By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Sooner or later, the Kickapoo Chiefs always seem to find a way.
Slow start on offense? Not ideal, but not insurmountable either.
Despite an 18-9 deficit midway through the second quarter, Chiefs coach Mitch McHenry knew his team could bounce back because of what was happening on the other end of the floor.
“What we pride ourselves in and what’s important is, you can go through lulls offensively if you decide to guard hard,” McHenry said. “We were still in the game because we played hard defensively. If we don’t play hard defensively and don’t get stops, suddenly that 10-point deficit is a 15- or 20-point deficit.”
In the second half, Kickapoo pieced both ends together as the offense picked up and the defense got even stronger.
Three Chiefs scored in double figures as Kickapoo took a big step toward conference and city supremacy with a 55-42 victory over Parkview on Saturday afternoon. Kickapoo closed the game on a 14-2 run.
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Just two weeks removed from a Blue and Gold championship, the Chiefs were sluggish out of the gates in a game that was rescheduled from Friday night due to a snowstorm.
“We knew we weren’t playing as hard as we could. We had more to give,” said Kickapoo junior guard Brayden Rubidoux. “First half to second half, those were two different teams.
“We’ve been tested so many times. Once we came out flat, we knew we had to get it going in that second half.”
The Vikings, hungry for a rare win over their cross-town rivals, came out as the aggressor and built an early lead. Christian Cordova’s 3-pointer put the Vikings ahead 18-9 a few minutes before halftime. Cordova led Parkview with 16 points.
“(Parkview) was out-playing us,” McHenry said. “And then, offensively, we weren’t playing with much flow. The ball was sticking too much. We’d put the ball down on the ground and dribble and Parkview was swarming the ball. We weren’t moving the ball at a good pace.
“Parkview was doing to us what we wanted to do to them.”
Parkview led 22-17 at halftime and 35-34 entering the fourth quarter, but the final eight minutes was all Kickapoo.
The Chiefs outscored Parkview 21-7 in the final frame. On a fastbreak, reserve guard Rylee Tann made a no-look pass to Brock Thompson for a three-point play that put Kickapoo ahead 44-40 and gave the Chiefs a needed jolt of energy.
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Junior guard Reese Kimrey stepped up as well, scoring 11 of his team-high 16 points in the fourth quarter. He was 8-for-8 at the free throw line. Elijah Nabors added 12 points for the Chiefs.
“We try not to ride the rollercoaster – not get too up or too down,” McHenry said. “Over the years, we’ve had several games where we’ve had a double-digit deficit in the second half and just stayed with the gameplan. Our kids stay together.
“What allows us to do that is our kids are not selfish and they’re not emotional. When things aren’t going well and it’s tough, you don’t seem them play with bad emotion or bad body language and it allows us to respond.”
Rubidoux scored all 12 of his points in the second and third quarters to keep the Chiefs afloat. He made three 3-pointers.
“That’s the role I play,” Rubidoux said. “If they throw it to me, I’m going to be ready to shoot it. If I’m not, I’m going to get that ball moving. I’m unselfish… If I’m open, I’ll shoot it. If I’m not, I’m going to let my playmakers go playmake.”
Kickapoo has now won 17 of the last 18 meetings versus Parkview dating back to the 2012-13 season. Parkview’s lone win in that span occurred in the 2021 Arvest Classic.
“It always does mean something,” Rubidoux said. “We love our rivalries here.”
Parkview (7-3 overall) was held to its lowest scoring output this season.
The Vikings continue a busy stretch with a road game at Branson on Tuesday, followed by three games in the Tournament of Champions at Great Southern Bank Arena (Jan. 16-18).
Kickapoo returns to action Jan. 17 at home against Poplar Bluff.
Kickapoo 55, Parkview 42
Parkview 7 15 13 7 — 42
Kickapoo 8 9 17 21 — 55
Parkview (7-3 overall) – Christian Cordova 16, Carlitos Sanchez 9, Khasye Highley 8, Dassiah Green 5, Eli Govan 2, Timothy Lawson 2
Kickapoo (12-2 overall) – Reese Kimrey 16, Elijah Nabors 12, Brayden Rubidoux 12, Jackson Shorter 6, Brock Thompson 6, Rylee Tann 3
