set up a quarterfinal match against Jefferson City on Saturday afternoon for a spot in the Final Four.
Kickapoo, which never trailed, hit a 3-pointer on its first possession and raced out to an eight-point lead midway through the first quarter before Nixa rallied to cut the deficit to 22-20 with about a minute to play. But the Chiefs switched from the man defense Nixa had essentially solved to a zone scheme that stumped the Eagles, who didn’t make another shot from the floor until Katie Kamies scored 3:13 into the third and ended the drought after roughly 12 minutes.
The Chiefs went on a 17-3 run during the stretch, holding the Eagles to a trio of free-throws en route to a commanding 39-23 lead that only got larger as they pulled away late in the game.
“We were able to play good position defense and not foul,” said Chiefs coach Jim Pendergrass, whose team improved to 27-2 on the year. “We didn’t make a lot of silly fouls where we were putting them at the line. We played good position defense and limited them to one shot and being done. We did a good job rebounding and if you do that, it’s hard (for them) to score.”
The Eagles, who overcame seven different deficits to defeat Ozark in its district championship game last week, were unable to mount a comeback against the state’s No. 2-ranked team.
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“(They) went from man to zone and we struggled,” said Nixa coach Jennifer Perryman, whose team concluded the year 21-8. “We were trying to get the ball inside a little bit and it’s just a struggle against their zone. We probably had a few possessions where we were trying to make something happen and could have been a little more patient, but that’s tough to do with their pressure and all of our kids were wanting to step up for each other. When you’re not scoring and then you’re giving up offensive rebounds, it’s a bad combination.”
If the defensive adjustment was ultimately what shifted the momentum in Kickapoo’s favor, its height advantage and rebounding dominance helped keep it there.
The Chiefs got 60 points from players who are listed at 5-foot-10 or above, the Eagles had only one player in their lineup who was at least that tall and the Chiefs held her scoreless.
“Rebounding has been a strength for us this year and we did a good job tonight,” Pendergrass said. “Whenever you’re able to get second chances and third chances on offense because of your rebounding and you limit the other team, you’re putting yourself in a really good position to win. Our rebounding stats are pretty much off the chart. We’re getting 60 percent of our misses.”
Kickapoo’s totals included a combined 47 points from the 6-foot-2 Fontleroy and 5-foot-11 Green, the latter of whom scored most of her game-high 30 from right around the basket. Many came on second- or third-chance efforts after outmuscling the Eagles for 50-50 balls.
“She got every rebound,” Fontleroy said. “I think every one that I didn’t get, she got and she was right back down there in transition. It was a really good game for her. She played so solid.”
It was the kind of showing the Chiefs have come to expect from Green, who averaged a double-double during the 2020 season en route to her second straight spot on an all-state team.
“She brings it to play every game,” Pendergrass said. “That’s why she’s one of the most dominant players in Southwest Missouri and the state. She does an awful lot for us in there, being able to rebound the ball and give us a lot of second-chance opportunities.”
Those opportunities may give the Chiefs a chance to play for a state championship.
The Chiefs are holding opponents to just 41.8 points per game while scoring 77.5, with all-but two of their victories coming by double-digit margins.
“We have a really good chance to go all the way,” Green said. “We have a really good team and we have really good talent. I think for us, it’s really just to get there together. Just play together. We just want to do it for each other.”
Macie Conway, who transferred from Kickapoo to Nixa before the season, scored 12 points against her former team to pace the Eagles. Kamies and Rhianna Gibbons added 10 apiece.
“We knew offensive rebounds were going to be an issue,” Perryman said. “It always is when you play them. They’ve obviously got a lot of size and they’re very physical and they play very physical and that’s why they’re successful. We knew we had to do a little bit better job, we just didn’t execute.”
Kickapoo has some familiarity with its next opponent, as the Chiefs dealt Jefferson City (21-2) one of its two losses on the season with a 17-point victory on December 12.
“That was a long time ago,” said Pendergrass, noting it was Kickapoo’s seventh game of the year. “We’re a lot different team now and they’re a lot different team. It takes 10 or 12 games during the season for kids to get used to playing together and understanding their roles.”
MSHSAA had not officially announced a location for the game at press time, but Pendergrass said the Chiefs would be traveling to Jefferson City High School on Saturday.
“They’ve had a fantastic season and it’s going to be a challenge playing up there, but we’ve played two really good teams our last two games,” the coach added. “Our kids will be prepared. They’ll go out there and give their best effort.”
