Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Double Win Weekend For Kimball Boys

It was a double-win weekend for the Kimball High Boys Basketball

Team as they picked up wins over Bridgeport and Gordon-Rushville, running their season record to 7-4, and have won 5 of their last 6 games! The magic number for the Horns was 49 as they won over Bridgeport 49-47 and over Gordon-Rushville 49-37. Coach Mo Hanks has his team believing they can win the close ones now that he has a full and healthy crew.

KIMBALL 49, BRIDGEPORT 47

Kimball got off to a slow start with Bridgeport falling behind 8-0 before Beau Hanks hit a pair of free throws and Sam Cajero scored a basket on a steal to close out the first quarter with Kimball trailing 10-4. The Horns were missing shots right and left! In the second period the shots started to fall and Kimball out scored the visiting Bulldogs 20-13 to take a narrow 24-23 lead to the half time locker room break. The Longhorns improved the margin to 39-35 after 3 quarters of play and led 39-35 to start the 4th period.

Brendan Walker started the 4th period with a long trey to give Kimball a 42-35 lead and Austin Lulf kept the 7 point lead on a drive to the basket but the Dogs nailed a 3 pointer to close within 4 at 44-40. Brayden Tyan hit a pair of free throws with 4:06 left in the contest for a 46-40 lead. The Horns then missed 4 straight free throws and the Dogs made 3 of 4 to close to 46-45 with 2:31 remaining.

A long pass from Walker to Withrow for a layup basket made it a 48-45 Kimball lead, but Bridgeport came right back with a layin of their own to make it a 1 point margin once again. Beau Hanks scored the final point of the contest with 8.5 seconds left hitting the first of a one and one free throw situation. The Horns missed again on a one and one free throw and Bridgeport had one final long fling at the basket as time expired. The fans got their money's worth in this exciting and hard fought battle to the finish.

In the final team stats, Kimball shot 38% from the field and were 31% on 3 pointers making 5/16 and did not shoot well at the foul line going 6/13 for only 46%. They out rebounded the opponents 26 to 24, charted 12 assists, had 4 blocked shots, 10 steals, 16 turnovers, and 15 fouls.

Balanced scoring for Kimball from the top 7 with Sam Cajero high with 11 including 1 trey. Brendan Walker had 10 with 1 trey, Jacob Withrow 7 with 1 trey, Austin Lulf 5 with 1 trey, Thomas Muldoon 5 with 1 trey, Brayden Tyan 6 and Beau Hanks 5. Walker was top rebounder with 9 and Hanks had 6. Walker was also high in assists with 4 while Cajero had 3 assists and led in steals with 5. Hanks had 2 blocks.

Braxton Swires, a sophomore, led Bridgeport with 13 points and hit 3 treys. Luis Garza had 11, Brady Newkirk 8, Braden Stull 7, Bayler Sterkel 5, and Jake Wallesen 3.

KIMBALL 11 10 11 17 – 49

BRIDGEPORT 5 10 13 9 – 37

KIMBALL 49,

GORDON-RUSHVILLE 37

Kimball won out over a very young Gordon-Rushville club that had 3 freshman in the starting lineup and will be a team to deal with in the future for certain. The Horns got off to a good start with Hanks making a pair of baskets inside and Tyan scoring on a steal and when Sam Cajero hit a trey at the buzzer, Kimball led 11-5 at the end of the first period. Both teams scored 10 2nd quarter points and Kimball was on top 21-15 at half time. The young Mustangs actually out scored Kimball 13-11 in the 3rd period to trail just 32-28 heading into the 4th quarter. The Horns closed strong to secure the win.

A big night for Brayden Tyan who led Kimball with 20 points including a pair of treys. Beau Hanks scored 9 with 1 trey, Brendan Walker 8, Jacob Withrow 5 with 1 trey, Sam Cajero 5 with 1 trey, and Austin Lulf 2.

Kimball pulled 19 rebounds with Tyan high with 5 while Walker and Hanks had 4 each. The Horns had 13 assists with Withrow on top with with 6, and he also led in steals with 5 has Kimball had 13 total. Hanks had 5 of the Horn's 7 blocked shots. Kimball also had 12 turnovers and just 6 personal fouls.

It was a night of few whistles as the Mustangs had only 9 fouls for a game total of just 15! Scoring for the Mustangs were junior Charles Hallow Horn with 9 along with 3 freshman Jace Nelson and Carter Anderson with 10 each and Ellis Livingston with 8.

KIMBALL 11 10 11 17 – 49

GORDON-RUSHVILLE 5 10 13 9 – 37