13 hours at Bloomfield

After a long night at work, Santa took in a few hours of hoops Friday. (Daily American Republic/Brian Rosener)

You've heard of the '12 Days of Christmas' but this didn't quite make it in that time period by about a day. But consider it a late Christmas gift that any basketball fan would enjoy.

Their weren't six geese-a-layin', not even four calling-birds (or none that I saw at least). But what their was on Friday was the '12 hours of basketball' at the 52nd annual Bloomfield Christmas Tournament that started in the morning and ended after 10 p.m.

I don't know about any of you, but I'd take the '12 hours of basketball' any day over accepting three French hens as a gift (but I'd maybe accept the five golden rings, I could probably try to sell those on eBay or to Frodo).

To chronicle the '12 hours of basketball' I made notes all day long for your enjoyment.

9:57 a.m. -- There's no better way to start off a day's worth of basketball without the "Star Spangled Banner" which was sung beautifully by Erica White prior to the first game.

10:01 a.m. -- That didn't take too long. A layup by Bernie's Jake Smith just 10 seconds into the first game gives the Mules the lead from the start. Smith probably hopes that scoring the first basketball of the tournament won't be his or top-seeded Mules only shinning moment.

10:02 a.m. -- Thank goodness East Carter's Miles Collins got the brakes checked on his sneakers prior to the game. Otherwise, I would be one squashed photographer right now.

10:35 a.m. -- End of the first half, Bernie scored an astounding 72 points.

11:07 a.m. -- Daniel Becking hits a 2-pointer with less than a minute left for Bernie's 100th point of the game. And the Bernie fans cheer.

12:44 -- With a running clock, Portageville's Fred Treadwell hits a 2 and gets fouled for the Bulldog's final points of a 59-26 victory over Greenville.

2:03 -- A loose ball bounces out of bounds onto the stage and hit a young fan in the face. He must be a future hockey player for a his toughness because the young boy didn't budge one bit.

2:18 -- The stands are about 90 percent full with a 48-44 lead for the Van Buren Bulldogs over No.3-seed Kennett with less than 3 minutes to play.

2:28 -- Van Buren's Nathan Dazey goes 2-for-2 at the free throw line to give his team a comfy six-point lead.

2:29 -- The day's first upset is complete as No. 14 Van Buren beats Kennett, 55-47.

3:30 -- After hitting a layup and drawing foul, Puxico's John Smith, an all-tournament player last year, leaves the game with a cut that appears to be behind his right ear. The game is delayed to clean up the court. The bucket gave Puxico the lead for the first time since the first minute of the game against Hayti.

3:43 -- Puxico's fans get into a frenzy as Smith emerges from the locker room banged up and immediately checks into the game.

4:10 -- Puxico Cody Russom puts the exclamation point on the victory with an old fashioned 3-point play with 48 seconds left to take a seven point lead on Hayti.

4:13 -- Puxico makes it two straight upsets on the afternoon as they dribble out the clock and take a 72-61 victory.

4:23 -- Went on a burger break in delightful hospitality room and I think I may have just saw Santa.

5:23 -- Dexter may have struggled early in the season, but playing without one of its key scorers in Alan Flannigan, the Bearcats are enjoying a running clock at the start of the fourth quarter with a 44-point lead on East Prairie.

5:33 -- The two-game upset streak has been squandered as the No.5-seed Bearcats prevail over the East Prairie Eagles, 75-29.

6:43 -- It took five and a half games, but Twin Rivers' 6-foot-7 post player Zech Payne finally tested the durability of the rims for the first dunk of the tournament that gave the Royals a 38-point lead in the third quarter.

7:05 -- Twin Rivers is the fourth team of the day to force a running clock in the fourth quarter as they finished off the Green Wave and move on to the quarterfinals of against Van Buren.

8:40 -- The clock runs out on last season's runner-up Doniphan. Richland dribbles out the clock, taking a 62-40 win for the third upset of the third round as Richland played as the No. 10-seed.

8:58 -- The day's final game tips off between the host No. 8-seed Bloomfield Wildcats and the No. 9-seed South Pemiscot Bulldogs.

9:28 -- In a somewhat comedic moment, Bloomfield junior Leighton Hensley lodges the ball between the backboard and rim. The two teams played a game of 'Who can jump the highest' to get the ball. After several players gave it a college try, it was the shooter Hensley who was the victor on this one, saving the janitor from getting out the broomstick.

10:23 -- Hensley puts in the final basket of the day, a mere 12 hours and 22 minutes after Jake Smith made the first shot. Hensley tipped in a rebound off a missed Seth Hill free throw with about seven seconds left in the game to take the 78-71 win.

After 256 minutes, 863 points scored, three upsets and four blowouts the first day at the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament was certainly an interesting one.

The two teams (Doniphan and Hayti) that played in the finals last year were eliminated.

In fact, if you include Malden losing to Twin Rivers, the past three winners are now on the other side of the bracket.

Unless Dexter, which won seven straight from 1998-2004, continues its solid play from the No. 5-seed, we will be looking at a new winner out of the existing teams left for the first time since 1994 when Twin Rivers took home the title.

If the next two days is as interesting as the first, this one should go down as one of the more memorable finishes.

It might even be better finish than the song. Who needs a 'Partridge in a Pear Tree' anyways?