Bloomfield runs away from Richland 53-22, Dexter girls reach McDonald's Shootout championship

ESSEX, Mo. - The undefeated Bloomfield Wildcats varsity boys basketball program added a final victory to its resume before Sunday's Christmas Tournament seed meeting Friday night.

Bloomfield opened SCAA play with a 53-22 road win against the Richland Rebels.

"I was pretty happy with the way we played in the first half," Bloomfield coach Jason Karnes said of his team's fifth victory of the season. "We got out in transition, ran and got a lot of reflections the first half. Then we got a little complacent the third quarter. I wish we would have came out a little stronger the second half. But, overall, not too bad. We like where we are at, and the effort was pretty good tonight."

Bloomfield scored the first nine points as it built a 9-0 lead less than three minutes into the first quarter. Richland played Bloomfield even the rest of the first quarter as the Wildcats entered the second quarter with an 18-9 lead.

The Wildcats padded its lead to 42-15 by halftime and outscored the Rebels 11-7 in the second half.

Only two players finished in double digits in the defensive showdown.

Bloomfield standout center Noah Vandiver scored 17 of his team-high 18 points in the first half.

Richland sophomore Hunter Walker tallied 13 of his team-high 14 points before halftime.

The Wildcats have held its opponent under 30 points in three of its first five games this season.

"It's extremely important we go out and guard really well," Karnes said. "Everything we do has got to start on the defensive end. I think we guarded really well. The last couple games we haven't rebounded very well, and I didn't think we rebounded well tonight. But I think our kids are really starting to value the defensive end. If they continue to do that, I think they will win some games."

Richland is back in action Monday when it visits Marquand-Zion.

Bloomfield returns to action Friday when it visits undefeated Advance.

The seed meeting for the 16-team Bloomfield Christmas Tournament is Sunday at 2 p.m. at Bloomfield.

"We will see where we fall," Karnes said. "5-0 is a good start, and we will take it. But the Christmas Tournament is going to be as tough as it always is, and wherever we fall we will have to be ready to compete and play four night to have success."

Bloomfield 53, Richland 22

RHS 9 6 5 2 - 22

BHS 18 24 7 4 - 53

RICHLAND (22) - Austin Elledge 1, Riley Glass 1, Brandon Partenberry 2, Hunter Walker 14, Nick Azure 2, Luke Rhodes 2. FG 7, FT 7/12, F 16. (3-pointers: Walker 1. Fouled out: none).

BLOOMFIELD (53) - Peyton Bell 7, Nathan Newell 8, Austin Bond 8, Austin Phillips 4, Tyler Battles 8, Noah Vandiver 18. FG 21, FT 10/20, F 14. (3-pointers: Vandiver 1. Fouled out: none).

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Dexter girls down Poplar Bluff 66-47, reach McDonald's Shootout final

PARAGOULD, Ark. - The Dexter Bearcats varsity girls basketball team outscored the Poplar Bluff Mules 31-4 in the second quarter on its way to a 66-47 victory in a semifinal of the McDonald's Shootout in Paragould, Arkansas, late Friday night.

Dexter hit seven of the 12 3-pointers it attempted in the first half. The Bearcats finished nine of 19 from 3-point range.

Dexter senior guard Dakota Reynolds tallied a team-high 17 points. Reynolds had three treys.

Dexter junior guard Harley Allen recorded all 15 of her points 3-pointers.

Dexter sophomore center Krysten Garrison made seven of the eight 2-pointers she attempted. Garrison finished with 14 points and brought down 10 of her team's 26 rebounds.

Dexter junior forward Melanie McKuin had a team-high six assists and recorded all five of her team's blocks.

Kaitlyn Salughter paced Poplar Bluff with 17 points.

Dexter (4-2) will play Jonesboro, Arkansas, in the championship of the three-day event Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

Look for a complete story with photos on Saturday's title game in the next print edition of Dexter Daily Statesman on Tuesday.

Dexter 66, Poplar Bluff 47

PBS 13 4 13 17 - 47

DHS 12 31 16 7 - 66

POPLAR BLUFF (47) - Autumn Dodd 9, Shelby Sievers 6, Megan Knuckles 3, Kaitlyn Slaughter 17, Sophie Rowland 5, Kaitlyn Harris 2, Cali King 5. FG 19, FT 5/8, F 7. (3-pointers: Slaughter 2, Rowland 1, King 1. Fouled out: none).

DEXTER (66) - Dakota Reynolds 17, Natalie Sitze 3, Melanie McKuin 7, Sydney Rogers 2, Krysten Garrison 14, Harley Allen 15, Chaylea Mosby 8. FG 27, FT 3/4, F 13. (3-pointers: Reynolds 3, Sitze 1, Allen 5. Fouled out: none).