Republic Lady Tigers overcome slow start in district semifinal for win

It took about half the game to get going, but Republic eventually asserted its superiority in a 51-34 win over the host team, Carthage, in the girls basketball district semifinals Monday. Republic outscored Carthage 15-2 in the opening minutes of the third quarter to pull away.
The first half did not go according to plan for coach Kris Flood and his Lady Tigers. Republic had pounded Carthage 61-34 the first time the two teams met on Feb. 6 in Republic. But this time around, Carthage handled Republic’s full-court pressure and stayed close throughout the first half.
Republic led 10-8 at the end of the first quarter, and 20-14 at halftime. Carthage freshman Kianna Yates, who finished with a game-high 23 points, helped keep her team in the game with solid play on both ends of the court.
“We didn’t come out with very much intensity,” Flood said. “We were real sloppy with the ball, especially in the first half. We got fortunate. As you keep advancing here, it’s going to get tougher. Hopefully they realize they’ve got to play better.”
Republic’s pressure began to pay dividends after halftime, when the Lady Tigers ramped up the intensity and converted several Carthage turnovers into easy points. The lead ballooned to 35-16 before Yates scored five straight points to end the third period.
Yates’s freshman counterpart on the Republic roster, Kaemyn Bekemeier, scored 20 points to lead her team. Savana Powell-Goodman also finished in double figures with 11 points.
Republic advances to the district championship game against Willard, who won the regular-season matchup against the two teams in Central Ozark Conference play. Republic is playing for its fifth district championship in the six years since moving up to Class 5.
Republic scoring: Kaemyn Bekemeier 20, Savana Powell-Goodman 11, Jade Kirby 7, Jazzy Kirby 7, Kaitlyn Ragsdale 4, Carle Ward 2
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Republic had turned up for district play with a road win at Rogersville to close the regular season. The Lady Tigers scored 18 points in the fourth quarter in that game to pull away for a 57-43 win. Kaemyn Bekemeier scored 18 to lead Republic in that game.