Big players make big plays in big games. No one came up bigger than the player the Lady Tigers call “Big T.” Tori Taylor scored all nine points for Republic in the 4th quarter, including two free throws with 6.2 seconds left, as the Lady Tigers beat West Plains for a district championship, 35-34.
The game was a battle of attrition between great defenses, with scoring at a premium all night. Republic led only 6-4 after one quarter and trailed 12-11 at halftime.
“It’s just one of those games where it’s hard to get the ball into the basket,” says coach Kris Flood. “I thought both teams played pretty well defensively. It was just hard to get scores.”
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The teams entered the 4th quarter tied 26-26, and Republic made a concerted effort to pound it inside for the final eight minutes.
“(Coach Flood) talked getting it into the post…attacking and then passing it,” says Taylor, who carried the offensive load down the stretch. Flood had so much confidence in her, in fact, that he wanted her on the free throw line with the game in the balance.
“The last play he drew up was…for me to get a foul, so I could shoot free throws,” Taylor says.
She did get the ball on the low block, turned to shoot, and got hacked. She stepped to the line and hit the first, then had to think about the second when West Plains called timeout.
Three weeks ago in the same situation at Ozark, Taylor missed a free throw that could have won the game. Was that on her mind tonight?
“It was the first thing I thought of when I was shooting. ‘This is exactly like Ozark. I hope it doesn’t happen again,'” says Taylor. “But Brooke told me God was with me, so I just took my time, relaxed, and did my normal routine and made them.”
After another time out, West Plains had one final crack at the basket, but Jade Sawyer made a good defensive play to force a traveling violation as time expired. It was similar to last year’s district final — but in that one, West Plains hit a shot at the buzzer to beat Republic.
“Who would have thought another year, and it would come down like this, and come down to almost a last-second play again?” says Flood. “Fortunately we were on the right side this year.”
Taylor finished with 17 points to lead all scorers. Michayla Shanks had eight. Brooke Stanfield had four. Jade Sawyer, Brylee Argo, and Micah Mansker had two apiece.
Republic improves to 22-5 this season, and advances to sectional play next Wednesday. The Lady Tigers are likely to play Webb City, who will be heavily favored in their district title game against Nevada Saturday.
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