Republic couldn’t overcome a cold-shooting performance in a 66-60 loss to Liberty North in Bolivar Saturday. The Lady Tigers allowed 40 points in the second half, suffering their first loss to an unranked team all season.
Kaemyn Bekemeier scored 32 points in a losing cause. She made 18 free throws, breaking the previous single-game school record of 16. Brooke Stanfield had set that mark on March 6, 2015, in a district championship win over Nixa. Bekemeier now holds the single-game Republic records for points, rebounds, and free throws.
Republic was playing short-handed, with one player out with injury and another out with illness. The five starters played most of the first half without a substitution.
The game was part of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Classic on the campus of Southwest Baptist University. The loss drops Republic’s record to 7-4. Liberty North is 5-4.
The Lady Tigers open conference play Monday at Neosho.
Republic Scoring
Kaemyn Bekemeier 32, Hope Schatz 9, Alaina Norman 8, Miha Nambara 7, Misora Nambara 2, Molly Blades 2
