The Republic Lady Tigers hit four free throws in the final 13 seconds of overtime to seal a 67-62 upset of #6 Webb City. Tori Taylor had 15 points, including two key free throws with a minute and a half left in the overtime period. Micah Mansker and Michayla Shanks hit the four free throws to put the game away.
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The Lady Tigers had jumped out to a 13-point lead in the first half, but Webb City climbed out of the hole and actually led by six points with three minutes left in regulation. Taylor converted a conventional three-point play and Jade Sawyer drained a three-point shot to get Republic back in it, as the Lady Tigers eventually forced overtime.
Republic didn’t have a defensive answer for Webb City’s 1-2 punch of Mikaela Burgess and Desirea Buerge. Burgess scored 31 points, and Buerge had 20, as the two accounted for 51 of Webb City’s 62 points.
For Republic, it was a welcome change after coming out on the losing end of two close games against quality teams in the past two weeks.
“It definitely has helped to be in some of those (close games), and these kids, I think they deserve to be on top in one of these,” says coach Kris Flood. “Good for them, that will give them some confidence. We finally got over the hump against one of these quality teams.”
Taylor was a big factor inside, scoring nine points in the 2nd half. Her two free throws at the 1:31 mark gave Republic a 63-60 lead.
“It was just so exciting. I got a little nervous — I thought the foul was on me at first, because they’d been calling them on me all night,” Taylor says.
Shanks had 14 for the Lady Tigers, and Brooke Stanfield added 12. Jade Sawyer scored seven. Mansker and Jordan Kabetske scored six apiece, Brylee Argo had five, and Logan Flood had two.
Republic improves to 16-4 overall, 2-0 in the Central Ozark Conference. Webb City falls to 15-4, and they’re 1-1 in the COC.