By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer

BERNIE -- The Bernie Mules have had trouble putting together a complete four quarters this season but got the job done at home against Puxico on Friday night.

The Mules were ahead 48-40 after three quarters and opened the final frame with an 18-2 run to pave the way to a 79-60 win.

"We haven't really put together a complete game," Bernie coach Brad Botsch said. "I thought our kids did kick it up another notch. We finally put somebody away and we are pleased with that effort."

Zach Curry scored 15 points in the fourth quarter to key the run for Bernie (12-4). He finished with 29 on the night to lead all scorers.

"If it wasn't for my teammates getting me the ball, I wouldn't have scored that many anyways," Curry said. "It is all about them, not me."

The Mules offense is versatile in that on any night, a number of players can step up, including Curry, Botsch said.

"He has just stepped up his intensity level and become more of a leader," Botsch said. "As a junior, that is something we have been emphasizing for him. Not only for the rest of this year but he is going to be a big part of this year. I was proud of his effort (Thursday) night and again tonight."

Puxico coach Josh Dowdy watched Curry light up Gideon for 31 points Thursday night and hoped to shut down the junior early in the contest.

"That was part of the gameplan, to make sure he didn't get happy early but sure enough he did," Dowdy said. "We didn't close out on him and when we did, we let him get an offensive rebound along with the rest of the team."

The Mules played solid defense in the fourth quarter and held the sharp-shooting Indians to just five 3-pointers on the night.

"I was really pleased with our kids' defensive effort," Botsch said. "We switched defenses a couple different times and when we switched, the kids really responded to whatever we needed to play and did a good job of finding their shooters."

Puxico was still in the game down just eight after three quarters but the Indians lacked intensity from the start, Dowdy said.

"They had much more energy from the tip tonight," Dowdy said. "I have never been more disappointed in this team than I have been tonight. I don't want to take anything away from Bernie because they came out and wanted it just more than we did."

The game was tied at 18-18 after the first quarter but the Mules started the second quarter with a 7-0 run. Jake Smith hit a hoop followed by Quinton Stevens making a 3-pointer from the right corner and Jake Owens scored on a putback at the 2:08 mark to make it 25-18.

Puxico's first hoop of the second quarter was from David Crain in the post at the 1:57 mark. Even with the slow start to the frame, Puxico was down just 32-27 going into the half.

"Down five, the way we played, we were excited about it," Dowdy said. "I was talking at halftime that we should be real thrilled to be where we are at, that we have to make a decision to come out with the intensity that we did not show in the first half and we did not."

Puxico started the game ahead 6-2 before Bernie scored seven straight to take a 9-6 lead. The Indians then struck back with a 10-3 run of their own capped off by a Hon 3-pointer from the left corner to make it 16-12 at the 2:18 mark. Bernie ended the quarter on a 6-0 capped off by a 3-pointer from straight away by Silas Dill as the horn sounded.

Dill had 16 points in the win while Jake Welch added 11 for the Mules.

Matt Allison was the leading scorer for the Indians as he had 13. John Smith and J Hon finished with 12 points each in the loss.