By Michael Cignoli (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
SPRINGFIELD — After his team escaped Kickapoo with a key conference victory on Thursday night, West Plains coach Scott Womack didn’t mince words when summarizing the end result.
“It’s an ugly win, but it’s a win,” Womack said.
Perhaps the Zizzers will find the latest Ozark Conference standings more attractive.
Allyssa Joyner scored 13 points, Kaylea Dixon added 12 more and the Zizzers withstood a late Kickapoo rally to secure a 47-44 victory in a battle between the reigning conference co-champions.
The Zizzers (14-7, 5-0) trailed by as many as nine points in the first half before rallying to deal Kickapoo its first conference loss of the season (16-6, 5-1). Paired with Lebanon’s loss to Rolla, the result ensured the Zizzers will wake up on Friday alone atop the Ozark Conference standings.
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The Yellowjackets were also undefeated at tipoff Thursday, but the Zizzers now control their own destiny in their quest for an outright conference title. Win out and it’ll be theirs.
“For us to have a shot at the conference, we knew we probably needed to win tonight,” said Womack, whose team is currently tied for sixth in the Class 5 state rankings. “We still have some really tough games ahead of us, but we put ourselves in a position where we still have a chance.”
That position looked a lot better midway through the fourth quarter, after the Zizzers used a 9-2 run to take a 45-38 lead with just 3:32 remaining.
But the Zizzers turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions, and Kickapoo capitalized on those miscues to cut the deficit to 45-44 with 1:35 to play.
The Chiefs then missed two late baskets that would have either given them the lead or tied the game, including a 3-pointer that clanged off the rim at the buzzer.
After the late scare, it was finally safe for the Zizzers to celebrate.
“We were up seven there and kind of let them get back in it, but just really proud of the way we kept fighting,” Womack said.
The result avenged their regular-season loss to the Chiefs last year, which ultimately cost the Zizzers an outright conference title. Winning the Class 5 state championship made sharing the crown with Kickapoo more palatable, but that was never the goal.
“Last year we tied,” Joyner said. “I mean, that’s good. But still, we wanted to beat them. It just feels amazing just to beat them in this conference.”
Though West Plains ended the game in control, the Chiefs commanded the opening moments.
They led 18-13 when Kya Johnson suffered an ankle injury 45 seconds into the second quarter. Johnson, who had 10 points at the time, missed the rest of the half and the Zizzers rallied to take a 25-24 lead into the break.
“She was dominating,” Kickapoo coach Jim Pendergrass said. “To lose somebody like that who is having a fantastic night really hurt our team because she brings so much. Not just in scoring, but she’s able to do everything for us.”
Johnson was able to return after halftime and kept the Chiefs within striking distance throughout the third quarter. They never trailed by more than five points, and Miya Nieto hit a late 3-pointer to give them a 37-36 lead going into the final period of play.
But the Zizzers opened the quarter on a big run to extend their lead to 45-38.
Kickapoo pushed back, but the West Plains defense held the line.
“I thought our defense from about midway through the second quarter until the end of the game was really good,” Womack said. “Defensively, there were a few boards that we seemed to give up but I thought we really straightened up defensively and did a nice job.”
Williams finished with eight points for the Zizzers, who will welcome Waynesville on Monday.
Nieto had 13 and Johnson added 12 for Kickapoo, which hosts rival Glendale on Thursday.
“I’m proud of our girls – and I have been all year – of how they battle,” Pendergrass said. “They keep doing the best they can. I’m pleased with them, because doing that they’re going to get better. Playing in a game like tonight, we’ve had a lot of great games with West Plains and this was another one. We just came up short.”
WEST PLAINS (14-7, 5-0) 13 12 11 11 — 47
KICKAPOO (16-6, 5-1) 16 8 13 7 — 44
