Republic drained 11 three-pointers, including six by senior Alice Heinzler, on the way to a 70-21 win over Joplin at the Nevada Classic Monday. Heinzler had 17 points by halftime, and finished with a game-high 28. By the time the game was over, eight different Lady Tigers had scored.
Republic allowed just four points in the 1st quarter and two points in the 2nd, in running out to a 34-6 halftime lead. Despite the quick start, head coach Kris Flood says there’s still room for improvement.
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“I still think we struggled a little bit in that first quarter. We didn’t create a lot of turnovers. We got a lot of easy baskets,” Flood says. “From the 2nd quarter on, we shot the ball extremely well.”
Sophomore center Tori Taylor had her best offensive game of the season, scoring ten points. Flood says Taylor still has room to make an impact on the inside on an under-sized team.
“When she puts her mind to it and works hard, she can be a force on the inside,” Flood says. “When she realizes she can use her body, and figures out how to use her body, she’ll be someone who can help us.
Heinzler and Taylor were the only players who scored in double figures for Republic. Michayla Shanks came off the bench to score nine points, all on three-pointers. Alex Botkin also added nine.
Republic improves to 14-0.