By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Republic finished the 2020 campaign with a 19-8 record before falling in the district title game to Kickapoo in overtime.
Four graduated seniors move on from the Central Ozarks Conference co-champions, including Regan Holmes, Jazzy Kirby, Kaitlyn Ragsdale and Savana Powell-Goodan.
Kirby (Evangel University) and Powell-Goodman (Lincoln Christian University) will continue their basketball careers at the collegiate level this season.
“We lost four very important seniors,” said Republic head coach Kris Flood. “They were all important contributors to our program the last few years not just on the floor but also off the floor.”
For Flood, entering his 23rd year at the helm of the Lady Tiger program, the cupboard is far from barren.
Republic will be led by junior standout guard Kaemyn Bekemeier.
Bekemeier, a 5-foot-10 all-state selection and Missouri State University commit, averaged 20.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and shot 80 percent from the free throw line last season. She could pass the 1,000-point mark for her career this season.
“Kaemyn is the type of player that can play multiple positions for us,” Flood said. “She can run the point and go in and post the next possession. Looking for her to have a great year as she moves more into a leadership role for us.”
Bekemeier will be joined by returning varsity teammates Eternity Knotts and Rylinn Finley.
Knotts, a 5-foot-7 senior, averaged 1.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in a season marred by injury.
“[Knotts] missed about half our games last year due to injury, but look for her to step up and help us during her senior year,” Flood said. “She’s a player that will go inside/out and seems to always be around the ball.”
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Finley, a 5-foot-10 sophomore, averaged 9.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and shot 50 percent from the field last season.
“[Finley] was moved to a starting position just a little halfway through the season,” Flood said. “She gave us another scoring threat and really stepped up her play as she gained more confidence.”
After losing a strong senior class, Republic will welcome a host of varsity newcomers this year including senior Miha Nambara, junior Hope Schatz, sophomore Misora Nambara, sophomore Lauren Chastain, sophomore Alex Price, sophomore Alania Norman and sophomore Molly Blades.
While the Lady Tiger roster will feature a host of new faces lacking varsity experience this season, expectations for a program that has captured ten of the past 13 district titles including two trips to the final four, a state title and eight seasons with at least 20 wins.
“Expectations are usually high but I’m not sure what to expect this year until we start practicing and playing,” Flood said. “We will have several players with limited varsity minutes due to the senior group from last year that played major roles for us and I see it taking time to learn to play with each other.”
With a difficult upcoming schedule featuring the likes of Kickapoo, Strafford, El Dorado Springs and Miller all at the front end, Republic will certainly be tested early.
“Our schedule will be demanding at the beginning and I could see us having some growing pains early,” Flood said. “I have a lot of confidence in the players we have and believe we can compete for conference and beyond that.”
Known for a relentless defensive approach, the Lady Tigers will rely on depth, versatility and an influx of size this season to create havoc at both ends of the court.
“I look for us to be strong at the guard position with the amount of depth we have at that position,” Flood said “I also like the versatility of our team. We have multiple players that can play many different roles for us which could cause the opposing team possible match-up issues.
“We have not had much size lately until this group came in. We will look to focus on playing consistently on “D” using both pressure and containing teams at the same time. On offense, we will try to push tempo and will probably use good perimeter play but I can see us being able to also use the paint more this year with our size and versatility from the players.”
If Republic is to be successful and make yet another postseason run, its relatively inexperienced roster will need to make a quick adjustment to the varsity game.
“I believe the X-factor will be how quick the newcomers step up and help us gel as a team,” Flood said. “We play a tough schedule at the beginning of the year against some teams that will be projected to have good seasons, I believe. Will really need to focus on fundamentals to try to be successful.”
Following a Nov. 15 Rogersville jamboree with Blue Eye, Kickapoo and the host school, Republic will open its season Dec. 9 in the Stephanie Phillips Classic at Kickapoo.
