Blue Springs South basketball falls to De Smet in Missouri Class 6 state title game

The Blue Springs South Jaguars boys basketball team fell to the De Smet Jesuit Spartans 78-61 in Saturday evening’s Missouri championship game for the largest schools in the state — Class 6 — at Mizzou Arena in Columbia.

Blue Springs South (24-8) was aiming for its second state basketball title but settled for the first second-place finish in school history.

Blayne Marshall scored 25 points (11-for-12 on free throws) and added five rebounds and five steals for the Jaguars. Maksim Hymiller chipped in 11 points off the bench. But no other Jaguars player scored in double-figures, while Chris Ellis (eight points) was the only Blue Springs South player to make multiple 3-pointers.

The Jaguars finished 5-for-26 from 3.

Hailing from Creve Coeur, De Smet (27-5) was led by 26 points from Jordan Boyd and 21 more from Ian Thomas. De Smet outscored Blue Springs South 20-10 in the second quarter to open up a 16-point halftime lead. That separation proved to be enough down the stretch.

Blue Springs South cut the margin to nine in the third quarter but never got any closer.

The Jaguars advanced to the Missouri State High School Activities Association state finals with a 54-51 victory over Cardinal Ritter in Friday’s semifinal round. Blue Springs South’s Cooper Callahan hit a late 3-pointer to win that one.

But exciting finishes were nothing new to the 2025-26 Jaguars, who beat Oak Park 74-73 in overtime to reach this year’s final four. This was Blue Springs South’s second state final four appearance; the Jags won a state title in 2015.

De Smet, meanwhile, advanced to Saturday’s championship game with a 64-52 win over another Kansas City program — Rockhurst. De Smet last won a state title in 2024 and was seeking its seventh in 12 state-tourney appearances.

MSHSAA basketball state tournaments: Final scores

BOYS BASKETBALL

Class 6 final: De Smet 78, Blue Springs South 61

Class 5 final: MICDS 55, Sikeston 38

Class 4 final: Logan-Rogersville 72, Clayton 36

Class 3 final: Principia 98, Miller Career Academy 34

Class 2 final: Eugene 71, Hayti 56

Class 1 final: Bunker 61, Brunswick 54

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Class 6 state final: Incarnate Word 50, Staley 46

Class 5 final: Lift for Life 60, MICDS 41

Class 4 final: Strafford 75, Doniphan 55

Class 3 final: Principia 60, St. Vincent 32

Class 2 final: Tipton 76, Portageville 46

Class 1 final: St. Elizabeth 68, Delta 64