Republic coach Kris Flood has won more than 450 games in his career, and he ranks Thursday night’s overtime win against Nixa as one of the craziest. The Lady Tigers overcame a seven-point second-half deficit, built a 10-point lead in overtime, then almost lost it again before holding on for a 79-75 victory in the first round of the Nixa Invitational Tournament.
“I told the kids after the game, I’ve coached a lot of games over the years, and that one’s probably in the top three as far as the craziest,” Flood said. “(There were) so many swings and so many momentum switches. Even at the end there, when we thought we had it comfortable, they just kept hitting those threes… and we just couldn’t put them away.”
Midway through the fourth quarter, with Republic trailing by five points, Misora Nambara picked a great time to score her first varsity points. She got free in the right corner, took a pass from Kaitlyn Ragsdale, and swished a three-pointer to get Republic back within a possession. That sparked a 7-0 run that gave Republic the lead 59-57 near the end of regulation.
Macie Conway made two free throws for Nixa to tie the score, and Republic appeared to have one last possession to win the game with about 19 seconds remaining, but that was just the start of the craziness at the end of regulation. Conway picked off a pass to stop Republic’s scoring chance, then Conway missed a shot at the other end that would have put Nixa on top. Bekemeier rebounded the ball and sprinted up the sideline to get a final shot off. But Bekemeier stepped out of bounds with the help of a Nixa defender, giving Nixa one last shot with three seconds remaining. Conway got an open look from the three-point arc, but it hit the back iron and clanged off, sending the game to overtime.
Republic scored more points in the four-minute overtime period – 20 – than in any of the earlier eight-minute quarters. Kaemyn Bekemeier, Jazzy Kirby, and Kaitlyn Ragsdale all scored more than half their points in the fourth quarter and the overtime period. Bekemeier scored 16 of her 34 points over the final 12 minutes of action. Kirby scored 10 of her 17 during that span, and Ragsdale scored seven points in the overtime alone.
The Lady Tigers were playing without three regular contributors. Rilynn Finley, Miha Nambara, and Hope Schatz have already played in three tournaments this season – the maximum allowed by MSHSAA – because they also play on the JV team. Misora Nambara and Lauren Chastain both got their first varsity action.
Republic improved to 10-4. The Lady Tigers are 8-1 since their loss to Kickapoo the week before Christmas. Nixa falls to 12-5.
Republic plays West Plains at 6 p.m. Friday. Republic Tiger Sports will carry the game live.
Republic Scoring
Kaemyn Bekemeier 34, Jazzy Kirby 17, Kaitlyn Ragsdale 12, Savana Powell-Goodman 11, Misora Nambara 3, Regan Holmes 2