By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
At Kickapoo, championships are the standard and hard work is the expectation.
Senior Mikayla Pilley wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I love being in this program because we have such high expectations for ourselves. Not only in our program, but in our school as well,” Pilley said. “We know what we’re capable of, and we have a set of goals for us. We want to accomplish them all – this (championship) is just one of them.”
The Lady Chiefs have another championship to celebrate.
Kickapoo beat Strafford 53-45 in the Pink Division finals of the Pink and White Lady Classic on Tuesday afternoon.
Pilley, a Fort Hays State signee, scored a game-high 20 to help the Lady Chiefs repeat as Pink and White champions.
“It’s really hard to do something twice, back-to-back,” Pilley said. “We knew it was possible, though. The feeling to just hold that over our head, knowing we’ve worked so hard and we’ve overcome a lot already this season.”
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It’s Kickapoo’s fourth Pink and White championship in the last five seasons.
“Couldn’t be prouder, couldn’t be happier for our girls,” said Kickapoo coach Leslie Hanchey. “We set a goal right from the get-go that we wanted to try to go back-to-back. It’s a grind, four games in five days. It’s hard.”
Early on, Kickapoo had to play catch-up as Strafford star freshman Kinley Larsen shot the Lady Indians into an early lead. She scored 10 of her team-high 16 points in the first quarter.
“(Strafford) came out on fire in the first quarter. We could’ve easily panicked and folded,” Hanchey said. “I feel like that’s when we came together a little bit, calmed our nerves and took a deep breath and started doing our gameplan. That first quarter, your adrenalin is through the roof.”
Kickapoo’s defense asserted itself in the second quarter, limiting Strafford to just seven points. The Lady Chiefs led 29-23 at halftime and went up by 13 early in the third quarter. Kickapoo never trailed in the second half.
“At Kickapoo, defense is our thing. That’s what we work on constantly and it’s our emphasis,” Pilley said. “Coming out, we kind of showed what we’re not supposed to do. That wasn’t our gameplan. But we were able to respond, keep calm and really focus on our defense.”
As Strafford mounted a late rally, Pilley helped Kickapoo seal the victory with key buckets down the stretch. She had a spin move in the lane that she finished with a left-handed layup to put the Lady Chiefs ahead by nine with three minutes to go.
Hanchey said Pilley’s on-court performance is all about the work she puts into her game.
“She’s in the gym before everybody, and she’s the last one to leave every single day,” Hanchey said. “There are days where I say, ‘Hey, I have to go see my kids. I need to lock up the gym – Can we go?’ She’s like, ‘I need five more minutes.’
“She’s set an example for our girls. She’s been nothing but a great example on what it takes to be the best player on a team.”
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Elsie Larsen’s basket pulled Strafford within 50-45 with 2:13 remaining, but the Lady Indians would not score again.
Josie Salazar added 12 points for Kickapoo, who improved to 8-2 overall.
Salazar not only runs Kickapoo’s offense at point guard, but she also draws a primary defensive assignment each game.
“For her to be able to guard the best player and then be the one to bring the ball up for us and run our offense, she deserves like six days off after this,” Hanchey said. “One time, she asked for a sub. I just took a timeout because I didn’t want to take her off the floor.
“She’s a great kid who likes to lead by example – we have a lot of kids like that on this team.”
Kickapoo next plays Jan. 6 at Willard. Strafford plays at Thayer the same night.
Kickapoo 53, Strafford 45
Kickapoo 14 15 15 9 — 53
Strafford 16 7 16 6 — 45
Kickapoo (8-2 overall) – Mikayla Pilley 20, Josie Salazar 12, Anyiah Doig 9, Allison Scott 4, Ni’Ell Ross 4, Lexi Ringgold 2, Taylyn Whited 2
Strafford (9-4 overall) – Kinsley Larsen 16, Brooklyn Adney 9, Elsie Larsen 9, Trista VanHorn 8, Zoe Allison 3
