The Lafayette boys’ basketball team came up just short in their bid for a state championship for the first time since 1976 as they lost to Republic, 45-42, Saturday in the Class 4 State Championship game inside Mizzou Arena.

The Fighting Irish end their season 25-5 and Republic wins its second consecutive state title as they finished 27-4.

Both teams started slow Saturday night as Lafayette led 5-4 after the first quarter, but the Irish quickly took control in the second quarter as Xavier Kurth scored ten points in the quarter and LHS led 19-10 at halftime.

Lafayette extended its lead in the third quarter as they led by as many as 14 points, 28-14, and took a 33-23 lead at the end of three.

Republic quickly got back in it in the fourth as they scored five points in first 45 seconds and cut the lead in half.

The Tigers pulled to within three points with 3:40 left in the fourth before the Irish went ahead 42-37 on a Riley McKay layup.

Lafayette wouldn’t score again.

Republic tied the game at 42 and then Canyon Smith hit a three-point shot with seven seconds left to give the Tigers their first lead since 4-3 and Lafayette couldn’t get a shot off to try and tie the game.

Republic won the game from the foul line as they made 18-for-24, including 16-for-21 in the second half.  Lafayette went just 6-for-9 the entire game.

Kurth led the Fighting Irish with 13 points, while Chester Goudeau added eight and Billy Cook scored six points.