By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
When you play the Kickapoo Lady Chiefs, you better be ready to handle chaos.
Few teams can survive the storm.
The Lady Chiefs held their opponents to only 38 points per game last season and aim to hit a similar benchmark this season.
“We will look to continue to cause chaos on defense and force tempo as much as possible on the offensive side,” said Kickapoo coach Leslie Hanchey. “Our girls like to play fast and score quickly.”
With a large part of last season’s state runner-up team returning, plus a few newcomers joining the fold, postseason play is once again on Kickapoo’s to-do list.
Kickapoo is gunning for its third state final four appearance in four seasons. The Lady Chiefs have also won six district titles since the 2017-18 season.
“We are looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish. Our program expectations will be the same,” said Hanchey, who enters her second season as Kickapoo’s head coach. “We must be excellent communicators, out-rebound our opponents, defend every night and play as hard as we can.
“If we do those four things, then we will put ourselves in a great spot to win some close games.”
Kickapoo is led by the tandem of senior Mikayla Pilley and junior Josie Salazar.
The 5’11” Pilley is a do-it-all wing and one of the area’s top players. She averaged about 15 points, six rebounds, two steals and two assists per game last season.
Maybe the most telling stat of all: Pilley also led Kickapoo in charges taken.
“She can score multiple ways. She can shoot, but also has great footwork to get to the rim and finish. She is also one of our best defenders,” Hanchey said. “She’s the type of player who is willing to do whatever it takes to win.”
Pilley, an all-state selection last season, has verbally committed to play at Fort Hays State in Kansas next school year.
Few players bring as much juice to the court as Salazar. The 5’6” guard is a speed demon and defensive menace.
Salazar averaged around nine points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game last season. She earned first team all-conference honors.
“Josie’s biggest strength offensively is her ability to get to the rim with her speed,” Hanchey said. “She is a menace on defense and gets her hands on everything she can. She is a great all-around kid who we expect to have another big season.”
After a strong offseason on the AAU circuit, college programs are taking notice in Salazar. Missouri State, SBU, Drury, Missouri Southern and Southeast Missouri State are among the area schools showing interest.
Guard Mikayla Smith and post Allison Scott return to Kickapoo’s starting lineup as well.
Smith is one of the team’s top perimeter threats. She averaged 8.5 points per game and earned all-conference honorable mention last season.
“She’s one of our best shooters and we will also look for her to help bring the ball up some this season and rely on her to be a vocal leader,” Hanchey said.
Scott was the starting pitcher for Kickapoo’s district title-winning softball team in the fall. She provides a strong interior presence on the hardwood in the winter.
Scott averaged about five points and five rebounds per game as a junior.
“Her physicality and ability to rebound and finish around the rim helped us win a lot of games,” Hanchey said. “We will continue to lean on Allison to be our team ‘brute’ and take on our opponent’s post players.”
Kickapoo returns solid bench depth. Senior Emily Crain, juniors Bella Bateman and Tristyn Bucy, and sophomore Anyiah Doig will look to carve out regular roles for the varsity squad.
“Emily is one of our best communicators and we will need her vocal leadership this season. She is also a great spot shooter who can hit a 3 when we need it,” Hanchey said. “Bella loves basketball, and we’re excited to see her role grow. She is a good spot shooter and has worked on her ability to get to the rim and score this summer.
“Tristyn is another great verbal leader for us. She can shoot the 3 and her length will be able to help us defensively.”
Doig is a promising offensive player who gives Kickapoo another interior presence.
“We will look for her to have a bigger role this season and we’ll need her to be able to defend some of our opponent’s bigger players,” Hanchey said.
Kickapoo finished 30-2 overall last season. For the second time in three years, the Lady Chiefs fell to national power Incarnate Word Academy in the Class 6 state title game.
Kickapoo graduated three seniors from its state runner-up team.
Kya Johnson (Missouri State volleyball), Ari Mosley (Saint Mary’s basketball) and Raigan Smith (Mission University basketball) are all continuing their athletic careers in college.
Johnson, Kickapoo’s starting point guard, earned all-state honors in Class 6. Hanchey described her as the “heart and soul” of the team.
“She led us in every way possible on and off the floor,” Hanchey said. “Her vocal leadership will be missed the most because she was constantly communicating with her teammates and coaches on things she was seeing during games and in practices.”
Mosely and Smith were key contributors off the bench.
“Ari always provided a spark when we needed it. We will miss her on-ball defense and her energy,” Hanchey said. “Raigan was a steady player for us. She always seemed to be in the right spot at the right time. We will miss her ability to make a play when we needed it most.”
Three new additions are likely to contribute in 2024-25.
Freshman Taylyn Whited, a 5’10” guard/forward, has promising upside and is eager to see the floor after being sidelined for the past 12-18 months due to injury.
“She has the potential to be great,” Hanchey said. “She can finish at the rim and gives us a physical presence with her overall build.”
Junior guard Katie Vaughan returns to the program after a year hiatus. She played substantial varsity minutes as a freshman.
“We’re excited to have Katie back. She has a high basketball IQ and plays great defense,” Hanchey said.
Junior forward Lexi Ringgold (6’1”) joins the team after transferring in from nearby Nixa.
“She is a versatile player who we expect to have a large role for us,” Hanchey said.
With 10-11 varsity players who could see regular playing time, versatility and depth are clear strengths.
“The great thing is we have a lot of different kids who can score in several different ways,” Hanchey said. “It’s going to be a fun puzzle to solve as a coach figuring out how to maximize that for our girls.
Kickapoo opens the regular season Dec. 4-7 at the Willard Basketball Classic.
