Richland edges Malden; rest of top seeds advance easily at Bloomfield

BLOOMFIELD -- The top seeds had very little trouble advancing in the first round of the 53rd Annual Bloomfield Christmas Tournament on Saturday.

Every game was won by more than a 20-point margin, except for the Richland/Malden game which saw the Rebels pull away in the fourth quarter for a 64-56 win.

Bernie 88, East Carter County 18

The top-seeded Bernie Mules used a 29-0 run in the second quarter to easily dispatch East Carter County 88-18 in the first game of the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament Saturday morning.

Bernie jumped out to a 19-6 lead after one quarter and led 48-6 at halftime.

The Mules put five players in double figures, led by Jake Owens who finished with 18. John Zeigler led East Carter with 10.

East Carter 6 0 6 6 -- 18

Bernie 19 29 29 11 -- 88

EAST CARTER (18) -- Derrick Cook 1, Daniel Stromatt, 3, Dwaine Barnes 2, John Zeigler 10, Dustin Nichols 2. FG 8, FT 2-10, F 12. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none).

BERNIE (88) -- Cameron Shipman 15, Jake Welch 10, Quinton Stevens 11, Jake Owens 18, Marcus Robertson 3, Nason Lane 1, Sammy Walker 3, Jake Smith 8, Jordan McGowan 13, Zach O'Daniel 2, Jeremy Walker 4. FG 35, FT 8-11, F 15. (3-pointers: Shipman 3, Owens 3, McGowan 2, Stevens 1, Robertson 1. Fouled out: none).

Portageville 81,

Greenville 28

Second-seeded Portageville jumped out to a 23-9 after one quarter and never looked back in a 81-28 win over Greenville.

After leading 46-20 at halftime the Bulldogs put the game well out of reach by outscoring Greenville 28-3 in the third quarter.

Jake Young and Rondraus Booker each scored 14 for Portageville (4-2) while Isaac Ray added 13 and Fernando Minnis chipped in 10. Nick Wren had 10 points to lead Greenville.

Greenville 9 11 3 5 -- 28

Portageville 23 23 28 7 -- 81

GREENVILLE (28) -- Jacob Wood 8, Perry Meyer 6, Jacob Simmons 2, Nick Wren 10, Tim Frymire 1, Dylan Rhoden 1. FG 7, FT 11-19, F 15. (3-pointers: Meyer 2, Wood 1. Fouled out: none).

PORTAGEVILLE (81) -- Tevin Walker 8, Isaac Ray 13, Jansen Darst 4, Dominique Walker 3, Fernando Minnis 10, Eric Simmons 1, Blake Posey 2, Rondraus Booker 14, Jake Young 14, Dion Foster 8, Denzell Simmons 4. FG 36, FT 9-20, F 17. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none).

Kennett 83, Puxico 37

The blowouts continued in the third game of the day as Kennett cruised past Puxico 83-37.

Kennett led 30-10 after one quarter and 47-15 at halftime.

Eleven players scored for Kennett, led by Fred Garmon's 13. John Smith had 18 to lead Puxico.

Puxico 10 5 13 9 -- 37

Kennett 30 17 21 15 -- 83

PUXICO (37) -- Skyler Moore 2, Derrick Durall 2, John Smith 18, Tyler Woolard 3, Rory Moore 1, Nathan Martin 2, Josh Whitehead 3, Corey Davis 6. FG 12, FT 11-21, F 14. (3-pointers: Woolard 1, Whitehead 1. Fouled out: none).

KENNETT (83) -- Cameron Wallace 8, Jack Walls 8, Fred Garmon 13, Jay Shavers 3, Randrick Caruthers 10, Ryan Richardson 2, Dwight Usry 9, Adam Grantham 10, Jimmy Gooden 10, Jajuan Wallace 6, Travon Weeden 4. FG 36, FT 8-16, F 19. (3-pointers: Wallace 1, Shavers 1, Gooden 1. Fouled out: Richardson).

Richland 64, Malden 56

The fourth-seeded Richland Rebels got a scare from Malden, but pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 64-56 win.

The game was tied at 48-48 after three quarters but Richland (5-1) used defensive pressure and poor Malden shooting to outscore the Green Wave 16-8 in the final frame.

Richland was led in scoring by Ryan Kleffer who finished with 28 points. Mac Thornton added 15 and Drew Thornton 10 for the Rebels.

Malden was led in scoring by Jordan Luster's 19.

Malden 10 22 16 8 -- 56

Richland 14 19 15 16 -- 64

MALDEN (56) -- Quentin Jackson 12, Dontavious Minniefield 13, Patrick Wilson 1, Quentin Johns 1, Jordan Luster 19, Dywhite Jackson 10. FG 23, FT 6-16, F 18. (3-pointers: Jackson 2, Minniefield 2. Fouled out: none).

RICHLAND (64) -- Michael Latham 7, Jesse Brown 2, Drew Thornton 10, Ryan Kleffer 28, Mac Thornton 15, Richard Forshee 2. FG 24, FT 13-19, F 14. (3-pointers: Kleffer 3. Fouled out: Brown).

Dexter 77, Van Buren 33

The fifth-seeded Dexter Bearcats used a big second quarter run, sparked by junior Alan Flannigan, to race past Van Buren 77-33.

Dexter held a slim 18-17 lead in the second quarter when the Bearcats started focusing on their post game. The Bearcats finished the quarter on a 21-3 run, which saw Flannigan score 14 of 17 points in one stretch.

Flannigan led Dexter (2-5) with 24 points while Jon Bowman added 16. Sledge Crawley led Van Buren with 15 points.

Van Buren 13 7 4 9 -- 33

Dexter 18 21 23 15 -- 77

VAN BUREN (33) --Mike Duncan 3, Daniel Newberry 3, Zane Betz 6, Sledge Crawley 15, Cody Rector 6. FG 14, FT 1-7, F 9. (3-pointers: Crawley 2, Duncan 1, Newberry 1. Fouled out: none).

DEXTER (77) -- Brandon Stoker 9, Jake Cox 2, Ryan Windham 1, Gary Summers 4, Bryn Hester 2, Alan Flannigan 24, Logan Robey 2, Jon Bowman 16, Garrett Clouse 4, Walt Phillips 3, Jake Lee 2, Taylor Jarrell 8. FG 35, FT 4-6, F 12. (3-pointers: Bowman 2, Stoker 1. Fouled out: none).

Bloomfield 74,

East Prairie 30

The sixth-seeded Bloomfield Wildcats were too much for the shorthanded East Prairie Eagles 74-30.

East Prairie, playing without Dustin Caldwell who was out with injury, trailed only 9-7 midway through the first quarter when the Wildcats' Leighton Hensley threw down a slam dunk, exciting the home crowd. The Wildcats fed off the excitement and outscored East Prairie 14-2 the rest of the quarter and never looked back.

Hensley led Bloomfield in scoring with 19 points. Connor Scott led East Prairie (2-6) with 12 points.

East Prairie 9 13 6 2 -- 30

Bloomfield 23 19 23 7 -- 74

EAST PRAIRIE (30) -- Ben Hall 2, Mikey Russell 4, Matt Dorris 1, Chris Martin 4, Kaleb Williford 1, Andrew Cartwright 2, Dalton Golightly 4, Connor Scott 12. FG 8, FT 14-22, F 12. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none).

BLOOMFIELD (74) -- Jacob McNeil 8, Leighton Hensley 19, Garrett Rice 12, Aaron Tilley 2, Derrick Caldwell 9, Matt Merick 4, Dylan Bader 16, Mitchell Skaggs 1, Cody Redcloud 2. FG 31, FT 9-12, F 21. (3-pointers: McNeil 2. Fouled out: none).

Hayti 83,

South Pemiscot 53

The Hayti Indians blew open a close game in the third quarter and rolled past South Pemiscot 83-53.

Hayti held a slim 38-34 lead at halftime but outscored the Bulldogs 35-11 in the third quarter to put the game away.

Hayti was led Jerome Thomas who ended with 17 points. Tyler Thompson had 18 to lead South Pemiscot.

S. Pemiscot 22 12 11 8 -- 53

Hayti 20 18 35 10 -- 83

SOUTH PEMISCOT (53) -- Kevin Crouch 3, Jordan Johnson 8, Preston Wilbourn 4, Jordan Carter 9, Kerry Hall 2, Tyler Thompson 18, James Hollywood 7, Cameron Lincks 2. FG 21, FT 8-13, F 18. (3-pointers: Crouch 1, Carter 1, Thompson 1. Fouled out: Wilbourn).

HAYTI (83) -- Keenan Williams 9, AD Hamilton 1, Keenon Norris 8, Byron Norris 12, Darlus Presberry 10, Demonta Abbott 10, Jerome Thomas 17, Craig Rodgers 7, Darnell Clay 2, Dorlyon West 7. FG 31, FT 19-29, F 15. (3-pointers: Williams 1, Presberry 1. Fouled out: none).

Twin Rivers 74,

Doniphan 50

The eighth-seeded Twin Rivers Royals outscored Doniphan 21-6 in the second quarter on their way to a 74-50 win.

Twin Rivers was led by senior Matt Boyles who finished with 17 points while Garret Stockton added 16.

Action continues today with consolation bracket play beginning at 9 a.m. and winner's bracket play starting at approximately 3 p.m.