By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The lead was big, it slowly got smaller and then it was gone.
With it, so were Kickapoo’s aspirations of a state championship.
The Lady Chiefs couldn’t keep a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and fell 65-60 to Webster Groves in Friday night’s Class 6 Show-Me Showdown semifinals at Hammons Student Center in Springfield.
“It’s tough to put away good teams,” said Lady Chiefs coach Jim Pendergrass. “(Webster Groves) made some plays at the end, in the fourth quarter, and hit some big shots and got rebounds. They stepped up the defense and made it hard for us to execute.”
Webster Groves took over in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Lady Chiefs 24-9. Kickapoo, which led 51-41 entering the fourth, scored just four points over the final 4:30.
“Our team never gives up,” said Webster Groves coach Joshua Spuhl. “Being able to get down early and fight back says a lot about our group.”
Kickapoo’s top two players, Indya Green and Bella Fontleroy, battled foul trouble throughout the game. Both played the final four minutes with four fouls as Webster Groves finally overtook Kickapoo.
“Us getting into foul trouble really hurt us,” Pendergrass said. “I thought there were times during that game where some fouls were called that kind of dictated some things and made it hard for us to do what we were trying to do. We had to try to manage around some foul trouble.”
Green led the Lady Chiefs with 23 points and 14 rebounds.
“She gave us everything she could out there,” Pendergrass said.
Fontleroy added 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Junior guard Ellie Paloucek led the Webster Groves comeback and finished with a game-high 29 points. Webster Groves reserve Jenna Clark, who shot 4-for-8 from 3, added a pair of treys in the final two minutes that gave the Statesemen the lead for good.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
Paloucek is better known for her other sport. She’s committed to play collegiate soccer at Saint Louis University.
“You talk about a special kid,” Spuhl said. “Basketball’s kind of her pastime. She’s done it all year. One heck of a player.”
Kickapoo faces Staley at noon on Saturday at JQH Arena in the Class 6 3rd place game.
Webster Groves plays Incarnate Word Academy at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Class 6 championship game. The St. Louis County schools are located about 10 miles apart.
This weekend marks the first final four appearance in program history for Webster Groves.
“It’s a pretty awesome thing for Webster Groves schools and our kids,” Spuhl said.
Kickapoo was seeking its first state championship since 2016 and seventh overall.
The Lady Chiefs got off to a great start, quickly building a double-digit lead over the first eight minutes. Kickapoo’s lead swelled to 16 in the second quarter.
“When people asked what Kickapoo was like, I said: ‘I think they’re our team, but on beast mode,’” Spuhl said. “They’re big. We knew it’d be tough on the inside. I think it showed early when (Kickapoo) got that big lead. We were letting them get putbacks.”
Webster Groves began its rally midway through the second quarter.
The Statesmen cut Kickapoo’s lead to 32-23 by halftime. Down by 10 entering the fourth, Webster Groves went on a 9-2 run to get within 53-50. Clark gave Webster Groves the lead for good (62-60) on a 3-pointer with 1:39 left.
“They kept getting to the rim. We kept committing fouls,” Pendergrass said. “We got our lead because we played without fouling and were able to rebound. That was the difference.
Webster Groves shot 9-for-21 from 3-point range. Kickapoo missed all six of its 3-point attempts.
Webster Groves 65, Kickapoo 60
Kickapoo 20 12 19 9 — 60
Webster Groves 8 15 18 24 — 65
Kickapoo (28-3 overall) – Indya Green 23, Bella Fontleroy 17, Kaya Goldsby 13, Kya Johnson 3, Rachel Senn 2, Brooke Turner 2
Webster Groves (22-5 overall) – Ellie Paloucek 29, Jenna Clark 12, Eliza Maupin 11, Gabriela Moore 9, Ja’Mise Bailey 2, Dana Buford 2
