Bruce Tjosvold’s 100th win as head coach of the Kimball Longhorns was a physical duel, a series of bumps and bruises, parries and thrusts ending, when the final buzzer sounded, at 68-63.

A dominant coach wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It was a good win,” he said afterward--after congratulations from traveling Kimball fans and some good natured ribbing from his players, some of whom referenced the pants he ripped during a series of frantic, late game gyrations during the Gordon-Rushville match.

It took some time to adjust to Mitchell’s tempo and pressure. But, Tjosvold said, “when we got Mike [Daum] out on the wing, it opened up Boo and Dalton.”

Brent Bussinger--“Boo” and Dalton Lockwood combined for 27 points on the night, joining Daum and Jake Reader in double figures. But it wasn’t easy.

“Mitchell is a tough team and this is a tough place to play,” Bussinger said. “And they had a great defensive strategy.”

Almost from the start the Tigers stepped into an up tempo game. After Lockwood’s opening jumper, only a neat fingertip roll by Caleb Reuter, a floating jumper, also by Reuter and a Daum three point shot broke the rhythm. At the end of one, Mitchell led 15-11 and looked to be in control.

But Tjosvold’s seniors say that the coach wins because of his ability to switch things around midstream.

“He always makes adjustments,” Lockwood pointed out.

Free throws by Reader and Lockwood brought the Longhorns back within range as they began to respond to Mitchell’s game plan. Then Bussinger began to assert himself inside, making a strong move on the hoop with 1:26 left in the half, bringing Kimball within four. A minute later his steal led to a couple of free throws from Daum and it was a two point game.

The shot that may have really inspired Tjosvold’s Longhorns came right at the buzzer. Daum was stymied just beyond the three point arc as three defenders closed around him. With just a few ticks on the clock, he managed to find Zach Rockhold open on the wing. The ball left Rockhold’s fingertips just before time expired--three points and a 27-26 lead.

The third quarter belonged to Kimball...or, more specifically, to Bussinger, Reader and Lockwood, with a few points by Reuter and Daum thrown in.

Daum’s put back, just before the period ended, stretched the Longhorns’ lead to six, 44-38.

The final frame began as a slugfest. Mitchell’s Randy Shields opened with two. Lockwood responded then Bussinger threw down the gauntlet, scoring on a fast break and hitting the bonus. But Jamie Fegler of the Tigers struck from three. Reuter got two of those back right away, but Shields answered.

It was like that.

Kimball held a frail two point advantage with 2:33 remaining in the game when Rockhold spotted an opportunity. Weaving through three defenders, he broke open in the paint for an easy lay up.

“I just saw the guy was playing off me and they were collapsing toward Mike, so I split them,” he explained.

From there, thanks to a series of foul shots, Kimball kept the Tigers at arm’s length--barely. A hard fought 100th for Tjosvold.

“I think it’s just a great achievement,” Bussinger said of his coach’s century mark.

Tjosvold just shrugged.

“With that many wins you have to have talented kids and assistant coaches,” he explained. “They’re the ones who win the games.”