ADVANCE BEATS BERNIE FOR ITS 1ST DISTRICT CROWN IN 22 YEARS

ADVANCE -- Advance High's Hornets picked one of the biggest stages of all to prove that they are far from a one-man basketball team.

Garrett Broshuis, one of the area's premier players and a likely all-stater, had a solid game Thursday night, but it was the performance of Daniel Turner and others that helped propel the Hornets to their first district title since 1978.

Broshuis scored 25 points, Turner followed with 22 and Adam Rainey had 15 as top-seeded and host Advance thrilled a standing-room-only crowd with a surprisingly easy 81-61 win over second-seeded Bernie in the finals of the Class 1A, District 2 Tournament.

Advance, now 25-4, advances to a 1A Regional game Monday night in Sikeston. Bernie, which had dropped two close decisions to the Hornets during the regular season, finishes at 23-6.

"This feels great," said Broshuis as he and his teammates received plenty of hugs and slaps on the back as players and fans gathered on the court following the victory. "We've been working for this since we were seven, eight years old. It took a long time to rebuild the program."

While Broshuis has gotten much of the credit for the Hornets' sensational season so far -- and rightfully so -- the soft-spoken standout has always been quick to praise his teammates.

"I've said all along that we're a team," said the 6-foot-2 senior. "Everybody stepped up tonight. They played me a box-and-one and Daniel stepped up so big."

With the Mules trying their best to not let Broshuis beat them, Turner had a monster game. The 6-foot senior matched Broshuis with four 3-pointers and he scored 13 second-quarter points to help hold off a Bernie charge.

"I just figured we'd move the ball and whoever got shots, got shots," said Turner, who added with a grin, "I just shoot and hope it goes in. That's all I ever do."

Said Advance coach Jim Hall, "Daniel Turner had the greatest game of his life. He just nailed it."

Rainey, a 6-foot junior point guard who is the Hornets' defensive sparkplug, spearheaded a solid Advance defensive effort in addition to scoring 15 points.

"We knew defense would be the key," Rainey said. "This feels so good, and the crowd was great."

Hall praised the Hornets' defense, saying, "I thought our defense early dictated the game. It got us some steals for layups and really got us going."

Jon French, a 6-1 junior, just missed double figures as he had a solid game with nine points. Advance's other starter, 6-2 sophomore Aaron Cantrell, also played strong inside.

"I thought we played well," Hall said. "It was a great team effort."

Bernie's sharp-shooting 5-8 senior guard, Jason Karnes, led his team with 23 points as he hit four 3-pointers. Derek Stone added 14 points.

Advance had control virtually the entire game. Broshuis scored the first five points, on a driving shot and a 3-pointer, as the Hornets were off and running. It was 20-11 after one quarter.

With Turner getting hot in the second period, Bernie fell behind 33-18. But, to the Mules' credit, they rallied and pulled to within 39-34 late.

Advance reserve Andy Lanpher hit two free throws in the final minute of the opening half, then Broshuis came up with a steal and drilled a 3-pointer to make it 44-34. Advance led 44-36 at the break.

Bernie was within 47-40 early in the third quarter when Advance began to pull away. Broshuis hit consecutive 3-pointers to make it 53-40.

After the Mules closed to 53-42, Turner drilled a 3-pointer, Rainey scored in the lane and Rainey hit one of two free throws. That made it 59-42 and pretty much sealed the verdict.

The Hornets led 63-49 after three and were ahead 79-55 with two minutes left when Hall cleared his bench to a rousing ovation from the partisan Advance crowd.