Young Bernie guard has stock rising - eventually

If investing in the basketball career of Bernie High School sophomore Braxton Arnold was similar to the purchasing of a stock, you might want to have a long-term perspective on your money.

The career trajectory of Arnold is certainly on the rise, as it is with a number of Mule sophomores, but the day-to-day volatility of that stock, er, Arnold’s potential, may drive you a bit insane.

“Braxton was big for us in the third-place game of the (Bloomfield) Christmas Tournament,” Mule coach Jason Long said recently. “Honestly, I’ve been kind of wavering back and forth (with him). He’s played some (junior varsity) games where we have needed him in all four quarters, but I just made up my mind, going into the (Stoddard County Athletic Association Tournament), I was going to play him on the varsity.”

The Mules (11-4) will host Twin Rivers (13-7) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Arnold, maybe, will see a lot of action, but he’ll definitely be on the court.

“The most important thing that (Arnold) does really well is that he listens,” Long said. “He’s smart and he listens.”

In that aforementioned Christmas Tournament game, a 67-66 thriller over East Prairie, the Mules don’t win that game without the “big” play from Arnold.

The 5-foot-11 guard knocked down 4 of 5 shots and finished with a career-high 12 points.

“(Arnold) focuses well,” Long continued. “He retains information.”

Arnold’s playing time, as Long mentioned, “wavered” following the tournament in Bloomfield.

In an overtime victory against Dexter in mid-January, Arnold played sparingly but didn’t score.

To open the recent SCAA Tournament, Arnold exploded for another career-best outing with 16 points in a rout of Bloomfield.

“I’ve told him that a lot of the time,” Long said, “we have more confidence in him than he does himself.”

Long utilized Arnold for all four quarters in a SCAA Tournament championship semifinal loss to eventual runner-up Woodland, but Arnold didn’t register a point. He struggled again in a two-quarter outing against Dexter in the SCAA Tournament third-place game and didn’t notch a point.

“We’ve been trying to pump him up,” Long said, “because he is a good basketball player. I think that he is someone who is going to be a big part of our future.

“I really do, not only this year but beyond.”

Bernie topped the Royals 49-46 in the Campbell Invitational Tournament, which opened both teams’ seasons in December.

The Mules will host Holcomb (2-15) on Friday at 7:30 p.m.