SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Joplin girls basketball opened the season with an 83-38 loss to Kickapoo in the Kickapoo Invitational on Friday.
The Chiefs opened the game on a 20-5 run by the end of the first quarter before building a 42-15 lead by the intermission and keeping the game out of reach in the second half.
“We lost, but let me tell you that I have never been prouder as a coach in my life,” first-year Joplin coach Brad Cox said. “We were down 20-2 at one point and they continued to play with heart. They could have given up at any time, but we never played to the score. We are going to turn this program around, I promise you that.”
Brynn Driver led Joplin with 21 points, including four 3-pointers and 16 of her points in the second half. Riley Kelly added five points, while Izzy Yust, Libby Munn, Maria Loum and Bailey Ledford each contributed three points in the loss.
Joplin plays Parkview at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday on the second day of the Kickapoo Invitational.
