Four Longhorns In Double Digits As Boys Hammer Mitchell

There were a few moments when Tuesday night’s game might have been in doubt. They came in the first quarter and were wiped out by Austin Pile.

While the Longhorns rolled over visiting Mitchell, 67-48, the senior guard was on a tear of his own Pile scored 13 points, engineered 2 steals and handed out 4 assists. With the game teetering at 8-7 in favor of Kimball in the opening period, he fired a three that sank off a friendly rim.

A few minutes later, Caleb Reuter rolled in a lay up after taking a feed from Mike Daum. Pile then put things out of reach for good, banking a flying put back.

Kimball held a 20-7 lead—one that would not be challenged.

“I didn’t think Jake [Reader] would miss, he said of the rebound he grabbed and stuffed back in one motion. “It’s a good thing I followed.”

Reader did not miss often Tuesday night, especially in the first half. He compiled 15 points to even Reuter for team lead—all but 4 coming before halftime.

“He’s so intense,” head coach Bruce Tjosvold said of his big junior forward before expanding the credit to the entire squad. “I thought we ran the offense real well.”

Indeed, four Longhorns—Pile, Reader, Daum and Reuter—scored in the double digits. Daum’s 13 rebounds on the other end allowed Kimball to run the floor at will. And Zach Rockhold-O’Brien whipped in some Globtrotters’-style assists.

“I knew my shot wasn’t falling,” the senior point guard quipped, “so I put my Rondo on”—a reference to Boston Celtics star Rajon Rondo.

Defensively, the Longhorns had to contend with strong outside shooters like Bo McVay and Tate Harvey.

“They like to push it up and down,” Reuter acknowledged.

Led by Daum, however, Kimball dominated the defensive boards. And they only turned the ball over four times on the night, maintaining their discipline in transition.

“I remember that 1-2-2 from last year,” Daum said of Mitchell’s recourse as they fell back against the Longhorns’ break. “The middle shot was there.”

Daum and the two forwards—Reuter and Reader—combined for 42 points.

Kimball meets Pine Bluffs for the second time of the season on Friday. The Western Trails Conference tournament lurks at the end of the month.

“We have to stay focused,” Reader said.