By Michael Cignoli (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
NIXA — When it comes to postgame interviews, a tried-and-true line from coaches is that their team plays a challenging schedule to get ready for the postseason – or games with playoff implications.
Republic coach Kris Flood played that card on Monday, but added an extra wrinkle to it.
With a loaded slate of games that includes 12 contests – so far – against state-ranked teams, he noted the Tigers have played all of two home games since they began the season on November 30.
So when the Tigers were down by nine points late in the game at Nixa, they were hardly worried.
“We kind of felt like it was going to be that type of game,” Flood said. “I feel like they were two teams that are fairly evenly matched. Both groups have played a pretty good schedule up until this point. It kind of prepares you for this type of situation.”
Kaemyn Bekemeier scored 25 points, Molly Mason added 10 and the Tigers used a late-game run to pick up a 62-57 win over the Eagles in a battle of two of the state’s top Class 6 teams.
The Tigers went on a 15-0 run to take a 52-46 lead midway through the fourth quarter and never trailed again, as they held on for a victory in a game with significant implications on the Class 6 District 5 playoff picture.
The victory puts the Tigers in the driver’s seat for the top seed in a district that involves two state-ranked teams — No. 3 Republic (18-3) and No. 7 Nixa (15-5) — along with a Glendale team that received votes in the latest poll, defending state runner-up Kickapoo and four other upset-minded squads in Carthage, Joplin, Neosho and Ozark.
“They call it the District of Death for a reason,” Nixa coach Jennifer Perryman said. “And they’re right.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
The top seed could prove to be less significant than one might expect, given the site of the upcoming tournament. But Republic’s victory over yet another state-ranked squad leaves them in good position as they prepare for their eventual return to Nixa.
“We still have a few games left with some district opponents before that,” Flood said. “But it helps us to have a win over Nixa, especially here at their home court. They’re the ones hosting the district. It’s nice to show that we can play here.”
The Tigers have shown they can play just about anyone, anywhere.
Of Republic’s 21 games this season, 12 have been against teams who are currently ranked in the latest statewide polls that were released last week. The Tigers are 9-3 in those games.
Perhaps more impressive is the team’s tournament- and road-heavy schedule has given them just two home games all season, the second of which was just four days ago.
“We have a tough schedule and it obviously pays off for nights like this whenever we play super-good teams,” said Bekemeier, a Missouri State commit. “It’s hard in the beginning whenever you’re coming out almost every single night — two or three times a week — playing state-ranked teams and having to hold that reputation of that state ranking.”
When the Tigers found themselves down 46-37 late in the third quarter against Nixa, Bekemeier and her teammates leaned on that big-game experience to fuel their comeback.
Bekemeier converted an and-one to make it 46-40 going into the fourth quarter, then Lauren Chastain (six points) and Misora Nambara (seven) hit back-to-back shots to cut the deficit to one.
Mason converted another and-one to give the Tigers the lead for good with 6:14 to go, and Bekemeier and Molly Blades (nine) hit field goals to push Republic’s advantage to six points.
“That fourth quarter, we were a little more patient offensively, making a few more passes and finding the open people,” Flood said. “It seemed like we were kind of pushing them early and trying to do too much, too quick. You can’t do that against them. You just can’t do it. You have to make them work a little bit. We just got fortunate. Total credit goes to the kids. They just persevered through that little stretch and just kept chipping away and eventually got the lead and were able to finish it off.”
When it was settled, all five Republic starters scored during the game-changing run.
Bekemeier is the team’s lone senior, the other four starters are juniors.
“These kids now, they’ve played in so many of these games this year – they feel like veterans,” Flood said. “With the schedule we’ve played, we’ve been in a lot of these. I think they’ve really come along.”
University of Tennessee at Martin signee Norah Clark led Nixa with 23 points. Allison Jones added 10.
“We were slow on our rotations,” Perryman said. “When you’re slow on a rotation or you miss a block out — a team like that, they’re going to make you pay. Whether it’s a quick putback or whether it’s hitting an outside shot, they capitalize on their opponent’s mistakes. Tonight when we started making a few mistakes, they capitalized.”
The game also carried some implications in the Central Ozark Conference standings, though Carl Junction has a clear path to an outright title if it can win out. The Bulldogs, the state’s top-ranked Class 5 team, are 4-0 in conference play and have already beaten Nixa and Republic.
Republic improved to 3-1 in the COC, while defending champion Nixa fell to 2-2.
While each school would need some help to clinch a conference title, they each still control their own fate when it comes to a district plaque.
“We’re going to continue to go,” Bekemeier said. “We’re not going to let up now. We’re going to continue on with the roll that we’re going on and continue just to do what we do, because it’s clearly working. We’re just going to do the best that we can to be able to win as many games as we can and get as far as we can in the postseason.”
Depending on how the brackets break, there’s a chance Nixa and Republic could meet again in the playoffs. Perryman said the Eagles would welcome that opportunity.
“We forced some turnovers, but we didn’t capitalize on what we forced them to do,” Perryman said. “They’re a very, very good team. I hope to play them again and I’ll be glad that it’ll be on our home floor once again.”
REPUBLIC (18-3, 3-1) 17 11 12 22 — 62
NIXA (15-5, 2-2) 18 13 15 11 — 57
