A 14-0 second-half run by Staley proved too much for Kickapoo to overcome in a Class 6 state semifinal loss.
The first half was all defense with the largest lead for either team being three. The teams combined to force 17 turnovers with 13 combined steals. Neither team hit a three-pointer in the first half going 0-for-10 from behind the arc.
Aniyah Doig was a revelation off the bench for Kickapoo in the first half with eight of the team’s 16 points through the first two quarters.
In the third quarter, Kickapoo came out of the locker room with back-to-back buckets to build a six-point, 20-14, lead 1:03 into the second half. Staley cut it back to two, but Kickapoo responded to extend out to its largest lead of the game at seven, 27-20 with 2:36 left in the quarter. Staley closed the frame with a 4-0 spurt to cut Kickapoo’s lead to 27-24 going into the final quarter.
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Staley extended the run to 14-0 to start the fourth quarter, turning a 27-20 deficit into a 34-27 lead. The run lasted 6:27 of game time before a Mikayla Pilley free throw got Kickapoo back on the board with 4:08 left in the game making it a 34-28 advantage for Staley.
Kickapoo cut it to three, 40-37, with 4.5 seconds left, but could Staley was able inbound and drive for a layup at the buzzer for a 42-37 win.
The defense for the Lady Chiefs was strong holding Staley to 31% from the field and 0-for-12 from three in the game. Kickapoo also out-rebounded Staley 34-27. The difference in the game came at the free throw line where Staley was 16-for-18 while Kickpaoo was 6-for-12.
Josie Salazar led Kickapoo with 13 points. Doig finished with nine points and 11 rebounds. Staley was led by 13 points from Londyn Parker.
Kickapoo (27-4) faces Cor Jesu Academy (21-8) in the third place game at noon on Thursday in Columbia. Staley (30-1) plays four-time defending state champion Incarnate Word Academy (28-2) in the championship game at 6 pm.
