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East Prairie title quest begins with blowout at Bloomfield Christmas Tournament
BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — It wasn’t just a win—it was a message delivered loud and clear.
East Prairie’s opening-round 79-25 thrashing of Holcomb at the 68th Annual Bloomfield Christmas Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 26, felt less like a game and more like a declaration of championship intent.
“We played hard and did a good job,” said East Prairie coach Gary Scott. “Our defense led to some easy buckets. I’m really proud of guys. It’s a good way to open the tournament, but we know it will only get tougher and tougher as we advance.”
The 15th-seeded Hornets’ (1-6) plan was clear from the outset: take away the second-seeded Eagles’ (6-0) primary scorers and force role players to step up.
With aggressive face guarding on Noah Johnson, Connor Marcum, and Ty Wallace, Holcomb aimed to stifle the offense right at the source, but East Prairie’s depth quickly proved to be the difference.
“We just had to make sure the guys who weren’t getting faceguarded knew that they were going to have to take over and score,” Scott said. “Once those guys figured out that it was their time, and showed they were a threat to score, it really opened up the entire offense. It took us a little bit to get that figured out, but once we did that, we were off and running.”
Off and running? Well, considering the Eagles led 13-2 after holding the Hornets to just one made shot in the first quarter, “figuring it out” didn’t take long.
As the second quarter unfolded, East Prairie was in complete control. Connor Marcum scored 13 of his 18 points in the first half, helping the Eagles build a 37-10 advantage by the break. Holcomb’s defensive effort was all but rendered ineffective as East Prairie found gaps in the defense, and its transition game began to click into gear.
By the time the third quarter came to a close with East Prairie leading 60-20, it was clear the Eagles weren’t just playing for a victory—they were playing with a championship standard that left no room for doubt.
“Overall, we played great,” Johnson said, who finished with a game-high 27 points, showcasing why he’s one of the tournament's most elite talent. “It took us a second but we played great teamball and made sure to hustle and get everyone involved.”
As a team, East Prairie shot better than 60 percent from the field.
The Eagles won their last three games by an average margin of 43.3 points, they’re playing with a rhythm and intensity that could carry them to the program's first-ever Bloomfield Christmas Tournament title.
With the win, East Prairie advances to face seventh-seeded Van Buren (3-3) at 7 p.m., while Holcomb takes on 10th-seeded Doniphan (5-4) in the consolation bracket at 1 p.m.
EAST PRAIRIE 79, HOLCOMB 25
| Holcomb | 2 | 8 | 10 | 5 | — | 25 |
| E. Prairie | 13 | 24 | 23 | 19 | — | 79 |
Holcomb (25) — Landon Smith 7, Braxton Wiggins 4, Jeremiah Kenner 3, Noah Kenner 3, Sam Jacobs 3, Chris Bowen 3, Gavin Lloyd 2. FG: 10. FT: 1-6. F: 11. (3-pointers: Smith 1, J. Kenner 1, Jacobs 1, Bowen 1. Fouled out: None.)
East Prairie (79) — Noah Johnson 27, Connor Marcum 18, Tripp Shoemaker 8, Ty Wallace 6, Tavion Ware 6, Carson Groves 5, Piper Rendon 5, August Kenedy 2, Chase Childress 2. FG: 34. FT: 8-12. F: 7. (3-pointers: Rendon 1, Marcum 1, Groves 1. Fouled out: None.)