Two of the best teams in Missouri hooked up with a district championship on the line in Springfield, and Kickapoo nipped Republic 54-52 in a battle that exceeded even the lofty pregame expectations. After four lead changes in the final minute, Kickapoo’s defense got a crucial stop on Republic’s final half-court possession of the game to secure the victory.
Republic and Kickapoo had met in November, with Kickapoo running away with an 18-point win. For a while Monday night, it seemed their second meeting would go the same way. Kickapoo bolted to a 14-4 lead in the first quarter, taking advantage of an effective fast break and a big rebounding edge. But Republic answered with eight consecutive points to cut Kickapoo’s lead to two at the end of the first quarter, 15-13.
The Lady Chiefs jumped way ahead again in the second quarter, building a ten-point margin by halftime, 30-20, after holding the Lady Tigers to seven points over the eight-minute period.
But all season long, Republic has fought back from big deficits in the second half, and Monday’s game was no different. The Lady Tigers scored the first 14 points of the third quarter, holding Kickapoo scoreless for six and a half minutes. By the time the run had ended, Republic held a 34-30 advantage. Republic had chances to increase the lead to six points, but failed to score, and a free throw by Kickapoo’s Ari Mosley cut Republic’s lead to 36-33 as the quarter ended.
“Once we settled down and started executing, what a difference that made,” said coach Kris Flood. “The kids have shown a bunch of resolve all year. They’re gonna fight, they’re gonna battle, there’s gonna scrap.”
The fourth quarter was a contest of wills, with each team out-doing the other from possession to possession. Kickapoo tied the game at 40 with about 6:30 remaining. Junior Lanney Strong slashed through the defense and scored to put Republic ahead again, 42-40. Kickapoo sophomore Josie Salazar completed a three-point play on the next trip down the floor to give Kickapoo a 43-42 lead.
Kya Johnson made one free throw after a Republic turnover, then Nambara made two free throws to tie the score again, 44-44, with 4:49 left.
Kickapoo scored four straight to go ahead 48-44, but the Lady Tigers answered with six in a row, grabbing a 50-48 lead. That stretch included two straight baskets for Alaina Norman, who went aggressively to the goal in the second half. Norman’s field goals tied the game again, and Nambara put Republic back on top with a running one-hander from the left side of the lane with 1:07 remaining.
Salazar came up big for Kickapoo again after a foul on Republic led to a throw-in on Kickapoo’s baseline. She took an in-bound pass on the three-point line, and fired in an unguarded shot from the left wing to put Kickapoo ahead 51-50.
After a timeout, Nambara answered again for Republic, dropping in a five-footer from the right block to give the Lady Tigers a 52-51 edge with 26.9 left. Salazar slashed through the defense after the throw-in, driving all the way to the basket before Republic could get set up in the front court. Her layup made it 53-52 Kickapoo with 14.4 remaining.
Kris Flood called a timeout to set up Republic’s potential game-winning play, intending to get the ball in Nambara’s hands. She took the ball from the three-point line on the left side, drove around one defender, sidestepped another, and tried to bank in a left-handed shot with about 4.5 left, but it hit the rim and fell off. Kickapoo got the rebound, and a free throw by Allison Scott accounted for the final score of 54-52. Nambara had a desperation shot from just beyond the half-court line that hit the backboard but missed the mark as time expired.
Josie Salazar had 17 points to lead Kickapoo, including ten in the fourth quarter. Nambara was Republic’s only player in double figures with 17 points. She scored eight of her points in the fourth quarter.
The win sends Kickapoo to the state quarterfinals with a 28-1 record. Republic’s loss snaps a 16-game win streak and finishes their season with a 23-5 record.
The game is also the last in a Republic uniform for seven seniors: Misora Nambara, Lauren Chastain, Molly Blades, Alex Price, Gracie Woods, Alaina Norman, and Molly Mason.
“It’s not very often you get seven seniors that stay with the program. It’s been kind of a special group, and just how much they’ve grown since the beginning of the year, and not just the beginning of the year, but their four-year run,” Flood said. “I know it’s hard now, but they’re going to move on to other things. They’ve got a lot in front of them, so I’m just proud to have an opportunity to coach them and be a part of their life.”
Score by Quarters Kickapoo 15 15 3 21 - 54 Republic 13 7 16 16 - 52 Individual Scoring Misora Nambara 17, Lauren Chastain 8, Alaina Norman 8, Molly Blades 7, Lanney Strong 6, Alex Price 4, Molly Mason 2