Jock Talk: Uncertain Future For Longhorns Basketball

The basketball season from Kimball High came to an end this past Thursday at the boys subdistrict finals and, sorry to report, Kimball lost to Bridgeport 45-43 in overtime. Happy to report, however, it was an exciting and well-played game and the Longhorns gave great effort once again.

The six seniors on this team who have been together all four years, and dating back into their elementary days even, have been a tight group through their playing days and they have been a group that played well together. You saw very little selfish play as every member was happy to share the ball with any open teammate. This group has been fun to watch, and will be remembered.

It was also once again a great turnout by the Kimball student body and Kimball fans, and they did their best to cheer the Horns to victory.

Now as we say goodbye to this senior loaded team, I hope we are not saying goodbye to Kimball High boys basketball, but it might be a short while before Kimball High can field a competitive team again. At the time of this writing, it would appear there may be only one or two players back from this year’s roster, and still undetermined is how many incoming freshman will be available next season.

Next season could possibly be a year of playing a junior varsity schedule only? A positive is the junior high program this year showed promise, and there are people working with even younger elementary kids to get the program growing strong again.

Cougarville

I got to watch some other good basketball this past week, other than the Kimball-Bridgeport game. I took in the WNCC Cougar men’s game on Saturday with Trinidad State Junior College at the Scottsbluff site and enjoyed seeing the Cougars win 90-82. Teddy Allen, the young man who is headed to Nebraska next season, ended up with 27 points, a few points below his high nation leading average of 30 plus. The Cougars are down to just 7 active players and Coach Cory Fehringer has to handle them with care to keep them fresh enough to finish a game.

After watching the Cougars, it was off to a local eating establishment where I was able to watch the Scottsbluff Bearcats win over Waverley 63-61 in overtime. What a game that was and congrats to the Scottsbluff boys for that big win and keep on winning for Western Nebraska.

Bateman Update

I checked with Kimball High Wrestling Coach Wade Brashear this week on status of senior Stephen Bateman who had surgery in Colorado for the broken leg he suffered at the State Wrestling Tournament and Coach Brashear informed me that Stephen is back in school and the surgery went well.

WTC All-Conference

The Western Trails Conference coaches gathered over the weekend to select this year’s all conference basketball players but do not want the selections released until next week.

Kimball Track

The Kimball High track coaches held a meeting Monday in preparation for the upcoming track season and practice will begin for Kimball this coming Monday, I was informed. The junior high tracksters will start practice on March 16. The first high school meet for Kimball is the indoor meet at Chadron State on March 28. Does this mean spring is here?

Four Winds To Open

The Four Winds Golf Course is set to open March 13, but please play this by ear as it gets shuffled around according to what the weather is doing. I will try my best to let you golfers know what I know. The first Kimball High boy’s golf tournament shown on the schedule is April 14 at Mitchell. Bring on the sunshine!