Tristan Ollar threw down a rim-rattling dunk to put an exclamation mark on a 22-point performance, leading Republic to a 60-48 win over Parkview on the road Tuesday.
The Tigers jumped out early thanks to a hot hand from Mitchell Coiner. The Republic sharp-shooter rainbowed in three three-pointers in the first five minutes to help Republic build a 13-2 lead at one point. Parkview fought back to get within six by the end of the quarter, at 17-11.
The Vikings played their best basketball of the night early in the second quarter, outscoring Republic 11-4 to take their first lead of the game at 22-21. The teams traded baskets through halftime, and Parkview went into the break with a 28-27 lead.
But the Tigers emerged from the halftime locker room with renewed intensity on both ends of the floor. They outscored Parkview 16-2 in the first few minutes of the third quarter, taking a 43-32 lead, and held a nine-point lead going into the final quarter, 45-36.
In the fourth quarter, the Tigers spread the floor, forcing the Parkview defense to come out and guard the ball on the perimeter. In the process, Republic opened up a series of easy baskets as the Tigers found teammates cutting to the basket.
“There’s a fine line between being smart and patient, and stalling and being passive. But I thought we had the right mix,” says coach Trevyor Fisher. “We did a good job of forcing them to come out and guard us, then we made them pay with good cuts to the middle and attacking the basket. That’s probably as well as you could execute a late-game situation down the stretch.”
At one point, the lead was as much as 15 points before the Tigers iced the game down the stretch.
“Near the end, we really wanted to spread them out because they were trying to trap. It really didn’t work,” says Ollar. “We just wanted to get it and attack the rim and look to score, so it worked out.”
Ollar attacked the rim most of all in the fourth quarter when he took a pass from Devon Ward and flew along the baseline for a finishing dunk that brought the bench and the Republic crowd to its feet.
“I saw the pass to Devon and he kicked it to me. I wasn’t really thinking about going up, but I noticed I was up there, so I just went for it,” Ollar says.
The Tigers were in foul trouble early on the inside, with Cameron Doke being forced to the bench against a much bigger Parkview lineup. Fisher says the Tigers responded well.
“We’re always going to be out-sized all year, especially when Cam getting in foul trouble like that,” he says. “But guys came off the bench. Tyler Phillips did a great job. He had four fouls himself, but he did a decent job of keeping them away from the basket and did a good job boxing out. Jeremy Geiger got his first action as a freshman and came in there and got an offensive rebound and put-back.
“Everybody who came in there did something positive. It was good team win.”
Ollar, though, was the star–especially in the second half. He scored 18 of his 22 points after halftime.
“He’s a utility guy. He can do a little bit of everything: guard the other team’s best player, whether it’s a guard or a big guy; get to the basket off the bounce; can shoot it a little bit. an overall solid performance,” Fisher says.
In addition to Ollar’s 22, Coiner ended the game with 11 points. Ty Stevens, Treydon Rackley, and Tyler Phillips scored six each. Devon Ward scored four. Cameron Doke had two, and so did Jeremy Geiger–earning his first career varsity bucket on a put-back in the first quarter. Caleb Singley finished with one point.
The Tigers improve to 3-2. They’re back in action Friday at Waynesville for the Route 66 Shootout, when they’ll play Hazelwood West.
The JV and freshman Tigers also won, making it a sweep over Parkview.