Despite a strong shooting performance by senior Lane Stephens, the Tigers couldn’t contain Kickapoo in the second half.
The Chiefs, paced by Ryan Rippee’s 18 points, outmatched the Tigers with 39 points in the second half for a convincing 71-39 victory Saturday at Kickapoo High School.
“They do a good job,” said Steve Ray, Carthage High School head basketball coach, of Kickapoo. “All five guys on the floor can score and shoot.”
Kickapoo, under first-year head coach Dick Rippee, outscored the Tigers 21-10 in the third quarter to build a double-digit lead.
“We didn’t do a good job defending their shooters,” said Ray.
Stephens scored a season-high 15 points to lead the Tigers, who have dropped two games in a row since winning the Carthage Invitational, but nobody else finished in double figures.
The Tigers, trailing by six at the end of the opening quarter, scored 13 points in the second, thanks in large part to Stephens’ stellar night from the field.
“Lane kept us in it during the first half,” said Ray. “With his shoulder bothering him lately, it was great to seem him shoot so well.”
Fellow senior Cody Caster followed Stephens with eight points and Keith Lawrie had six.
Next up, the Tigers return home for another tough assignment against Ozark Conference power Hillcrest at 6 p.m. Monday at Carthage High School.
