Wichita Independent girls basketball win first Kansas high school state championship
Before winning the Class 2A championship this past weekend, the Independent High School girls basketball team had no real history at the state tournament.
The program had just two state berths and no state victories in its history.
And yet, the Panthers sweeping the field in Dodge City, culminating in a 19-point victory over Riverside in the finals, wasn’t a story of some plucky underdog finding magic in March.
Independent was stocked with talented players who developed a chemistry and came together to meet the team’s potential and etch its place in school history.
“We have a lot of talent on the team, but we did a really good job of playing together as a team and not just as individuals,” said Stephie Safi-Salumu, the team’s lone senior. “I still can’t believe (winning state) happened. It still doesn’t feel real.”
A private school winning a title is always going to draw the ire of its public-school competition, particularly at the lower levels, and Independent was no exception.
In fact, Independent coach EJ Garnes said it was an obstacle all season for a young-but-skilled team.
“We had to overcome a lot of negativity when we went on the road to small towns, with our level of talent, we were not welcomed at all,” Garnes said. “Our girls did a really good job of blocking the outside noise and focusing in on staying together.
“It’s heartbreaking that you have to preach that message to these girls, but that’s something we talked about in our first meeting before we even started the season. We talked about playing hard, but never showboating, and we were going to win with class. So they can say whatever they want, but they can’t take away that championship.”
Safi-Salumu, a foreign exchange student from Belgium, headlined a solid core of players from last season’s team that qualified for state, but lost in the first round to Riverside. Safi-Salumu (10.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.5 steals, 1.3 blocks) was one of the state’s most versatile players, while sophomore Deena Holmes (7.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.4 blocks) was a presence inside and Sylvia Selmon was a returning guard.
As the lone senior, Safi-Salumu helped guide her younger teammates through adversity.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be all positivity for us this season,” Safi-Salumu said. “We heard the criticism, but that stuff never bothered us because we know who we are as a team. There’s nothing that other people can say about us that matters because we know who we are.”
What elevated Independent to a championship-worthy team was a dynamite freshmen class that featured Zoey Buckner-Franklin, Kiasia Allen and Chelsea Del Muro. Transfer Quinacy Galbert, a sophomore guard, was another impactful newcomer.
Buckner-Franklin, who is already being recruited heavily by the three in-state Division I programs, averaged a team-best 22 points this season to go along with 6.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.8 steals.
“Zoey is a coach’s dream with her talent, but also her feel for the game,” Garnes said. “She understands when to attack, when to get hers and when to get others going. You always know she’s going to make something happen. She’s not always looking to score, she is looking to make the right play on every single possession.”
The team wrapped up an undefeated run in Central Plains League and won a sub-state championship with a 32.3 average margin of victory. All three losses this season for the Panthers (22-3) came outside of KSHSAA competition. Independent prevailed 39-36 over Hillsboro in the opening game at state, which proved to be its toughest game, then knocked off previously-unbeaten St. Mary’s Colgan in the semifinals before dominating Riverside in the finals.
It was a particularly satisfying journey for Garnes, a 2014 Wichita Southeast graduate, who has transitioned from a standout playing career to a championship coach in a short time.
“It’s so special from a coach’s point of view because you’re selling something to a team all season,” Garnes said. “I’m selling my vision to them, I’m selling sticking together, I’m selling whatever my game plan is. To see it all come together and the girls trust and believe in me, that was really special. All of the credit goes to those girls, I just try to work as hard as them.”
This story was originally published March 11, 2024 at 2:36 PM.
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