C2D3: Puxico feels toughened schedule has prepared it for tough tests

Fourth-year Puxico High School varsity boy’s basketball coach Bryant Fernetti isn’t going into tonight’s MSHSAA Class 2 District 3 championship game against Charleston oblivious to what his team is going to deal with.

“They’re going to be the most athletic team we’ve probably played all year,” Fernetti said of the Bluejays.

The match-up will tip at 6 p.m. at Bloomfield High School, and history is riding on Charleston’s side, as well as athleticism.

“If we let Charleston get out in transition,” Fernetti said, “and turn the ball over on offense, it’s going to be a long night.”

The Bluejays (14-10) have won 14 consecutive District championships while the Indians have only won one such championship (2024) in recent memory.

“We’ve got to be ready for that (athleticism),” Fernetti said, “and make smart decisions on offense, and then try to keep them in front of us on defense and contest shots.”

Being “ready” is something that Fernetti has had on his mind since he took over the Puxico program in 2022.

He purposely built up the Indians’ schedule over the past couple of seasons, because he knew this group had the talent to advance into the postseason, and he was aware that beating up on Class 1 or Class 2 teams throughout the season wouldn’t help his team much in March (or on February 28).

“We’ve played a lot of bigger schools,” Fernetti said last summer of his scheduling philosophy in the winter AND the off-season. “A lot of good schools.

“I don’t care whether we win or lose, but those are the types of teams that we need to play to get where we want to.”

While Fernetti can’t compete in the SEMO Conference like the Bluejays can, as members of that league, he has done everything else in his power to prepare the Indians (24-3) for a night like this.

Puxico has played 12 games this season against teams from Class 3 and Class 4, including a couple of losses his team took in the last week.

The Indians fell 63-57 at Class 4 No. 6-ranked Potosi (19-4) and in Puxico to Class 3 No. 11-ranked Woodland 77-67.

“Sometimes,” Fernetti continued, “you just get beat by good teams. I think (those losses) could have helped us, maybe, refocus a little bit, and realize that at this time of the year, you’re going to have to play your best against everybody.”

The Indians have played really good teams such as a Woodland (twice, winning once), Potosi, a 17-win Twin Rivers team (twice), a 14-win Doniphan group (twice), a 12-win Dexter squad (three times), a 16-win Richland (Essex) team, and Class 3 No. 4-ranked Thayer.

As for the Bluejays, they can not avoid playing tough teams, just because of their league.

Charleston has also played 12 games against teams from Class 3, 4, 5, and 6, including a 17-win Cape Central squad, an overtime road loss at Class 6 No. 13-ranked Jackson, a four-point loss to Class 6 Hazelwood Central, Notre Dame (twice), Woodland (twice), and Dexter.

“It is a huge advantage,” fifth-year Charleston coach Jamarcus Williams said of his league schedule, “because typically, the SEMO Conference will have bigger and faster players. So, offensively, it is usually easier for us (in Class 2 games) to put the ball in the bucket.”

Having said that, Williams was very cognizant of the issues that Puxico will present to his team tonight.

“Puxico shoots it extremely well,” Williams said. “They crash the boards aggressively, and then they kick it out for another open shot.

“We’ll have to contest every shot and limit them to one shot.”