The Manchester Squires accomplished what no other Wabash County basketball team ever has, defeating University 59-54 to capture the school’s and county’s first ever basketball state title Saturday.
The game would be tight the entire time with a seven-point Squire lead late in the third quarter being the largest of the day.
Down 5-2 early in the first Aaron Reid and Ethan Hendrix would hit back-to-back threes to give Manchester an 8-5 lead before University scored six straight to lead 11-8. Tallon Torpy would connect at the end of the quarter as the Squires trailed 11-10
Down 12-10 in the second, Manchester would go on a 9-3 run to grab a 19-15 lead. Hendrix and Gavin Betten did most of the damage with Wyatt Prater adding a three. Betten would score one more time in the quarter as the teams went to the half tied 21-21.
Manchester would regroup at the half and bring an intense defense that rattled University. Down 24-21 Hendrix would make it 24-23 before Betten hit from long and short range to put the Squires up 28-24. Behind Torpy and Hendrix the Squires would maintain a six point lead until a Hendrix three made it 39-32. Manchester would lead 39-34 with a quarter to go.
University would score the first five points of the fourth to make it 39-39 before buckets from Betten and Kaleb Kline gave the Squires a 43-40 lead. University would then drain back to back threes to grab a 46-43 lead before Kline tied the game with a long ball. With 1:44 left in the game University would hit two free throws to grab a 51-50 lead before Betten put Manchester up 52-51 with 1:22 left. The Manchester defense would hold, forcing University to start fouling the wrong guy in Ethan Hendrix. With 49.4 on the clock Hendrix would drain two free throws for a 54-51 lead before the Squire defense came up big again. Hendrix would hit three more free throws down the stretch before a steal and a layup from Reid gave Manchester a 59-51 lead with just seconds to go. University would hit a three at the buzzer for the 59-54 final with the Squires laying claim on their first ever basketball state championship.
Manchester senior Kaleb Kline was selected for the Mental Attitude Award
To view photos from the game click on the facebook link below
