Two Loss Week For Kimball Boys

A tough week for te Kimball High boys as they suffered losses to Sutherland and North Platte St. Pats on back to back nights despite good effort.

On Friday night in a home contest it appeared the Longhorns were going to wrap up a win over the Sailors only to lose 43-42 on a last second 3 point field goal, and then on the road Saturday they played hard after the long road trip, and after trying to forget the disappointment of the night prior, they fell to te Irish 54-46 leaving them now with record of 8 wins and 7 losses as they ready for this week’s Western Trails Conference Tournament play.

SUTHERLAND 43,

Kimball 42

The Horns got off to a slow start with Sutherland and trailed 10-5 after one quarter of play where Beau Hanks scored all of Kimball’s points and Brendan Walker and Jacob Withrow both picked up 2 qick fouls. The Horns got rolling in the 2nd quarter to outscore the visitors 16-9 and led 21-19 at halftime, thanks in large part to some good teamwork and pin point passing. Walker picked up his 3rd foul however, but Hanks, Withrow, and Brayden Tyan, along with Walker, contributed some key baskets.

Sutherland regained the lead after 3 quarters of play to take a 29-27 narrow margin into the final period and Walker got his 4th foul and Hanks had 3, causing Coach Mo Hanks to go to his bench and give the two starters some sit-time.

The Horns came on strong to start the 4th period scoring 10 unanswered points. Thomas Muldoon started it with a long 16 foot swisher, Sam Cajero scored on a good move inside, Muldoon hit a trey, Hanks made a free throw and then scored inside and the Horns led 37-29. Hanks ran the margin to 39-32 and then things started and then things started going bad. With the 7 point lead with 1:25 to play, Kimball failed to convert free throws as Sutherland came at them aggressive sending them to the foul line and the Horns failed to convert those opportunities at the foul line going 4 of 16 at the line in the final quarter, and were only 3/14 in the final 1:25 of play. Kimball held a 42-36 lead with :29 seconds remaining after Austin Lulf made a free throw, but Tayton Schuster nailed a trey with :19 seconds left to close to 42-39. The Sailors then made a free throw with :18 seconds to play and Schuster hit another long, contested 3 pointer with 3.3 secinds left to take the lead and end the scoring at 43-42. Kimball inbounded, took a long throw at the basket that missed, but Hanks rebounded and put it back up making the rebound shot, but the officials ruled time had expired. A heart breaker for certain, but a case where missed free throws cost the Longhorns. Give credit to the Sutherland club as they did what they needed to do to secure the win.

In the final team stats Kimball shot 33% from the field, but were only 3/16 on 3 point attempts for 18% and only 5/18 at the foul line for 27%. They out rebounded Sutherland 30 to 25, had 10 assists, 12 steals, 8 blocked shots, only 11 turnovers, and 16 fouls.

A good night for senior Beau Hanks who was high for Kimball with 16 points and also had all 8 blocks for the Horns.

Withrow had 7 points with 1 trey, Tyan 6, Muldoon 5 with 1 trey, Walker 5 with 1 trey, Cajero 2 and Lulf 1. Withrow led in steals with 4, while Tyan pulled 13 rebounds along with 3 assists and 3 steals.

Schuster, the 5’10 senior guard, was the man of the hour for the winners with 16 points and made all 4 of their 3 pointers including the two key treys late in the closing seconds. Jade Paxton also hit double figures for the winners with 14 points and Luke Martinez finished with 8. With the win, Sutherland avenged their loss to Kimball a week earlier when Kimball won 55-43 in SPVA Conference Tournament play.

Kimball 5 16 6 15 – 42

SUTHERLAND 10 9 10 14 – 43

ST. PATS 54, Kimball 46

After the disappointing Friday night loss, Coach Mo Hanks knew he had a task facing him to get his club ready to play strong Saturday after the long road trip to North Platte. The Horns got off to a slow start and were down 18-7 after the first quarter of play and trailed 28-17 at halftime. To their credit, no quit in the Longhorn plan as they came out strong in the 3rd quarter to outscore the Irish 21-7 and get right back on track to make a run at winning. It didn’t happen though as St Pats putthe game away in the final period.

A good effort for Kimball team against a strong Pats club on their home court. In the final team stats, Kimball shot better going 30% overall from the field, 7/31 from 3 point range for 21% and 5/8 at the line for 62%. They had 34 rebounds but the Irish had 42 including 17 offensive and the winners shot 22 free throws making 10. The Horns also had 11 assists, 6 steals, 5 blocked shots, 17 turnovers and 16 fouls with Walker fouling out.

Brayden Tyan was Kimball’s lone scorer in double figures with 12 and with 1 trey. Hanks had 9 with 1 trey, Lulf 8 with 2 treys, Cajero 7 with 1 trey, Withrow 6 with 2 treys, and Walker 4. Hanks had 10 rebounds and 4 blocks, Tyan 9 rebounds, and Cajero 4 assists. Heiss with 21 including 4 treys, and Branch with 16 were high for the winners.

Kimball 7 10 21 8 – 46

ST. PATS 18 10 7 19 – 54

No boys JV play at North Platte but in 2 quarters of play against Sutherland, Sutherland won 24-14. Scoring for Kimball were Thomas Muldoonwith 8, Lane Wasielewski 4, and Arthur Laveran 2.