Springfield basketball takeaways: The highly anticipated Kickapoo, Central matchup is here
Time is ticking on the 2023-24 high school basketball season and there are important games this week that will have conference championship and district seeding ramifications.
This upcoming week features the most anticipated game of the season and a loaded Tuesday slate on the boys' side. We're also keeping an eye on a few girls' teams that have caught fire in recent weeks.
Central vs. Kickapoo boys on Tuesday night is a battle of the area's two best
The game everyone's been waiting for will take place this week with Central hosting Kickapoo at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The teams have been widely considered the best two teams in southwest Missouri this season.
Central is in the midst of a historic season that has already seen it win its first Blue and Gold title in 40 years along with an appearance in the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions.
More: Here is our midseason Dominant Dozen watchlist for boys' high school basketball in 2023-24
Kickapoo has flown a bit more under the radar than it's used to. It wasn't in the rotation for this year's Blue and Gold and didn't participate in the Tournament of Champions but the Chiefs have managed to put together one of the better resumés in the state.
The Chiefs enter the game having rebounded from a loss at Battle with a five-point win over Jefferson City. The Bulldogs enter coming off a four-point loss to Webster Groves in St. Louis. The two are also the favorites in the Class 6, District 5 postseason field.
Parkview's trip to Rolla could be a district championship preview
Another critical Ozark Conference matchup takes place Tuesday in Rolla when the Bulldogs host the Vikings. This could be a district championship preview with the two paired in Class 5, District 6.
Rolla has been seen as one of Class 5's best teams for the majority of the year. Its record sits at 17-2 with its only losses coming to Liberty and Kickapoo. The Bulldogs are still very much in the OC championship race while being led by sophomore star Ethan Brown.
More: Ranking the Top 10 Springfield area high school boys' basketball teams so far this season
Parkview has an 11-7 record but it's a bit deceiving. The Vikings have three losses to teams from out of the state and two to Kickapoo. It's coming off a two-game losing streak with losses at Battle and Jefferson City.
Local freshmen standout at Nixa Invitational Tournament
Class 3 No. 1 New Madrid County pulled away for a 72-65 win over Nixa in the championship game at this year's NIT but the performances from two local freshmen in the field was our biggest takeaway.
Nixa freshman Adam McKnight and Logan-Rogersville freshman Chase Branham were among the top five scorers in a tournament that featured a few of the best players in the state.
More: Why Logan-Rogersville freshman Chase Branham has chance to be special in his coach's eyes
McKnight averaged 20.3 points per outing and showcased his ridiculous motor underneath the basket. He scored 27 points in a championship loss and was a force on the boards.
Branham continued to look like one of the best young point guards we've seen come through the area in a while. He averaged 18.3 points and led the Wildcats to a third-place finish in the tournament.
Logan-Rogersville teams are separating themselves in their districts
It's worth noting how far ahead both Logan-Rogersville basketball teams appear to be in their Class 4 districts. It should equate to a second-straight district title and sixth out of the last seven years for the boys along with the girls' first title since 2019.
The boys are the only team with a winning record in Class 4, District 11 with Mountain Grove and Clever being the Wildcats' two biggest challengers. Mountain Grove has an 83-46 loss to Rogersville at the Blue and Gold.
More: Ranking the Top 10 Springfield area girls' basketball teams so far this season
The girls' team has been one of the best up-and-coming young teams in the area. It's a win away from matching its win total from a year ago with another few weeks of regular season ball to be played. Outside of the Wildcats, only Mountain Grove in Class 4, District 11 has more than six wins. The two are scheduled to play on Feb. 19 in Mountain Grove and they could play again in the district tournament.
Here come the West Plains Lady Zizzers
West Plains dominated its way through this year's Gary Keeling Invitational and has been on absolute fire since losing a first-round game to Willard at this year's Pink and White Tournament.
The Lady Zizzers are alive and well and look like a team that can challenge for an Ozark Conference title and in a loaded Class 5, District 6 field.
Wins this past week came against Ozark in a 20-point win at the Gary Keeling Invitational in Bolivar along with a four-point victory at Logan-Rogersville. They concluded the week with a 25-point thumping of an improving Hillcrest team.
More: Motivated by banners, Marshfield girls basketball wants to hang one of its own
Allyssa Joyner and Olivia Lawson have taken control of this team that surprisingly started the year 4-4 after finishing third in Class 5 a year ago. They're on a roll now and you can't count them out from making their fourth-straight state semifinal appearance.
A massive home matchup with Kickapoo could decide the Ozark Conference come Thursday night.
The Republic Lady Tigers have caught fire
A fourth-straight win for the Lady Tigers came with their 76-59 win over Strafford on Thursday night. Republic has now won five straight games which included an impressive run through the girls' Nixa Invitational Tournament the week before.
Different standouts are making names for themselves each game for Republic over this run. Junior Lanney Strong went for 23 against Strafford with senior Molly Blades going for 22. Seniors Lauren Chastain and the always reliable Misora Nambara went for 16 in Republic's 60-55 NIT win over Marshfield the week before.
More: Ranking the Top 10 Springfield area girls' basketball teams so far this season
Republic's seemed to turn a corner after ending 2023 already with four losses, each coming to a few of the area's best, but you can never count it out. It should challenge for a Central Ozark Conference title and maybe even a loaded Class 6, District 5 field that includes Kickapoo, Nixa, Ozark and Glendale.
Boys' basketball games to watch this week
Tuesday
Kickapoo @ Central
Parkview @ Rolla
Hartville @ Fair Grove
Catholic @ Logan-Rogersville
Miller @ Ash Grove
Walnut Grove @ Dadeville
Friday
Chadwick @ Hartville
Girls' basketball games to watch this week
Monday
Skyline @ Clever
El Dorado Springs @ Strafford
Hillcrest @ Bolivar
Wednesday
Glendale @ Strafford
Thursday
Diamond @ Marionville
Friday
Lockwood @ Miller
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.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield area high school basketball takeaways from Jan. 22-27
