Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
The Kimball boys basketball program is going to miss this group of seniors honored Friday prior to the start of the Kimball-Mitchell game. The Kimball roster listed 12 players – with one returning junior, two sophomores, and one freshman for next year. From left are exchange student Arthur Laveran, Jacob Withrow, Brendan Walker, videographer Ethan Greenwood, Beau Hanks, Samuel Cajero, Brayden Tyan, Austin Lulf and Lane Wasielewski.
The Kimball Longhorns advanced Tuesday night, Feb. 25, to the Subdistrict championship game with a convincing 57-41 victory over rival Morrill in Gering.
Next up is a showdown with No. 1 seed Bridgeport. Game time is 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, back in Gering.
Longhorn Nation is invited!
Tuesday's impressive victory for the Horns came in clash pitting underdog No. 3 seed Kimball against No. 2 seed Morrill. Senior Brendan Walker stepped it up in the big moment, leading Kimball with 22 points. See next week's Observer for a full game report.
MITCHELL 79,
Kimball 62
The sweet win over Morrill followed an outing in which the Kimball boys fell to visiting Mitchell, 79-62, on Senior Parents Night this past Friday night. It wasn't the outcome that the eight Kimball boys were shooting for as they played their final basketball game of their Kimball High careers on their home court, but the effort was good to the final buzzer.
The Longhorns were up against a talented Tiger club that brought a night of red hot shooting with them as they shot an overall 46% from the field including 52% on 2 pointers and 37% on 3 pointers making 9 of 24 attempts! Kimball could not keep pace with this kind of shooting as they were 31% over all from the field and 34% on 2 point attempts along with 25% on 3 point attempts making 5 of 20. The only category Kimball out shot Mitchell was at the foul line where Kimball was 11/16 for 68% and Mitchell was 8/13 for 61%.
The Tigers also out rebounded Kimball 40 to 23 and had 8 blocked shots to Kimball's 2. Kimball bettered the winners in steals 9 to 4, and in turnovers 9 to 17. The Horns were whistled for 9 personal fouls and Mitchell had 15.
The first quarter of play was good high school basketball by both teams with Mitchell taking a 16-10 lead after the first 8 minutes of play, thanks in large part to sophomore guard Austin Thyne's 8 points including 2 treys. By half time Mitchell was up 35-22 and continued to increase their lead in 3rd quarter play to lead 59-42 going into final period where both teams scored 20 points.
Kimball had 8 players score with 2 in double figures. Sam Cajero tallied 16 points with 1 trey and was 7 of 8 at the foul line. Brayden Tyan also had 16 points, Jacob Withrow 9 with 1 trey, Austin Lulf had 6 with 2 treys, Thomas Muldoon 6 with 1 trey, Brendan Walker 5, Beau Hanks and Lane Wasielewski both with 2 points. Walker was top rebounder with 5 and Withrow charted 4. Withrow also led in assists with 5 and Tyan in steals with 3.
Mitchell also had 8 players score led by Austin Thyne with 4 treys and 18 points. Francisco Barrios had 15, Jonathan Pieper 12, and Rylan Aguallo 10 giving the Tigers 4 in double figures. Keaton Reichert had 7, Jaron Anderson 8, Blake Thyne 7, and Ashtyn Martin 2.
With the loss, Kimball ended the regular season at 10 wins and 11 losses. They were to move into sub-district tournament play at Gering this past Tuesday evening at Gering against Morrill in first round play.
KIMBALL 10 12 20 20 – 62
MITCHELL 16 19 24 20 – 79