One of the area's elite basketball players is staying home.
Kaemyn Bekemeier announced Thursday evening she has committed to playing basketball for the Lady Bears at Missouri State.
Bekemeier is an upcoming junior at Republic High. She is a 5-foot-9 guard who was a Class 6 All-State performer as a sophomore.
The local star recently visited Missouri State with photos of her in a Lady Bears uniform, standing next to the coaching staff, posted on social media.
Missouri State has shown interest in Bekemeier for a while — dating, at least, as far back to October when the Lady Bears offered.