The question of the semi-final game between Bernie and Eskridge was wondering which Bernie team would get off the bus. I think the only question about the championship game will be which team gets off the Sturgeon bus. Bernie did not have a particularly good offensive game against Eskridge but made their star player work for everything he got in the second half by assigning him to "the hound" Jordan McGowan. Sturgeon is a very balanced team and I can see why they are undefeated, but can they maintain the defense it will take to take the mules out of their game for the entire game? While being able to handle man to man defense that Bernie is known for? I think Bernie has a great chance of bringing home their first state champonship. It will be a fantastic game to watch and with the fans of sturgeon and Bernie in the Mizzou Arena, it is certainly going to be loud!

According to maxpreps Bernie should have an advantage in height. Sturgeons' tallest player is listed at 6'3", with only 2 others over 6". Which is probably a safe bet that since they have limited height=they can run. I mean they have to be 31-0 for areason. They have 3 players averaging double figures; 2 of which are Juniors. One of their big wins was against Pilot grove by score of 58-47, Pilot Grove & SCC will play in the class 1 championship on saturday.

I agree with u early80smule i feel that the Mules Defense will be a major factor in this game .... I say the same thing about the score i say by 10-20 Mules WIN ......

DRAWMULES what do u think ?

I hope Bernie loses because they have an arrogant and annoying coaching staff. If all coaches were humble and gracious like Jim Bidewell, then they would be easy to root for. Unfortunately, we are stuck with the likes of David Heeb, Botsch & Long, and Bausch and Lomb.

I am 723 miles away in Fort Polk, Louisiana, and thanks to MSHAA TV, I will be able to watch the Mules bring home their first title, and then at 8pm on NJCAA TV, watch the TRCC Raiders win the NJCAA national title, and then of course with SCC taking home the title, it will be a GREAT Day for SEMO basketball.

fans of bernie here at the hotel are saying scc would loose to them by 20 points if we played them ...lol what are they smoking down there to make these people say that lol scc would kill them

Prediction: Bernie over Sturgeon by 8. With this being said, final four games are hard to predict. You never know if a team will come out playing scared. In my opinion, Eskridge is more talented than Sturgeon. But Sturgeon is undefeated. They are also 22 miles from Columbia. They have a home court advantage that would be comparable to home court advantage in a college game because they do not have to travel and stay in motels. They are also in their territory. Many have suggested Bernie will win by 15. But something tells me the game may be closer considering the obstacles Bernie will have to overcome in the game.

"I heard that Wellston plays a lot of Class 4 and Class 5 schools from the St. Louis area, etc. and that is why their record is 18-10. It would be interesting to see what Bernie's record would be if they had the same schedule. When playing Class 4 schools this year, Bernie hasn't been too successful. All the locals are constantly saying that because Scott City played a close game with Wellston that Bernie will win by 67 points. Hmmm...maybe they are right.

Wellston is also one of those teams that makes you realize how nonathletic your team really is. Your team can barely get the rim, they are throwing down windmills. It takes more than athleticism to win a basketball game, but apparently Wellston has some ball players too. I hope Wellston wins based on funk only. And if Bernie wins, some people's heads will swell up so much they will look like those Wii characters, and their bosoms will overflow like C.S.

R.I.P. John Ritter"

Is the only thing I've ever said about Bernie vs. Eskridge. So where did I predict a double digit victory for Bernie? What evidence is there that I don't follow basketball before forming an opinion?

You're just a Bernie homer who can't be objective right now. It's okay. Bernie will probably win, but I hope they lose.

Sturgeon was a better team on Saturday than Thursday. I would love to tell you Bernie just didn't play well. However, I do not think Bernie could have played much better on Saturday. McGowan and Owens were amazing.

I found it interesting McLemore did not take the last shot for Eskridge on Thursday and I found it just as interesting that Bernie did not hold for one shot against Sturgeon Saturday. Bernie started melting the clock with approximately one minute remaining. They had melted over half the time off the clock when they drove to the basket and missed. Even if the shot would have fallen Sturgeon would have had an opportunity to win the game with a 3. The shot didn't fall for Bernie and Sturgeon got an opportunity to win the game in regulation they simply do not get if Bernie holds the ball for one shot and does not turn the ball over. Nevertheless, Bernie rarely held for one shot at the end of any quarter this year. I guess you have to stick with what got your team to the state championship.

In 1963 and 1989 Bernie won second in the state. A coomon theme in my posts for volleyball and basketball this year is history repeats itself. I guess the theme is appropriate for Bernie's finish for 2010. Second once again.

In my opinion, the players should be very proud of their accomplishments. The community will have great memories of the players on this year's team for the next several decades. Very very special group.

Poor Bernie, The just seem to have a problem in big games against teams with a Bulldog as a mascot. The Portageville Bulldogs last year and the Sturgeon Bulldogs this year. After watching them play several games this year in Semo it was easy to see that this team wasnt ready for the pressure of a game like today. They have some okay ball players but the coaching staff is full of egos and attitudes. I hope all the Bernie fans enjoyed being in Columbia this weekend and I hope they took lots of pictures because I predict it will be another 21 years before they make it back.

Drawmules, I hope you have another job besides predicting the outcome of High School basketball games. Arent you also the one who predicted Heeb would have a great year at Caruthersville. I guess that makes you 0-2

As 2.8 sec had ended all I could think was that Jake did all he could to make the shot, Jeremy did all he could to get the ball to him and the boys played a great game all around and were beat!! As my eyes watered I turned around and a fan behind said can you believe that North Iowa beat Kansas and all I could think was **** happens!! Hold your heads high as we had one hell of a season!! I text Joe and told him about the Kansas game and I hope I made it better!! I have enjoyed this year and these kids are the best!! Look out baseball season!!!!!! Thank you Bernie Mules for an exciting season!!

I wanted Bernie to lose. But I've very rarely seen a team as successful as Sturgeon take such horrible shots. I think they got very lucky tonight. It was Bernie's game to win/lose with a minute to go. They just kind of let it slip away. Some of those three pointers, and even long two pointers, that Sturgeon hit were crazy. Perhaps that's just how they play. But if just a couple of those horrible shot selected three pointers didn't go in, Bernie wins. It was an exciting game to watch.

This group of seniors for Bernie have been succesful since they were in jr high. I doubt Bernie will be in this position for a long time as well. They have one returning starter? And their bench was horrible. But Class 2 is always the weakest class in basketball. You never know what could happen.

I guess Bootheel Baller has the highest basketball IQ in the forum, besides Joe Raider & Hoss Jones.

What is the crying shame about this blog is that Bernie continues to be a laughing stock of southeast missouri because it's very own people like to get on the internet and tear the town and the school down! Some entries on this blog made me think that I was on topix instead of semoball.com! It's not about the coaching staff or the school board or officials, this is about the team! A fine bunch of young men that have played their hearts out all season and should go out with their heads held high and proud of the years that they have represented the Bernie school system and town. Anyone who wants to go after anyone should be required to walk in their shoes for a month before publicly blasting them. Do you see this kind of thing anywhere on the internet about Scott County Central, Charleston, Cape Notre Dame, Poplar Bluff, Sikeston and Kennett or any of the other schools that have been successful over the years? Not nearly as much as you have Bernie I'm afraid. If you don't like the school system, employees of the school system or the school board then don't let those feelings take away from the accomplishments of a bunch of boys that gave their heart and souls to play the best basketball they could and bring pride back to our little town! Lets go back to the old addagge of, "if you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all"!

early80smule

I agree with some of your comments and disagree with some of your comments. Nevertheless, everyone (including you, Pwilcox, Bootheel baller and mulesfan77) are entitled to their own opinion as long as they do not break any of semoball's forum posting rules.

I see nothing shameful on this thread. I only see one comment about officiating and zero comments about the school board (and I have know idea what the school board has to do with the Bernie / Sturgeon state championship game and I really don't want anyone to explain this to me on this thread). There are a few comments about the coaching staff. State championship games decided by two points in the last 30 seconds are debatable.

I found it interesting that Bernie did not hold for one shot after melting over half of the time off the clock in the last minute of the game. I do not believe mentioning this takes away from the accomplishments of this year's team.

Other forum threads about other schools contain negative comments and positive comments. Read the thread about Sikeston, Notre Dame, Charleston, etc. There are hundreds of positive and negative comments written by hundreds of posters.

I agree with you the team should receive recognition for their accomplishments. I do no think there are a considerable number of posts that do not recognize the outstanding accomplishments made by this team. This team is a very special team. I do not believe their accomplishments will be forgotten anytime soon.

sawdust49

I had Harrisburg defeating Bernie in the finals last year. In the end, Portageville got past Bernie and Harrisburg to win the state title.

This year I would say Bernie, Sturgeon and Eskridge were very equal. All three teams could have won the state title.

You never know what will happen in March. This weekend was a perfect example of March Madness.

sawdust49

You must know me well or you wouldn't have made the zoo comment. We don't need farther elaboration on the topic. Me and you both know what it means and most of the other readers and the moderator have absolutely know idea what we are talking about. Sorry Moderator . . . I hope curiosity doesn't do you know what to the cat.

I look forward to baseball season. I think Bernie has a better baseball team than basketball team. There are many talented baseball players on Bernie's baseball team. The pitching, defense and hitting on this year's team should be outstanding. The basketball team almost always gets the larger crowd and basketball tends to get more coverage. In reality, however, I've always felt like the baseball team had more raw talent.

Regarding the job prospects sawdust49, I'm not 100 % sure yet, but I think we both know I don't plan on covering the circus next year (If you know what I mean).

Drawmules, I think you have done a good job covering and updating games plus other aspects of the games coming and going. I was in Columbia for the games. Bernie and Sturgeon was a classic. I wish it never would end. Very good game to watch. I felt bad for the Mules. It's a hard to say they choked or any stupid remark. Sturgeon was just the better team that day. Bernie's kids played their butts off. The ref's did a OK job. Smith getting in foul trouble was a factor, but Bernie seemed to play through it. I heard 1 player tell him when he fouled out, we got it. I thought they had it too. What a game. WOW!

http://www.dailystatesman.com/story/1619... from this picture i see no other ref in the pic and it was taken from other end of court... and as far as i remember the ref in the picture which was closest to the play didn't call the cheap foul to give the game away I believe it was the REF that TURNED a OUT OF BOUNDS call around to the other team after it was called by one of the ther refs. I am sure everyone that was there knows which one i am talking about ....... they should have let it go to OT but as the ole saying is sh@# happens........ i think the MSHSAA should review tapes of games that are officiated like some have been ...... and discipline them....

Ok. I just got off the phone with MSHSAA and said your right. It should have reviewed like NCAA. They said to let them know when you want to reserve Mizzou Arena, and how much time you want put back on the clock. But they refuse to reimburse you for your mental anquish. NOT

Drawmules

Maybe you should call Brad Botsch and tell him how big of an idiot he and his team are for shooting the ball with 0:25 remaining. Time to move on...

Blew a 7 point lead/other team fought back from a 7 point deficit...it's all the same. Those three point shots Sturgeon hit were pretty remarkable, however, they had been shooting ill-advised shots from long range all game. So obviously, getting out on the three point shooters and taking the shot away should be priority number one. But anyone who has played basketball understands that the closer you get to the man with the ball, the easier it is to get beat off the dribble. And a great basketball player can both penetrate and shoot, so pick your poison.

McGowan got away with a travel in a critical situation anyway that made Bernie look like they were going to pull away. Then Surgeon hit shots that most teams would never hit.

I would like to congratulate the Bernie Mules on two great Final Four games! They had two very tough games and played well in both and have nothing to hang their heads about. Following Sturgeon all year - I can tell you that while they have blown out some weaker teams - lately that have kept our hearts racing by playing to the same caliber as their opponents. The Bernie team/fans witnessed this on Thursday and Saturday. While not speaking poorly of Clever - Sturgeon didn't play to their potential in that game - as has been mentioned. Sturgeon fans knew going into Saturday's game against Bernie that this would be a great game because of very similar matchup of players/style of play. If you hadn't seen either team play - you could have switched uniforms and not known the difference. As far as Trey Chisholm (#31) someone from Bernie asked me after the game "has he played like that all year?" - I told them "if he wanted to he could"... Trey is a lot better person than an athlete... He is the most humble and selfless young man you'll ever meet... Being a fan of youth first and foremost - I was happy for all the young men from Bernie and Sturgeon who gave it all they had on Saturday and all players/fans should be proud of the boys on both teams. The boys played with heart, class, sportsmanship and left everything on the floor.

Servant 63

I was very impressed with Sturgeon on Saturday. #31 deserves all-state. I've only watched him play twice. However, he was very impressive. I find it very interesting Sturgeon will be in a position to compete for the final four in baseball this season. There are several extremely talented Class 1 baseball teams in Southeast Missouri. Bernie may have the best pitcher,hitter, CF, and baserunner in Class 1. I think Bernie is a clear favorite to advance to the state final four in baseball. But the competion they will face in Southeast Missouri in Class 1 is very strong. Cooter, Oran and Oak Ridge are loaded and Bernie may have to play all three teams in the state playoffs.