Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Mike Daum catches an inbound pass from the wing during last week’s tournament in Anaheim, California. The team went 3-3 over the course of the week.
Many athletes think their regular in-season schedule is rough. Classes, social calendar, practices and games all amount to a pretty tenuous schedule.
That being said, some choose to go the extra mile and make their chosen sport a year-round experience.
Kimball High School senior Mike Daum is one of those select few.
Daum and his AAU team, the Rocky Mountain Fever ,continued their summer schedule last week, as they headed west to Anaheim, California for the Double Pump Best of the Summer tournament.
Last Wednesday, the team suffered from fatigue following their trip, dropping the opener of the tournament by a 55-61 final to the Arizona Power.
“This is as flat as I’ve seen this team play all year long,” said Observer correspondent Michele Daum.
Despite the team’s struggles, Daum led the Fever with yet another double-double, tallying 13 points to go along with his 11 rebounds. He also added two steals.
For what seems like the first time this summer, the team failed to bounce back following what they considered to be a sub-par performance, dropping their second game to Villa Park, 58-63.
Daum added just ten points and four rebounds in the loss, one of his worst performances of the summer.
The team, and Daum, showed signs of life in the third game of the tournament, virtually doubling up Oregon City, 61-31. Daum scored 15 points, pulled down 11 rebounds added both a steal and a blocked shot.
With a disappointing first three games under their belt, the team’s best outcome would be a consolation title shot.
A Los Angeles-based Club Prototype team was no match for the Fever, with the final tally coming in at 53-39. Daum led with 22 points and five boards.
In limited action, Daum managed 13 points and two rebounds in the team’s Sweet 16 matchup, helping the team to a 82-32 win, advancing the team to the Elite Eight.
This game proved to be the last for the Fever, as they dropped the content by a final of 61-66 to a squad from Kansas and Oklahoma. Daum added 18 points and six rebounds in the losing effort for the Fever.
The team will fly to Vegas on Wednesday and plays at 9:30 p.m. that night to begin their final tournament of the 2013 season.