By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Playing in the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions is a dream come true for Brayden Shorter.
Unfortunately for Shorter and his Kickapoo teammates, they ran into a nightmare opponent on Thursday night.
Sunrise Christian Academy, a Top 5 team in the national rankings, played up to its reputation in Thursday’s Bass Pro Tournament of Champions opening round.
The Buffaloes drained 13 3-pointers in an impressive 68-35 win over Kickapoo at Great Southern Bank Arena.
Matas Buzelis, a 6’10 senior who’s committed to play next season in the NBA’s G-League, led Sunrise Christian with 13 points. Seven Buffaloes scored five or more.
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“When you’re playing a Top 5 team in the nation, you kind of need them to miss some shots,” said Kickapoo coach Mitch McHenry. “They didn’t miss very many shots, especially in the first half.”
Sunrise Christian Academy put the game away early, outscoring Kickapoo by 15 in the first quarter and taking a 38-13 lead into the halftime break.
The Buffaloes (Bel Aire, Kansas) shot 6-for-7 from 3 in the first quarter, then 3-for-7 from long distance in the second quarter.
“You never like to play the host or local team, because sometimes we can overlook it and they can play better than they normally do because there’s nothing to lose,” said Sunrise Christian coach Luke Barnwell. “I’m proud of our group for being locked in and playing at a high level.”
It was a sour outcome for a Kickapoo team making its first Tournament of Champions appearance since 2020 and 19th overall.
“I’ve been watching this tournament since I was a little kid,” said Shorter, who tied for the team-high with 10 points. “To go out there and play against those guys on that big floor and see all the fans, it was a good experience.”
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Shorter recalled his autograph-seeking days as a young fan.
“I remember watching (current UCLA guard) Tyger Campbell from La Lumiere,” Shorter said. “He was one of my favorites. I got his autograph when he was here. That’s a good memory for me.”
The Chiefs committed just 13 turnovers in the loss, but Sunrise Christian seemed to capitalize every time. The Buffaloes, utilizing a rare full-court press, scored 24 points off Kickapoo turnovers.
“This atmosphere isn’t new to us,” said Sunrise Christian 7’2” junior John Bol, who’s weighing offers from multiple high-level D1 programs. “We played in front of thousands before. It’s not like we just got here for the first time. This is what we always do.”
Kickapoo’s best stretch occurred in the third quarter, where the Chiefs were outscored by just two points.
“Leading up in the pregame, you caught maybe a little bit of nerves about playing a really good team on a big stage,” said Kickapoo senior post Harrison Doennig. “But once the ball is tipped, I was in game mode. I just wanted to win.”
Added McHenry: “We can only control so much on the floor. One thing we can always control is our attitude, effort and how we are as teammates. I thought we were pretty consistent with that.”
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The Chiefs (9-3 overall) will face Staley, the top-ranked team in Missouri’s Class 6, in the consolation round at 6 p.m. on Friday.
“When (Sunrise) comes out and hits a bunch of shots, it is what it is,” McHenry said. “The great thing about this game is that we get to have a short memory. We still get to enjoy the process. We have the opportunity to play another great team tomorrow, and you start back over 0-0.”
Sunrise Christian Academy 68, Kickapoo 35
Kickapoo 7 6 17 5 — 35
Sunrise Christian 22 16 19 11 — 68
Kickapoo – Brayden Shorter 10, Harrison Doennig 10, Trae Oetting 9, Jackson Shorter 3, Drew Akins 3
Sunrise Christian – Matas Buzelis 13, Miro Little 12, Layden Blocker 11, Scotty Middleton 9, John Bol 7, Almar Atlason 6, Mikel Brown 5, Vincas Buzelis 3, Joe Zhang 2
