They say defense wins championships, and the Republic Tigers are still in the hunt for a Blue & Gold championship because of their defense in the quarterfinals Tuesday. The second-seeded Tigers went cold in the second half, but played enough defense – including a stop on the final possession of the game – to escape with a 45-44 win over third-seeded Crane at JQH Arena.
Republic controlled the game in the first half, outscoring the Pirates 30-19. Four Tiger three-pointers – two by Ahlante Askew, one by Carson Neff, and one by Tyson Young – helped Republic open a double-digit lead.
But when the teams returned to the floor after halftime, Republic’s offensive spark was gone. Crane outscored Republic 10-9 in the third quarter to cut the lead to 37-29 heading into the fourth quarter. The Pirates chipped away at the Tiger lead slowly. With 2:20 remaining, the lead was down to five. With one minute left, they had whittled Republic’s lead to a single possession, 45-42.
In the final 30 seconds, Crane had a shot to win it, trailing by one point. But Republic’s Carson Neff picked off an entry pass and the Tigers ran out the clock to preserve the victory.
Ahlante Askew was the only Tiger in double figures in scoring. He finished with 18 points. The Crane defense held Drew McMillin scoreless in the second half, after he’d scored eight in the first half.
The Tigers advance to the semifinals and will meet sixth-seeded Rogersville. The Wildcats upset #3 Bolivar 53-33. The semifinal will tip off at 7 pm at JQH Arena.
Republic Scoring
Ahlante Askew 18, Drew McMillin 8, Tyson Young 6, Oliver Welch 6, Carson Neff 3, Devon McMillin 2, Avery Moody 2
