Young guard leading surging Puxico squad into tough C2D3 test

Without question, the Puxico High School boy’s basketball squad has its hands full heading into tonight’s semifinal match-up against No. 1-seed Greenville in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 3 Tournament.

“They are good,” second-year Indian coach Bryant Fernetti said of the Bears. “The first time that we played them, I felt like, mentally, we didn’t handle it very well. They are big and physical and athletic. It’s hard, you kind of pick your poison on how you are going to play.”

The two teams will meet tonight at 6 p.m. at Bloomfield High School, and Fernetti is praying for a different outcome than the 64-35 beating his team took in Greenville.

“I feel like we will give them a better game this time,” Fernetti said.

A BIG reason for that optimism comes in the little form of 5-foot-8 freshman guard Landan Burchard.

In Monday’s win over Meadow Heights, Burchard scored 14 points, including five in the final period, as the Panthers fought back to make it a close game.

“We had a freshman step up,” Fernetti said of Burchard, “and he has a bright future.”

Burchard showed the ability to score in a variety of manners.

He drove the ball on Meadow Heights and got to the basket, while he also buried a 3-pointer.

Burchard also got to the free throw line five times, demonstrating a degree of difficulty to contain off the bounce.

“He has played more and more,” Fernetti said. “Really, once the Stoddard County Tournament was over, I felt we needed to go ahead and get him up (to varsity).”

Since the SCAA Tournament last month, Puxico (17-8) has won five of its last six games.

“We are playing better overall at this point,” Fernetti said. “Seeing Greenville one time (already) always helps. We know going into this game that we really have nothing to lose.

“We just need to come out and let it rip. That is going to be our mindset.”

For Burchard, however, he plays tonight, his work will continue over the next eight months heading into his sophomore season, which could be really intriguing.

“He’s going to continue to work,” Fernetti said. “He wants to play in college, and he just wants to play all of the time.”

Following the Indians’ game with the Bears (21-1), Advance (21-6) will face Oran (16-10) at 7:30 p.m.