Pine Bluffs Shakes Off The Rust To Beat Big Horn [VIDEO]

Video highlights of the Friday, January 9th 2A Boys Basketball game, between #4 Pine Bluffs at Big Horn.

Scroll down to see highlights!

Having not played in almost 3 weeks, the Hornets shook off the rust after halftime to pick up a road win vs. the Rams, with some help from Hunter Thompson's 24 points.

Now normally I get on people who are reading books at the game, but I suppose I can let this one off the hook, since he doesn't know how to read yet.

#4 Pine Bluffs at Big Horn...first quarter...Pine Bluffs wearing the purple...Trent Werner applying an early sting to the scoreboard with this 3...the junior had a 10 point game, and his team would strike first, up 3-to-nothing.

Now for the big guy...Hunter Thompson...standing at roughly 6 foot 9 or 6 foot 10. His favorite breakfast meal is toast and jam. He's just a sophomore, so not only does he have more room to grow, 2A teams have to deal with him this year, and the next 2 years as well. Hornets up 5-zip.

Big Horn was going to have to get creative in order to deal with the big guy...Collin Powers with the fast assist to Seth Kite who will win this exchange...and the foul. That's one way to do it. The 3-point play would make it 5-to-3, with his team trailing.

...now just because Thompson is tall...that does not mean he always has to be close to the hoop...in fact...he can shoot from a distance as well. Big guys usually don't do that, but he's not like most big guys...the visitors go ahead by a score of 7-to-5.

We have already seen a jam...so can this guy play some defense? Well if you try to get right up in his face, he will be happy to answer that question. Opponents need to rethink their strategy when facing him 1-on-1.

Ok, he didn't dunk everytime, but just by watching this play, if you leave him wide open in the paint, he will get a lot of points, and he did. PB was up 9-to-6, after the first 8 minutes.

Second quarter...for awhile, Thompson was doing all the scoring work himself, and as long as your team is winning...who cares? He would score 24...and that bucket would put the visitors ahead 11-to-6.

Fortunately for the Rams...they were able to hang around, despite the size disadvantage. Colton Bates will score on the run and keep the score close...his squad is only down 11-to-8.

The home team was also going to have to hit some long distance shots if they wanted to have a chance in this game...Corey Sturza can provide one of those...the 3 would tie the score up, at 11-points a-piece.

...but remember that first lesson that I mentioned earlier about Thompson? Here's lesson #2...don't give him a fast break opportunity. Here he is going to go, Wham with the left hand! So much for the tie...Pine Bluffs would go back up 15-to-11.

Big Horn would use their speed and they have been practicing that...great no look pass from Bates to Kite...and 1. No good on the extra try, but the lead would change hands for a short time...the scoreboard reads 16-to-15.

The Rams had the fast moves on defense as well...Bates will pick a pocket...Colton Williams recovers...returns the favor and the sophomore will outrace the opposition to the basket...they would take an 18-to-16 advantage, going into the locker room.

3rd quarter...the home team was able to keep it up a little longer...someone missed an assignment on this play and Nolan McCafferty had a clear path along the base-line to the hoop...the lead would grow to 6...it's 22-to-16 at this point.

The plan was to stay away from Thompson and it was working...Max Lube figured he had better odds with one of the smaller players and he was right. No one from Big Horn scored in double digits, but they were maintaining a 24-to-18 advantage.

The Hornets were still trying to shake off some rust from the winter break...and this play surprised just about everyone...McCafferty is giving up nearly 1 foot, but he still managed to block Thompson...however, Mr. Big was able get his own rebound and score anyhow...his team is down 24-to-20.

That last highlight woke up the giant...and he would make sure that did not happen again...the backdoor is open and he would let himself in this time. PB is still down 4...its 26-to-22, but you could sense the momentum was shifting.

There were other players for the visitors, and they would get to work...Kyle Steger is open...he will pop and hit from roughly 17 feet to add to the cause...26-to-24 is the score now.

Thompson was getting some assists as well...on this play he would draw the defense to him...that meant Scott Gross was open and the deception worked...the defense realized it too late...they would reclaim the advantage and would go ahead, 29-to-26.

Meanwhile the Rams were trying to live up to their namesake...they just had to remember not to get too close to you know who. Sturza was close enough, and he would go over the obstacle to get his team 2 more points...and his squad would only find themselves down 1...it's 29-to-28.

Pine Bluffs though was preparing a big stinger...Werner eyes it, spies it...buys it. That would hurt the opposition in terms of score. Now it's a 2 possession game at 32-to-28.

The home team was still finding ways to keep the score close...Williams takes the lob...fakes a defender, draws the contact, gets the bucket...they were playing their 3rd game in a little more than 24 hours, but they were able to keep going. Right now they trail, 32-to-30.

...but the Hornets would not be deterred...time is running out...this is a weird play...Haize Fornstrom just throws it up and Gross deflects it in ahead of the buzzer...they probably practice that...just not often.  His team goes back up by 8...it's 38-to-30, going into the final 8 minutes.

4th quarter...the purple people were producing...Haize Fornstrom is just a freshmen...I wonder what they're growing, down there in PB? The score is now 40-to-30.

Time was starting to become the enemy for the home team...McCafferty is going to fire a shot off-balance, and he will get it to go. They need what points they can get, trailing 40-to-32.

However, PB still had Thompson out on the court...he did a pretty good job of staying out of foul trouble...we were hoping he would dunk in front of the camera, but no dice. No matter...the scoreboard reads 42-to-32.

Now he was not the only one who would do a base-line drive and score up close...Steger can do that play as well, and the refs will give him one more for his efforts. The 3-point play would keep the lead in double digits...it's 47-to-36.

The visitors had one other player in double digits...that would be Gross who will score on this highlight. He put forth a 16 point effort and it's starting to become clear which team is going to win, the score is at 51-to-41.

Big Horn gave it a good effort...they just couldn't get over their opponents size...but Thompson would not take all the glory...he would share the love and give this last bucket to Gross. Pine Bluffs would maintain a double digit lead through the end...and win this one...57-to-46.