All your favorite teams and sources in one place

Build your feed

Your Teams.
All Sources.

Build your feed

© 2024 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC.

No results found.
McMillin’s historic 61-point performance highlights a special career at Republic
In January, Drew McMillin had the performance of a lifetime scoring 61 points and draining 16 three-pointers for the Republic Tigers. (Photo: Steve Rackley/Flat Top Photos)

McMillin’s historic 61-point performance highlights a special career at Republic

REPUBLIC, Mo. (BVM) — Most of us can only dream of a 61-point performance, and might only be able to accomplish it in a video game. And it is quite possible that in late January, Republic basketball star Drew McMillin may have felt like he was in one.

In a game against Camdenton High School earlier this season, McMillin caught fire unlike many players can. 

Although Republic started slow, the senior would drain his first three-point shot midway through the first quarter.

By the end of the opening quarter, McMillin made a couple more threes to put him at three for the game. In the beginning of the second quarter, he made two more, and realized he was quickly heating up.

Drew McMillin knew he was on fire early on in his game against Camdenton, and had 27 points and seven threes already by halftime. (Photo: Steve Rackley/Flat Top Photos)

“I made my fourth and fifth and thought I was officially on fire and could drop kick it and it would go in,” McMillin said. “My teammates recognized that and kept getting me the ball. I just kept shooting it and it kept going in. At halftime, everyone was kind of going crazy for me.”

The Republic record for three-point makes in a game used to stand at eight. By halftime, McMillin had already hit seven to go along with 27 points, and had his sights set on breaking that record. But he would go on to do far more than that.

In the second half, McMillin recaptured his first-half magic and then some. After making his first couple threes out of the locker room, the senior had captured the school three-point record.

“I broke the in-game record so I kind of relaxed a little bit,” McMillin said. “But as the game went on, I kept making more and it became a thing where I could break the in-game scoring record for Republic. Then I got close to that and when we got over that hump, it was that I could break the state three-point record. It just kept snowballing from there and it was definitely a crazy environment to be in. It was awesome.”

Throughout the second half, McMillin’s teammates helped scheme him open and he would end up breaking the Republic single-game scoring record which was previously held by John Wakeman at 56 points. By the time the game was all said and done, McMillin ended up dropping in 16 three-pointers, which is tied for the most makes in a high school basketball game in Missouri.

While McMillin is the one who put together the special performance, he believes his team was the reason for it, and also one of the reasons it was made more special.

“It was definitely special for my team because it takes the right shooting night but it also takes the right people around you to accomplish something like that,” McMillin said. “If you go back and watch that film, everyone on my team was pointing at me and passing up wide open shots for ourselves. Our team is such a close group of friends and we love playing basketball for each other. That was the happiest moment for me because they were just as excited as I was.”

The performance McMillin put up is certainly rare and has been in a sense career-altering for him and season-altering for his solid Republic squad.

“After the game, we were all jumping up and down and they all had water bottles they were pouring on me,” McMillin said. “After the game, it felt like it didn’t actually happen and was just something you’d watch in movies. My identity throughout high school has been the three-pointer and that game has raised the intensity for teams to put pressure on me. But it’s changed a lot for me too and has opened doors for some coaches to come watch me play.”

Drew McMillin‘s impressive single-game performance set two program records and tied the state record for most three-point shots made in one game. (Photo: Steve Rackley/Flat Top Photos)

McMillin has a sweet shooting stroke, and has always been known as a pure shooter throughout his career. Playing the game since preschool, the Republic senior has fond memories of watching highlights of Michael Jordan with his dad and brother.

Enjoying the team aspect of the sport, basketball quickly became McMillin’s main competition. As he developed into a point guard during his youth, he began trading in the Jordan highlights to instead watch and relate to one of the NBA’s greatest point guards, Steve Nash.

McMillin always played locally with Republic, but also has played summer ball throughout his life, most notably with Yanders Law since sixth grade.

By the time McMillin got to Republic, he was a varsity player from day one. Coming off the bench for the Tigers as a freshman, the 5-foot-11 point guard averaged around five points per game as a catch-and-shoot player.

In his sophomore year, McMillin took a big jump as his team’s main scorer. He would go on to average 15 points per game, leading the Tigers to a district championship.

As a junior, McMillin became a true leader for Republic on and off the court. Averaging 20 points per game during the 2019-20 season, the point guard also scored his 1,000th point.

“That was definitely a special moment,” McMillin said about scoring 1,000 points. “It’s one of those milestones in high school that everyone wants to reach and I was able to do that with a ton of great guys I really like.”

McMillin has clearly kept the good times rolling into his senior season. Of course, the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic did worry him prior to the year, but he is happy to be out on the court for Republic one last time.

“I think this year has been crazy and it just makes us even hungrier to play the game and not take it for granted,” McMillin noted. “We definitely have come into practice and games with a chip on our shoulder. This has been by far one of my favorite years I have ever had playing basketball and it’s flown by for sure.”

The 18-year-old continues to enjoy the season with his teammates, and is happy to get to play his final year with his younger brother, who is a junior on the squad. As the season continues on, McMillin and the Tigers hope to win a district championship and go as far as they can in the postseason.

After he graduates from Republic, Drew McMillin will look to play college basketball and has already received offers and interest to do so. (Photo: Steve Rackley/Flat Top Photos)

McMillin will look to continue his career in college, and his special senior season will only help. He already has a few official offers, notably from local NAIA schools in Evangel University and College of the Ozarks. He also has interest from Drury University, Lindenwood University and Columbia College as well. 

Ultimately, the point guard wants to play at the highest level he can, but will look for the best fit before making an official commitment.

“I’m still trying to make my decision and I’m really blessed to have the options that I do,” McMillin said. “It’s hard for me to say I’m leaning towards one or another.”

Wherever McMillin ends up, there is no doubt his new program will be lucky to have a true team player and talented scorer. While off the court, the basketball standout hopes to study chemistry and possibly enter into a career in the dentistry field down the road.

No matter where his basketball career goes from here, McMillin has left an impactful legacy at Republic, and will always be remembered for his special performance this winter. That incredible night, and seeing his name at the top of several historical lists, will be something he cherishes forever.

“What makes the 61-point game really special is that I was able to do it with those guys,” McMillin said. “It’s still crazy to think back to that game and it doesn’t feel real. Seeing my name at the top of those lists makes me realize all the time I put into my shot, all the times my mom and dad took me to the gym, and the two workouts a week all summer is all starting to pay off for me. I smile every time I think about it and it’s an awesome feeling.”