Several minutes after securing a 51-46 road win over Pine Bluffs on Friday evening, Tori Reader barely managed a smile. The game had swayed for the longest time in a very hot gym. And Kimball had already suffered through several disappointing “almosts” this season.

“It was probably our best win of the season,” she said, adding “I was extremely worried.”

Her sense of relief was understandable. The Longhorns fell behind quickly when the senior center’s foul sent the Hornets’ Conner Graves to the line. Midway through the first period, Pine Bluffs held an 8-4 lead and Kimball head coach Ken Smith could be heard urging his squad to calm down.

But Kimball is nothing if not resilient.

With 3:26 to go in the first and Pine Bluffs in possession, Jessica Hanks managed to sneak in and tie up the ball. The arrow was in the Longhorns’ favor and Darbi Klinkhammer fed Hanks, who banked one off the glass, narrowing the score. A few minutes later a Klinkhammer steal led to another Hanks jumper. The period ended with the hosts holding a scant 9-8 advantage.

The Longhorns pulled ahead early in the second when Reader slapped a Pine Bluffs shot away. It ended up in Annie McCloud’s hands and she pushed the ball down court quickly, giving Klinkhammer the chance to hit from the top of the key. At the 6:30 mark, McCloud took her turn from the arc, dropping a cool three pointer.

Eventually Kimball would stretch their lead to eight points, 22-14, after Kelly Green drained a pair of free throws.

But, as Smith pointed out, “it’s always hard to beat Pine Bluffs.”

Inconsistent shooting has haunted the Longhorns all season. The team begin missing scoring opportunities and the Hornets readily took advantage. Just before the halftime buzzer, Pine Bluffs sophomore Andrea Baker hit a jumper from the wing, drawing a foul in the process.

She completed the bonus. Out of the break, the Hornets’ Kodi Ragsdale dropped one off the glass then fought through a double team for two more points. The hosts recaptured the lead, 28-25.

It’s possible for the collective emotions of a team to deflate in such moments. But Kimball responded with a Reader jumper to tie things up, followed by Taylor Wismer’s deft defensive work, forcing a turnover that led to a Jordain Gawith lay up.

Pine Bluffs answered: Ragsdale and Graves scoring from inside the arc to snatch back the advantage, 32-30.

Seconds later, Klinkhammer knotted the score again after dribbling through a crowd.

It was a prizefight, for awhile—both teams jabbing and testing. Neither able to assert themselves.

The game turned securely in Kimball’s favor midway through fourth quarter. Staked to a narrow lead, Wismer found Reader at the low post. The veteran center flipped it quickly to Klinkhammer, cutting across the paint. Her layup extended the Longhorns’ lead to seven points.

Pine Bluffs fought back to within three. Then Reader fed Klinkhammer again. With 3:10 left in the game, the guard slashed across the paint one more time, taking Reader pass in stride—six critical points in less than two minutes.

“It’s just a give and go,” Klinkhammer admitted. “But when it works, it works good.”

The play kicks in when defenders collapse on Reader as she posts up. If conditions are right and both see the opportunity, Klinkhammer cuts into the lane looking for the ball. Kimball’s coaching staff allows the veterans to break from a set play.

“It’s a total read on their part,” Smith said.

By the end of the Reader-Klinkhammer spree, Kimball again held a seven point lead. They would sweat it out—temperatures in Pine Bluffs’ gym ranged in the 80s—but would never be seriously challenged as time ran down.

Klinkhammer (17), Reader (11) and Hanks (10) all ended up in double figures for the resurgent Longhorns.

Kimball faces Bridgeport and Sidney, back to back, over the weekend.

Smith and his squad are on a streak after defeating Mitchell on Tuesday of last week. They have moved up to the 27 spot in C-1 with a 5-6 record.

“We lost a lot of seniors after last season,” the coach explained. “It has taken a while to develop leadership--that was a huge win.”

Following the Sidney game the Longhorns have a short break before facing Gordon-Rushville at home.