Republic Tiger Central Ozark Conference skid continues, now 12-10 overall

James Rexroat scored a career-high 22 points against Webb City. (Photo by Steve Rackley)
 

Republic competed into the fourth quarter against two of the best teams in the Central Ozark Conference last week but lost to both Nixa and Webb City at home.
With a share of first place in the Central Ozark Conference on the line, Nixa used a strong fourth quarter to pull away from Republic for a 57–46 win. The game mirrored an earlier meeting between the two teams, when Nixa captured the Blue & Gold Tournament title behind a big fourth quarter for a similar 11-point win.
“I was proud of our kids. I thought we battled. We did what we needed to do to be tied [in the fourth quarter],” Republic head coach Tim Brown said.
The Tigers and Eagles battled back and forth through the first three quarters. Republic closed an eight-point deficit to tie the score 38–38 at the end of the third period, and they took the lead briefly, 40–39, in the fourth. But during a crucial 30-second stretch, Nixa scored six consecutive points to take a two-possession lead.
A technical foul call against James Rexroat after he bounced the ball too far from the official after a five-second call resulted in a six-point run for the Eagles. “Being down five is not really a great thing for us with three minutes to go, and I wish we would have had the opportunity to at least match it after they got the ball back (after the five-second call),” he said.
Brenley Hagewood led Republic with 24 points.
Friday against Webb City, the Cardinals outscored the Tigers 14–2 in overtime to win 77–65 and stay unbeaten in the conference. Both teams missed multiple chances to score the game-winning basket in the final minutes. After Hagewood’s drive through the defense resulted in a miss with two seconds remaining, Rexroat was called for his fifth foul. At the other end of the floor, Webb City’s Gabe Johnson missed two free throws that would have put the game away for the Cardinals.
In the overtime, Republic fell behind early without Rexroat, who had led the team with 22 points in regulation. Webb City scored six straight to start the extra period and pulled away for a win.
Webb City improved to 15–5 and 5–0 in the Central Ozark Conference, keeping pace with Nixa at the top of the league standings. Republic fell to 12–10 (2–3).
 

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