SCAA: Positivity, work ethic carrying Bernie hoops to solid season

BLOOMFIELD – Following his team’s 48-39 loss to host Bloomfield in the opening round of the Stoddard County Athletic Association Boy’s Basketball Tournament on Tuesday, Bernie High School varsity coach Jason Long was as upbeat as he could be.

Come again?

“I have to be happy, really, to be honest with you,” Long said following the loss. “First and foremost, I have a tremendous amount of respect for how hard these kids work every day.”

The Mules showed their fortitude and positivity the next night (Wednesday), as they rebounded (literally and figuratively) with a 43-38 loss to a very solid Advance squad in the tourney’s consolation semifinal.

In Wednesday’s win, success came about for Bernie (7-7) by exhibiting toughness and patience.

The game was a slugfest, as the end-of-quarter margins were 8-7 (Bernie), 15-15, and 25-23 (Bernie), before the final margin, which happened in large part due to the stellar play of Mule freshman Chase Guiling.

“These kids play at a school with a great basketball tradition,” Long said of his program, which has had six consecutive seasons of 20 or more wins. “It would be easy to get down on ourselves. (The players) don’t do that. They are responsible. They are accountable.”

Guilling scored 16 of his game-high 24 points in the final eight minutes.

The 5-foot-10 guard not only was strong late, but he also drained a pair of 3-pointers in that critical period and sank all four of his free throw attempts in the second half.

“We are coming to practice and working hard,” Long said. “And on top of that, we are improving. You might not always see that on the scoreboard, but we are improved.”

The Mules have not lost more than two consecutive games all season, which is a testament to Long’s never-get-too-down attitude, and they have wins against the best Bloomfield squad in several years (42-31 in November), as well as Dexter (42-36 earlier this month).

In Wednesday’s win against the Hornets (2-15), Guiling got help from senior guard Jayden Robinette (11 points), as Long’s kids sank 11 of their 10 free throws.

“They’re Bernie,” first-year Bloomfield coach Ben Sindle said following Tuesday’s win, “they are always going to hit their free throws.”

Advance had three players produce in double figures, led by sophomore guard Hunter Rodgers, who totaled 18 points and hit four 3-pointers.

Hornet senior forward Braylen Carlton and senior guard Andrew Henson each had 10 points in the defeat.

Bernie moves on to battle Dexter tonight at 4:30 p.m. in the consolation championship game. It is the third meeting of the two teams, with each team grabbing a win over the other this year.

Advance will travel to Woodland (10-4) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.