High School

Coleman scores 30, Principia beats KIPP KC Legacy to win MSHSAA Class 2 boys basketball title: Live updates, recap

Panthers junior Quentin Coleman drops 30 as Principia beats KIPP KC Legacy to win first boys Missouri state championship

Levi Payton

Principia and KIPP KC Legacy do battle in the MSHSAA Class 3 boys basketball final at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 13.
Principia and KIPP KC Legacy do battle in the MSHSAA Class 3 boys basketball final at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 13. / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Principia and KIPP KC Legacy will meet in the MSHSAA Class 3 boys basketball state championship game at 4 p.m. Thursday at Mizzou Arena. Both teams are seeking their first state title.

Principia’s high-scoring offense will be tested against KIPP KC Legacy’s stingy defense. The Panthers will aim to maintain their offensive pace, while the Gators will need to find ways to keep up offensively.

Team overviews

Principia Panthers (30-1): The Panthers have dominated this season, averaging 74.3 points per game while allowing just 46.3. Their only loss came against Westminster Christian Academy, a team currently in the Class 5 quarterfinals.

KIPP KC Legacy Gators (18-9): The Gators had a challenging start but have won eight straight since early February. They average 58.8 points per game and allow 48.3.

Path to the championship

Principia: The Panthers won the Class 3 District 5 tournament with lopsided victories over Valley Park and Whitfield. They then defeated Palmyra, Montgomery County and Woodland to reach the championship.

KIPP KC Legacy: The Gators won the District 14 title with wins over University Academy Center and Ewing Marion Kauffman. They then beat Warsaw, East Buchanan and Thayer to earn their spot in the final.

Live updates and coverage

Follow High School on SI and bookmark this page, as we will update and expand this space with live posts for the championship game below once the game tips off. The game is also available on MSHSAA.tv, though access may require a subscription or fee.

Principia vs. KIPP KC Legacy: Live scoring, updates

Starters are being announced and we're about to get underway.

FIRST QUARTER

AJ Hatch with a nice pass to LJ Torrence and KIPP takes a 2-0 lead on its first possession.

Wyatt Slay scores from under the basket and Principia ties it up 2-2.

These teams are working with quick tempo, but have little to show for it. Feels like both squads might be pressing a bit in their bid for a state title.

Quentin Coleman gets two quick baskets - first pulling down an offensive rebound and putting it back, then scoring on a layup to make it 6-2.

Chaz White drills a 3-pointer for KIPP to trim Principia's lead to 6-5.

Coleman hits a 3-pointer of his own and Principia leads 9-5 with three minutes left and Kingston Money folows with a trey to make it 11-5. Coleman has seven points.

The Gators have opened the game shooting 2-for-11 from the field.

Jaedyn Jones hits a 3-pointer for Principia with 50 seconds left in the first and the Panthers lead 14-7.

Principia is dominating on the boards. The Panthers have pulled down 14 rebounds to the Gators' five.

Coleman makes two free throws at the end of the period and leads all scorers with nine points.

The Gators finished the period shooting 3 of 15 from the floor.

END 1: Principia 16, KIPP KC Legacy 7

SECOND QUARTER

Torrence pulls down an offensive board and puts it back for KIPP. He now has four points.

Torrence makes his presence felt again. He scores on another offensive put-back. He was also fouled on the play and knocked down the free throw to cut Principia's advantage to 17-12 with 6:33 left in the half.

Sophomore Sekou Sisse gets an offensive put-back for Principia to make it 21-14, Panthers, with 4:55 left in the haff.

Coleman finishes strong at the glass to make it 23-14. He now has 11 points.

KIPP's King Smith finally gets his first point on a free throw with 2:34 left. Smith has been the Gators' leading scorer coming in.

Both teams have gotten into foul trouble and this quarter has slowed significantly due to both teams spending a lot of time at the foul line.

Coleman hesitates on a dribble down the baseline, draws a foul and scores. He completes the three-point play, then goes back down and makes one of two free thorws with 1:25 left in the half. He now has 15.

King Smith connects with 1:13 left on a 3-pointer for KIPP Legacy to cut Principia's lead to 29-22.

Coleman buried a long 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds left in the half and Principia takes a 32-22 lead into the half.

Halftime: Principia 32, KIPP KC Legacy 22

Halftime notes: Coleman has 18 points for Principia, leading all scorers. ... Torrence leads the Gators with nine points. ... Legacy is 8-for-25 from the field. Principia leads KIPP KC Legacy 27-13 in rebounds, including 10 offensive boards.

THIRD QUARTER

Smith hits a contested jumper to start the second half for the Gators, but Cisse answers with a basket on the other end and the Panthers continue to lead by 10.

Nour Toure a pair of 3-pointers and Coleman and Cisse add baskets as Principia continues to extend its lead. The Panthers lead 46-31 with four minutes left. They're opening it up now.

Money is money off the glass and Principia leads 50-33 with three minutes left in the third.

King Smith with a steal and a pullup jumper. He has nine points in the third quarter as he starts to head up.

It feels like everything Coleman throws at the basket is going in. He's got 22 now after scoring a contested jumper. Principia leads 52-38 with 1:41 left in the third.

Coleman scores again and Money hits a fadeaway jumper with 30 seconds left and Principia leads 56-40.

Coleman answers a King Smith layuip with one of his own. He pulls down a rebound and goes coast-to-coast. Principia leads 58-42. Coleman how has 26 points.

End 3: Principia 58, KIPP KC Legacy 42

FOURTH QUARTER

After scoring on a powerful spin move to the basket on the previous possession, Cisse goes for a dunk on the next but is fouled. He hits two free throws and now has 11 points. Principia leads 63-46 with 4:45 left.

Cisse, a 6-foot-9 center, completes a three-point play and it's 66-46 with 4:43 left. He has 16 points, 10 boards and three blocks so far.

LJ Torrence fouls out with 4:30 left and finishes with 15 points. He was in foul trouble for a good portion of this game.

Smith scores and KIPP calls timeout with 2:45 left in the game. Principia leads 69-50.

Coleman scores with 2:17 to go and he now has 30 points. It's 71-50.

Leading 71-50, Principia calls timeout with 1:25 left for mass substitutions.

Derek Schauman, one of only two seniors on the team, comes off the bench and immediately drains a 3-pointer for Principia. A nice memory for the senior.

Final: Principia 76, KIPP KC Legacy 56

Principia earned its first state championship while KIPP KC Legacy takes home runner-up honors in just their third season as a program.

Coleman led all scorers with 30 points for Principia.

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Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

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