By Chris Parker
The Kickapoo girls basketball team will play in the program’s 11th state championship game after a dominant 56-37 semifinal win over Cor Jesu.
Kickapoo came in with several keys to the game and executed down the list.
“Going into this game our keys were to stop the drive, to rebound the basketball, take care of the basketball and be the aggressor,” Hanchey said.
Kickapoo checked off the first key with authority. Cor Jesu came in averaging 24 points per game in the paint according to Hanchey. The Lady Chiefs allowed Cor Jesu 12 points in the paint on Friday.
The Lady Chiefs turned the ball over 12 times, but their aggressive approach on defense forced 18 Cor Jesu turnovers with 12 steals.
Mikayla Pilley was especially aggressive in the first half, hitting 6 of 11 shots from the field for 14 points. She finished with a game-high 18 points.
The six-day layoff between games had Pilley ready to go on Friday.
“I was missing it (playing) so much that I was just excited to play. I felt less pressure to (take) the shot. It felt better to go out and just enjoy playing because I was excited to play today instead of nervous,” Pilley said.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
Three other players scored in double figures for Kickapoo with Kya Johnson and Mikayla Smith scoring 13 and Josie Salazar putting up 10 points. Johnson also pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.
Kickapoo will now play in its 11th state championship game seeking its seventh state title.
The opponent will be a familiar one in either Incarnate Word or Columbia Rock Bridge.
Incarnate Word has not lost a game since 2020 and has won six consecutive state titles minus the year COVID canceled the final four. Kickapoo finished state runner-up to IWA in 2022.
Rock Bridge is also a storied program with five state titles. Kickapoo beat Rock Bridge 58-57 in double overtime back on Dec. 2.
Whover the opponent is, Kickapoo is focused on treating it like any other game.
“Whichever team comes out of this next game, I know our coaches are going to put a great game plan for us tomorrow,” Johnson said. “We will find our keys that we need to execute, and we will come to it like every other game that we have played this season.”
