Republic stepped back into conference action with a win at home against Branson Monday, 65-51. They did it with a multi-faceted attack that kept the Branson defense off-balance all night. Savana Powell-Goodman, Kaemyn Bekemeier, and Jazzy Kirby all scored in double figures to help Republic overcome a 30-point performance by Branson’s Division I guard Priscilla Williams.
” good balance. They were making good decisions with the shot selection and they were hitting tonight,” said coach Kris Flood. “We’ve struggled a little bit with our outside shooting, but that goes back to being a little impatient with our shots and forcing some stuff. And tonight we just didn’t do it, and it paid off.”
Bekemeier helped Republic get off to a fast start, scoring eight points in the first quarter. The Lady Tigers led 18-12 at the end of the first, thanks in part to eight Branson turnovers in the first eight minutes of play.
Two straight three-pointers by Republic – one by Bekemeier and one by Jazzy Kirby – opened the second quarter. When Kirby made another two-point bucket and Savana Powell-Goodman drained her second three-pointer of the game, the Lady Tigers led 29-18. They pushed the lead to 37-23 by halftime.
Branson cut the margin back down to eight points, 47-39, by the end of the third quarter. And the Lady Pirates eventually got the lead down to five points in the fourth, closing the gap to 53-48, but that was as close as they would get.
Republic pulled away in the final minutes with solid free throw shooting. Six straight free throws made the lead 59-48, and after a Branson basket, Republic scored six more points in a row to put the game out of reach.
Republic snaps a two-game losing streak. Both of those losses came to state-ranked opponents, and Flood says the Lady Tigers’ schedule has prepared them for this stretch of the schedule.
“It’s helped tremendously…especially with the way things were last week, getting those close, tight games,” he said. “We had to figure out some things defensively. Williams makes it tough. We did two or three things to try and slow her down. For the most part, we didn’t do a real good job with it, but we didn’t let her beat us, either.”
Republic improved to 11-7 (2-1 in the Central Ozark Conference). Branson is now 12-8 (1-2).
Republic Individual Scoring: Kaemyn Bekemeier 19, Jazzy Kirby 19, Savana Powell-Goodman 16, Jade Kirby 5, Delaney Smith 4, Carle Ward 2
Turnovers: Republic 11, Branson 18
Rebounds: Republic 24, Branson 22