Horns win two more, Daum sets school record

Two more wins for the Kimball High boys basketball team over the past weekend running their season record to 9-1 as they headed into this week's SPVA tournament play in North Platte. The highly expected shootout with Bridgeport on Friday night didn't materialize as Kimball pretty much dominated in the "Mike and Jake" show with Kimball winning out 65-53. The Horns came back on Saturday night to win over Gordon/Rushville 73-55 as Mike Daum set a new school single game scoring record of 41 points. What a weekend for coach Bruce Tjosvold's boys!

Bridgeport came to town Friday night sporting a 10-1 record with a lone loss of 3 points in overtime to class B Alliance and this Western Trails Conference encounter between the two top teams in the C2-12 sub-district attracted a full house. Kimball seniors, Mike Daum and Jake Reader didn't disappoint the local fans as they put on a two-man scoring exhibition accounting for all but 6 points for the Kimball victory as Daum tallied 37 and Reader 22 in one of the most memorable wins of all time at Kimball High.

The visiting Bulldogs stayed close early trailing 17-14 at the quarter break as Daum warmed up with 11 points in the opening period and Reader scored 6. In the second quarter Reader showed the fans a new look as he stepped outside and swished a pair of treys and scored 10 points to add up to 16 at half time. In the third period he nailed yet another trey as the two clubs battled even leaving Kimball on top 44-35 entering the final 8 minutes. Daum made sure this game was not going to turn around in any way, shape, or form as he poured in 16 fourth quarter points to end his night at 37 while Jake finished with 22. What an exhibition by the two seniors!

Daum also charted 17 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks, shot 5/5 at the foul line, 2/6 on three point field goals and 13/21 on two pointers. Reader had 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists, was 5/6 at the line, 3/4 on three pointers, and 4/7 on two point attempts. Colton stull had 3 points and 3 assists, Michael Ferguson 2 points, and Henry Heeg 1 plus 4 assists.

As a team, Kimball had 11 turnovers, 9 fouls, were 11/13 at the line, 18/38 on two point fielders, 6/13 on treys, had 11 offensive and 17 defensive rebounds for 28 total, 8 steals, 10 assists and 2 blocked shots.

Bridgeport had 20 rebounds, 16 fouls, shot 5/9 at the line, 12/30 on 2 pointers and 8/21 on 3 pointers. Quentin Baxter led Bridgeport scoring with 15 including 3 treys, Wyatt Pankowski had 13, Kaleb DeCora 7, Jaime Gonzalez 6, John Pappas 4, Mitchel Dudden 3, Leighton Freeze 3, and Jason Amateis 2.

Jake Reader had an exceptional performance in the Friday night win over Bridgeport, but he finished that contest in extreme pain after suffering a shoulder injury on one of his floor sliding crashes and it was to the extent he didn't even suit for the Saturday night game with Gordon/Rushville. On Monday it was diagnosed as a severe sprain and his availability is uncertain for this week. Mike Daum had to take on more duties on those big 6'9" shoulders and he proved worthy as he battled hard all night and wound up with a new Kimball School record single game scoring mark of 41 points!

Without Reader, other team members also had to expand their roles and they responded well. Henry Heeg got things rolling early with a trey, Daum scored inside and outside and nailed 4 treys in the first period alone. Michael Ferguson hit a long shot and then went down the lane for another basket and Jon Withrow scored on a steal and hit a free throw and Ferguson got yet another basket off a goal tending call and the Horns jumped out 28-14 at the quarter break.

Coach Tjosvold was going to his bench early and getting good play off the bench. Daum continued to please the fans with his scoring and at the first half buzzer he sank a long NBA type trey that brought a roar from the crowd. At the intermission he already had 5 treys, 24 points and 10 rebounds and Kimball was on top 44-23.

In the second half the Mustangs assigned Kyle Anderson to become attached to Mike Daum's jersey and he did a good job, but he might have slowed down the scoring, but sure didn't stop the big fellow. He added one more trey and 7 points in the third period to run his count to 31 points entering the final quarter of play. To start the final period he scored off the base line, then hit a fade-a-way shot, and had a rebound put back to equal his Friday night total of 37 points. His final 4 points came at the foul line where he went 4 for 4 despite being dog tired from two straight nights of hard fought basketball.

His third straight free throw made tied the school record of 40 points held by Adam Bohac who went on to play for Nebraska,

and then his fourth straight gift shot set the new mark. Of course he had no idea how many points he had or what was at stake, nor did his fans. It was a culmination of a great weekend for the young man who has signed and is headed to South Dakota State University where he will continue his game at the Division One college level. His individual stat sheet on the night showed him hitting 5/6 at the line, 6/11 three pointers, 9/14 two point attempts, 14 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 steal, and 1 assist. His 260 points through 10 games and 26 point average per game is the best in all classes in Nebraska High School basketball. He also sits number four in rebounds per game.

It was a big show for Daum, but certainly not a one man show in the win over the Mustangs as Heeg came through with 9 points hitting 2 treys along with 4 rebounds, 1 steal, and 3 assists. Ferguson had 8 points on 4/7 shooting plus 3 boards and 2 assists. Stull had 6 points, a team high 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 1 steal. Withrow with 5 points, 3 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists.

Ethan Land nailed a trey and had 3 points, and Mitchell Shields had 1 point.

Kimball had 15 turnovers, 8 fouls, were 10/15 at the line, 18/39 on 2 pointers, 9/21 on 3 pointers, 29 rebounds including 10 offensive, 7 steals, 16 assists, and 2 blocked shots.

Gordon/Rushville had 15 fouls, 24 rebounds, were 4/5 at the line, 15/30 on two point fielders and 7/24 on three pointers. Ryan Schwarting was charted with 4 treys and 15 points, Kyle Anderson had 20, Chaz Piper 11 with 3 treys, Barry Tozcek 4, Brandon Bailey 3, and Ben Wegner 2.