Preview: Kirkwood Pioneers vs. Collinsville Kahoks
The Kirkwood Pioneers's road trip will continue as they head out to face the Collinsville Kahoks at 10:30 a.m. on December 26th. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Kirkwood scored the most points they've had all season to find success last Tuesday. They claimed a resounding 71-27 win over Parkway North on the road. Given Kirkwood's advantage in MaxPreps' Missouri basketball rankings (they are ranked 83rd, while Parkway North is ranked 404th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Collinsville has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five matchups by 20 points or more this season. They breezed by Granite City at home to the tune of 69-22. The victory was just what Collinsville needed coming off of a 63-27 loss in their prior match.
Collinsville's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Talesha Gilmore, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 11 rebounds. The game was Gilmore's 12th in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Ashley Janini, who scored 14 points along with three steals.
Kirkwood now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Collinsville, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 7-5.
Kirkwood couldn't quite finish off Collinsville in their previous matchup back in December of 2022 and fell 40-38. Can Kirkwood avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
