Pine Bluffs Boys Basketball Wrap [VIDEO]

Pine Bluffs has been very strong in boys basketball in recent years but absorbed a couple of tough losses in the 2A state tournament to finish 6th in 2019-20.

This was a group that had two all-state players, Michael Shain and Justus Golding. Shain led 2A in scoring averaging 21 points a game and will be headed to Dickinson State in the fall.  Golding averaged 12 points a game and Reed Thompson was a double-digit scorer throwing in 11 a contest, so he was named all-conference. Donte Jacobsen wan an all-conference pick as well.

At the 2A state tournament. Pine Bluffs met eventual state champion Wyoming Indian in the quarterfinals and lost 72-68. The Hornets had a rusty 1st quarter but a sharp 3rd quarter in what turned out to be on the best games of the tournament. Shain was terrific with 24 points on 7-11 from the field and Golding had a tremendous game with 25 points with 5, 3 pointers. The Hornets at one point in this game trailed 20-3 so they showed a lot of guts to get back into it.

In the consolation round, Pine Bluffs knocked off Kemmerer 70-59 as Shain went off for 29 points while Thompson, Golding, and Ryan Fornstrom all had 11. The Hornets put the game away in the 2nd half and forced 18 turnovers.

in the 5th place game, Pine Bluffs lost to Rocky Mountain 67-64 to finish 18-9. Reed Thompson led the way with 19, Shain dropped in 16 and Brian Steger had 10. This was a senior-heavy team with a lot of ability so we'll see what next year brings.