Brooke Dutton scored 12 points in the 1st quarter, Alice Heinzler scored 10 in the 4th quarter, and Republic did enough in-between to beat Bolivar 59-47 and win the district title. It’s the fourth straight district championship for the Lady Tigers.
Dutton’s hot shooting got Republic off to a good start. The Lady Tigers made the first big run of the night when they reeled off seven straight points to end the period, running to an 18-11 lead. It included one of Dutton’s three 3-pointers as time ran down on the final possession.
The Lady Tigers eventually stretched the lead to 28-15 before Bolivar began to chip away. Alex Botkin scored eight 2nd-quarter points for the Lady Tigers, but the Lady Liberators closed the gap to 30-19 at halftime.
In the 3rd quarter, Republic went cold from the field and had trouble taking care of the basketball, and Bolivar took advantage. They cut the lead to five, at 37-32, when Baylee Rayl hit a 3-pointer to open up breathing room again for the Lady Tigers. It was 42-33 heading into the final period.
From there, Bolivar got no closer than eight points the rest of the way. The Lady Tigers were 10 of 12 from the free throw line in the 4th quarter, including 8 of 10 by Heinzler.
Heinzler led the team with 16 points. Dutton and Botkin had 13 apiece.
Micah Cribbs had 17 points to lead Bolivar, who ends the season with a 20-7 record.
Republic advances to the state sectionals next Wednesday at Willard. The Lady Tigers will meet Aurora with a berth in the state quarterfinals on the line.
