BCT 2023: Richland (Essex) wraps up historic week with continued positive momentum

BLOOMFIELD – If there were any questions regarding the changing of the Richland (Essex) High School varsity boy’s basketball program in recent seasons, last year’s 14 victories (the most in 13 years), and MSHSAA Class 1 District 2 championship, sent a message to the rest of the Bootheel that the Rebels weren’t the same program as years past.

That alteration continued this week at the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament, as the Rebels (8-3) won the fifth-place game on Friday with a 66-47 thumping of Portageville and concluded a historic week of hoops for Richland (Essex).

“We are tougher now than we were on the first day that we played in the Oran tournament,” fifth-year Rebel coach Matt Cline said following Friday’s victory. “And we need to get a lot tougher than we did between here and the middle of February.”

Perhaps few of the packed-house crowd realized this on Friday, as they watched the Rebels obliterate the Bulldogs in the second quarter (outscoring Portageville 16-5), but prior to this week, it had been 13 years (Dec.28, 2010) since Richland (Essex) had even won a single game in this annual event.

The Rebels opened the week beating Twin Rivers 75-45 before falling to top-seed Puxico (the Indians finished third in the tournament) 85-71 in a quarterfinal matchup.

Richland (Essex) then made more history by beating Dexter in a consolation semifinal, which gave Cline’s program its first win against the Bearcats since 1997.

“It means a lot to the kids,” Cline said of the win. “They consider themselves, sort of rivals, but it has been a rivalry kind of like a hammer and a nail.”

The growth of the Rebels under Cline has been steady throughout his tenure.

His first team (2019-20) won seven games, followed by nine (in 2020-21), 10 (2021-22), and then last season’s memorable campaign.

This year’s team is the most productive Rebel team since that 21-win 2010 squad, and Cline is pretty happy with that aspect of play. However, the Richland (Essex) offense isn’t reaching its potential just yet, according to Cline.

“We have got to where we will move (within the motion offense),” Cline said. “I am happy that we share the ball, and the scoring is coming from every direction.”

Against Portageville, three Rebels scored in double figures, led by sophomore forward Gary Tilley, who had 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Richland (Essex) junior forward Tucker Hughes added 17 points in the win, and hit all three of his free throw attempts, while junior forward Eric Williams had 14 points.

Hughes was selected to the All-Tournament squad.

“There have been times when there has been a lid on that basket,” Cline said, “it’s not like that every day in practice. When those start falling, we’ve got the potential to have a pretty good offense.”

Defensively in three of the four games this week, Richland (Essex) stymied opposing offenses and didn’t allow more than 47 points.

“In our man (defense),” Cline said, “we have gotten to the point, we’re still not really good, but we’ve gotten to where we will communicate and we’re not just banging into each other.

“We’re guarding above the ball, and things like that.”

The trek to success doesn’t get any easier for Cline’s team.

The Rebels will venture to Woodland (7-1) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.