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SportsDecember 30, 2023

BLOOMFIELD – The Puxico High School varsity boy’s basketball program has advanced to the MSHSAA State Finals on four different occasions, so to say the Indians are off to the best start in program history this winter may be incorrect. However, the last time Puxico challenged for a state title was 71 years ago (Class B second place in 1953), so it is accurate to state that Puxico is enjoying a historic year.

Puxico High School guards Jett Hancock (right) and Mason Parsley, with the help of Indian coach Bryant Fernetti, trap Van Buren senior guard Benjamin Hawkins in the third-place game of the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament on Friday at Bloomfield.
Puxico High School guards Jett Hancock (right) and Mason Parsley, with the help of Indian coach Bryant Fernetti, trap Van Buren senior guard Benjamin Hawkins in the third-place game of the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament on Friday at Bloomfield.Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

BLOOMFIELD – The Puxico High School varsity boy’s basketball program has advanced to the MSHSAA State Finals on four different occasions, so to say the Indians are off to the best start in program history this winter may be incorrect. However, the last time Puxico challenged for a state title was 71 years ago (Class B second place in 1953), so it is accurate to state that Puxico is enjoying a historic year.

The Indians, who are ranked No. 7 in Class 2, concluded the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament on Friday by demolishing Van Buren 79-54 to earn third place after entering the event as the top seed, and third-year coach Bryant Fernetti can absolutely see the positives of his group with their 10-1 start.

“The offense is there,” Fernetti said of his group, which averages nearly 72 points per game, “but we have to get better on the defensive side of the ball.”

Historically, Puxico is putting together its best defensive squad in over 15 seasons – by far.

Van Buren is averaging 63 points per game and Puxico had the Bulldogs down 43-17 at halftime.

Fernetti’s kids limited eventual tournament champion Malden to 70 points and the Green Wave have scored 80 points on four different occasions this season.

“At times,” Fernetti said, “we don’t rebound as well as we should. “And we need to keep the ball out of the lane off of the dribble.”

The Indians expect 6-foot-4 senior center Scuyler Zimmerman, who was injured in the first half against Malden in the championship semifinal on Thursday, to be back after spraining his ankle, perhaps, by their Jan. 9 match-up with Bell City.

Zimmerman will definitely help with rebounding, as well as contesting drives to the rim.

In the meantime, 6-foot-1 junior forward Kaysen Long has done a very good job defensively, according to Fernetti.

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“Kaysen does a really good job of seeing (the ball) in the air and knowing where it is going off of the rim,” Fernetti said. “He is our best overall defender because he can guard anybody.

“He just does a great job.”

The Puxico defense can quickly convert into an offensive threat, as the deep Indian roster allows it to play with a torrid pace. That is how the Indians have scored at least 78 points in five different games.

“It helps to have (sophomore guards Jett Hancock and Landan Burchard),” Fernetti said. “They can guard a bunch of people. They are small (5-foot-11 and 5-foot-9, respectively), but they play much bigger than they are.

“When they get the ball in their hands, typically something good happens.”

Burchard and Hancock each made the All-Tournament Team.

Burchard totaled 17 points against Van Buren while Hancock scored a team-high 19 points.

Indian senior Thomas Burch added nine points on Friday, as did junior guard Mason Parsley.

Van Buren was led by junior guard Elijah Van Wagner with 20 points.

Puxico returns to action on Friday against Clarkton (3-5) at 7:30 p.m. in Puxico.

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