By Michael Cignoli (ForOzarksSportsZone.com)
REPUBLIC — As the Republic girls basketball team retreated to the locker room with a 3-point halftime lead, coach Kris Flood told his players to pick up their intensity when play resumed.
It’s safe to say the Tigers heard the message loud and clear.
Republic used a pair of huge second-half runs to build a 18-point lead with less than three minutes to play, then withstood a late Carl Junction rally for a 55-43 victory over the shorthanded Bulldogs in a battle of two Central Ozark Conference title contenders on Thursday.
Eight different players scored for Republic, who opened the second half with an 11-2 run and later went on a 13-6 run during the first five minutes of the fourth to stretch its lead to 53-35.
“We had to cut down on their second-chance points,” Flood said. “There were multiple possessions in the first half where they were getting two or sometimes three shots. We were getting them to miss shots, but we just weren’t rebounding very well.”
The Tigers also made some adjustments at both ends of the court, exploiting Carl Junction’s noticeably shorter bench. Starter Jessa Hylton, who averages 10.1 points per game, and Allie Wrestler were both unavailable due to quarantine protocols, Bulldogs coach Brad Shorter said.
“We didn’t find out Jessa was quarantined until after practice yesterday,” Shorter said. “So we prepared and were ready to go, and then we don’t have her. That’s tough for our kids.”
In Hylton’s absence, the Bulldogs relied even more heavily on top scorer Destiny Buerge, who is a major reason the Bulldogs are currently ranked sixth in the state among Class 5 schools.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
In a 16-minute stretch that spanned the second, third and fourth quarters, the sophomore scored 16 of her team’s 18 points, finishing with a game-high 28 despite Republic keying heavily on her. Freshman Anna Scott had the lone other basket during that span and ended with 10.
The rest of the Bulldogs lineup, which includes just one senior and three freshmen, sophomores and juniors, combined to score five as the reigning COC champions fell to 9-4 (1-1) and lost a conference game for the first time since the 2018-19 season. They were a perfect 9-0 last year and advanced to the state Final Four before the season was shut down due to COVID-19.
Republic, ranked No. 9 among Class 6 schools, avenged a two-point loss to Carl Junction last season, improved to 9-4 (2-0) and kept alive its hopes of a second COC title in three seasons.
Sophomore Kaemyn Bekemeier had 22 points to lead the Tigers. Senior Kaitlyn Ragsdale added 10, while freshman Rilynn Finley had eight off the bench — six of them in the second half.
“We made a couple of adjustments offensively to try and get a little bit better movement against that matchup zone,” Flood said. “I thought we did a better job of that and then we picked up our intensity a little bit there in the third quarter. Started creating some turnovers, started getting some easy looks where we stretched it out and then we did just enough there to hang on.”
Carl Junction scored eight of the game’s final 10 points, but couldn’t overcome the deficit.
“For high school kids that are so young, like our group, to be able to make the adjustments we made tonight and still be in a ball game against a Class 6, ranked team, I’m proud of them,” Shorter said. “I really am.”
LEADING THE CHARGE
Republic senior Jazzy Kirby drew a pair of charging fouls, giving her 59 in her career and setting a new state record. According to the Missouri State High School Activities Association, which tracks charges drawn as a defensive record, 2020 West Plains grad Cassidy Cunningham drew 56 such fouls in her career and was the previous record holder. Kirby eclipsed that last week.
“I kind of picked it up my sophomore year and I’ve just built on it and figured out the technique of it all,” said Kirby, who set a single-season state record with 30 charges drawn as a junior. “I just love it because it changes the game, honestly. It takes two points away from them … and then it gives us the ball. It can really change the momentum of the game at crucial times.”
According to the MSHSAA record book, only two other players have drawn at least 40 charges in their careers. Kirby now has roughly half a season to expand on her already-record total.
“Sometimes they hurt a little more than usual, but just taking it for the team — it’s worth it,” she said.
