By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
A week ago, missed free throws cost Ozark a chance at the Central Ozark Conference regular season championship.
Monday night, Ozark kept its season alive by making free throws.
The Lady Tigers went 21-for-26 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter to preserve their lead and ultimately defeat Nixa 59-45 in the Class 5 District 11 Tournament semifinals at Kickapoo High School.
“Free throws, obviously, were a big difference tonight,” said Ozark coach David Brewer.
The Lady Tigers’ 14-0 run midway through the second half erased Nixa’s two-point lead.
Ozark (19-6 overall) advances to Thursday night’s district title game at 6 p.m. against host Kickapoo.
The Lady Tigers haven’t won a district championship since the 2011-12 season. Kickapoo has won the district crown in three of the past four seasons.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
The Lady Chiefs beat Ozark 75-51 on Jan. 22. They also beat Ozark in last season’s district title game.
“It’d be crazy (to win districts),” said Ozark senior Annie Scheer, who scored a game-high 18. “We’re all really excited for (Thursday). They beat us by quite a bit earlier this year, so I think we’re all excited to come in, work hard and get a better result.
“This is the thing you prepare for all season. You play all these games then you’re like, ‘All we want is a district championship and to go (farther).’”
Against Republic last Monday, Ozark twice missed the front end of one-and-ones in the final minute that set up a game-winning basket by Republic.
There was no such drama on Monday night.
Scheer went 9-for-10 at the line in the fourth quarter.
Madi Braden, who scored 16, made seven of her eight fourth-quarter free throw attempts. Ozark, which also beat Nixa 57-42 in late January, finished 25-for-31 at the line overall.
“I don’t really usually shoot many free throws in games, but it felt like I did tonight because they kept fouling me,” Scheer said.
After a sluggish first half, Ozark went to the locker room trailing 19-18.
“We just had to be us. I didn’t think we guarded how we’ve guarded,” Brewer said. “I didn’t think we were executing very well. It looked like we were forcing (shots). Sometimes, big games, you get a little anxious.”
Trailing 28-26 late in the third quarter, Ozark got back-to-back 3s from Olivia Hanks and Braden to spark a 14-0 run.
Ozark outscored Nixa 18-9 in the third quarter.
“We felt we were a little discombobulated in the first half,” Brewer said. “We just had to settle down and play how we play.”
Emily Edwards led Nixa (19-8 overall) with 16 points. The Lady Eagles pulled within 42-34 at the 3:40 mark on a basket by Raegan Thomason.
Ozark 59, Nixa 45
Nixa 10 9 9 17 – 45
Ozark 10 8 18 23 – 59
Nixa (19-8 overall) – Emily Edwards 16, Tori Yantis 12, Gabby Nielsen 10, Raegan Thomason 4, Lakin Copeland 3
Ozark (19-6 overall) – Annie Scheer 18, Madi Braden 16, Katie Mayes 9, Olivia Hanks 7, Anna Hitt 4, Riley Boggs 3, Alexis Barber 2
