Tigers Bounce Back from Kickapoo Loss with Win Over Carthage, Lady Tigers Split Week, Pick up Win #20

Republic split its two games last week, suffering a lopsided loss at Kickapoo before bouncing back with a win over Carthage at home.
 
The Tigers had nothing going Tuesday at Kickapoo in a 59-26 loss. The Chiefs scored the first seven points and never let Republic into the game, shooting 72 percent from two-point range and 62 percent overall. Republic shot 35 percent from the floor.
 
The Tigers managed just six first-quarter points and trailed 35-15 at halftime. A three-point third quarter — a single three-pointer by Slater Howard — left Republic down 49-18 heading to the fourth. Howard led the Tigers with nine points, all from beyond the arc on 3-of-6 shooting.
 
Two days later, the Tigers picked up their 16th win with a 43-27 victory over Carthage at home. Republic trailed 12-6 after a slow first quarter, but a 12-0 run bridging the first and second quarters flipped the game for good.
 
Keiran Govan scored six of his game-high 18 points during that stretch, including a dunk that gave Republic its first lead. He added ten fourth-quarter points, attacking the basket repeatedly as the Tigers pulled away from a 27-21 lead entering the final period. Brody Blades added 11 points and Howard finished with two three-pointers.
 
Carthage shot 22 percent from the field — 10-of-46 — and went 3-of-23 from beyond the arc. Republic wasn't much better from deep at 3-of-17, but shot 60 percent inside the arc and outscored Carthage 30-14 on two-point field goals.
 
Republic is 16-8.
 
 
Girls basketball
Republic's girls basketball team reached the 20-win mark with a blowout of Carthage on Thursday, but saw its ten-game winning streak snapped three days earlier in a 44-37 loss at Kickapoo.
 
The Lady Tigers led for most of the first quarter Monday at Kickapoo before a 12-0 run by the Lady Chiefs turned the game around.
 
"We didn't handle the pressure as well as I would have liked us to," Republic coach Tori Mooneyham said. "They're very physical, very athletic, and we just couldn't get anything going on offense. We struggled to get open, and that's a compliment to their defense."
 
The third quarter was even, with each team scoring eight. Kickapoo opened the fourth with another push, stretching its lead to 13 at 42-29. Republic made its run after a timeout.
 
"I kind of challenged them in the timeout — are we going to lay down, or are we going to show some heart?" Mooneyham said. "And I thought they responded."
 
Cutbirth hit two free throws, Berning scored twice, and Cutbirth scored again. The 8-0 run cut the lead to 42-37 with under a minute to play. Republic got a stop but couldn't score on the next possession, and Perry iced it with two free throws for the 44-37 final.
 
"These kids, they don't give up. They have a lot of heart," Mooneyham said. "We got it to two possessions there late and just couldn't overcome that. ... We're just hoping that we get an opportunity to play them again in postseason and hope for a better outcome."
 
Cutbirth led Republic with 14 points. Berning added 11.
 
Thursday's game against Carthage was never in doubt. Republic scored the first eight points and led by 14 after one quarter and by 23 at halftime in a 71-34 win. It was the Lady Tigers' 20th consecutive victory over Carthage, a streak dating to 2012.
 
Cutbirth set the tone early, scoring eight of Republic's first ten points, including a stretch of six straight, to push the lead to 10-1 before Carthage called timeout. Berning added a pair of baskets in the quarter, and Gilmore knocked down a three to make it 19-7.
 
Gilmore finished with a game-high 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting, hitting five threes. Cutbirth added 19 points, going 9-of-12 from the free throw line. Berning chipped in ten.
 
Republic is 20-4. All four losses have come against ranked opponents.