Defending champion Bernie keeps consolation hopes alive at Bloomfield Christmas Tournament

Bernie's Alex Guzman dribbles around Portageville's Luke Darst Monday in a Bloomfield Christmas Tournament consolation quarterfinal at Bloomfield High School. (David Jenkins, Standard Democrat)

sports@standard-democrat.com

BLOOMFIELD -- The defending Bloomfield Christmas Tournament champions are still in line for a championship after Monday, just not the big one.

Bernie pulled off the tournament's first upset when the 13th seed took out No. 12 Portageville 50-42 during the consolation quarterfinals.

"We're just trying to find a way to compete and win a few games right now," Bernie coach Brad Botsch said. "We've kind of had a rough year so far and it was good to see the kids toughen up that second half and find a way to finish a game."

The Mules (2-7) grabbed a 9-8 lead late in the first quarter and never trailed again. Portageville looked to use its advantage inside by feeding their 6-4 junior Chris Garmon, who finished with 11 points.

Garmon and Torrey combined to score 33 points during Portageville's 55-43 loss to No. 5 Malden during the first round. Garmon hurt Bernie on the glass the most while Torrey finished with eight points.

"He's a big strong kid," Botsch said. "We had to keep him and (Ian) Torrey in check the best we could."

Portageville's Chris Garmon wrestles for a rebound with Bernie players Monday in a Bloomfield Christmas Tournament consolation quarterfinal at Bloomfield High School. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

Back to back three's from Portageville's Luke Darst, who led the Bulldogs with 12 points on four 3-pointers, sent both teams into halftime locked into a 23-23 tie.

Bernie scored the first six points of the second half. They fought off a Portageville team that struggled to score inside the 3-point line. They finished the game with eight three's and just five 2-point field goals.

Bernie also neutralized Garmon and Torrey on the block limiting Garmon to four points in the second half.

"They have a lot of size on us," Botsch said. "I thought our kids had enough guts to stay in front of them and keep them off the glass better in the second half."

A 3-pointer by Torrey cut Portageville's lead to 45-40 with 47 seconds left, but that's as close as they would come.

The Bulldogs end this year's tournament with an 0-2 record after falling to fifth-seeded Malden on Saturday.

Bernie, who was led by Nate Dillinger's 15 points, will play the winner of No. 9 Twin Rivers and No. 16 Richland on Tuesday during the consolation semifinals at 1 p.m.

PORTAGEVILLE (42) -- Romez Mosby 5, Luke Darst 12, Ian Torrey 8, Chris Garmon 11, Tony Smith 6. FG 13 FT 8-10 F 16. (3-pointers: Mosby 1, Darst 4, Torrey 2, Smith 1. Fouled out: none.)

BERNIE (50) -- Jayce Burk 7, Alan Pippins 5, Nate Dillinger 15, Gavin Brown 13, Dalton Hobgood 10. FG 18 FT 9-11 F 12. (3-pointers: Burk 1, Pippins 1, Hobgood 3. Fouled out: none.)