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Kickapoo girls basketball back in state championship with dominant win over Cor Jesu

wyatt d. wheeler, springfield news-leader
·2 min read

COLUMBIA — For the second time in three years, the Lady Chiefs will play for a state championship.

Kickapoo (30-1) cruised to a 56-37 semifinal victory over Cor Jesu Academy (20-9) in a semifinal victory at Mizzou Arena on Friday afternoon.

The Lady Chiefs advance to Saturday's 6 p.m. championship game where they will play undefeated Incarnate Word Academy for the Class 6 state championship. The Red Knights beat Kickapoo in the 2022 state championship.

Kickapoo basketball's Mikayla Pilley was on fire early

Cor Jesu couldn't slow down Kickapoo junior standout Mikayla Pilley in the first half. She led a pair of Lady Chiefs runs that helped put the game out of reach.

Pilley scored 14 first-half points while the Lady Chiefs built their lead up to as many as 13. She got a layup to fall before knocking down a wide-open corner 3 to take control.

More: Beloved Kickapoo senior Kya Johnson taking in every moment leading up to state appearance

Pilley's efforts defensively couldn't be ignored either. Her length on the perimeter gave opponents problems. She led a defense that held its opponent to under 30% shooting through the first 16 minutes.

Pilley finished the game with 18 points, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Mikayla Smith and Kya Johnson each added 13.

Kickapoo teammates celebrate last-minute three-point shot during the MSHSAA Class 6 semifinal against Cor Jesu Academy at Mizzou Arena on Mar. 15, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.
Kickapoo teammates celebrate last-minute three-point shot during the MSHSAA Class 6 semifinal against Cor Jesu Academy at Mizzou Arena on Mar. 15, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.

Lady Chiefs' defense continued its dominance

As Kickapoo has done throughout the postseason, it held the opposing offense well below its season average. Cor Jesu wasn't the highest-scoring offense coming in, at 49 points per game, which didn't turn out well against a defense playing its best.

The 37 points Cor Jesu scored were the fifth fewest its put on the board this season. The team shot 30.8% from the field and was limited to 12 points in the paint when it typically scores double that. It never made more than four shots in a single period.

What a Class 6 state championship would mean

Kickapoo will play for its seventh state championship in program history. A win would be its first since 2016 and move it into a four-way tie for the second-most championships by a single program alongside Marshfield, Scott County Central and Skyline.

To get it, it will have to beat the program with the most state championships.

Incarnate Word Academy is amid the most dominant run of Missouri girls' basketball history. The Red Knights have won 130 straight games and the last six state championships. They might have had a seventh state championship over the streak if the COVID-19 pandemic didn't cancel the 2020 postseason.

More: What to know about the 4 Springfield area teams playing for state championships this week

Incarnate Word beat the Bella Fontleroy-led Lady Chiefs 67-50 in the 2022 state championship.

Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or X at @WyattWheeler_NL.

Kickapoo's Mikayla Pilley reaches for a rebound during the MSHSAA Class 6 semifinal against Cor Jesu Academy at Mizzou Arena on Mar. 15, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.
Kickapoo's Mikayla Pilley reaches for a rebound during the MSHSAA Class 6 semifinal against Cor Jesu Academy at Mizzou Arena on Mar. 15, 2024, in Columbia, Mo.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Kickapoo girls basketball beats Cor Jesu Academy in Class 6 semifinals