City Too Much For Squires
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
COLUMBIA CITY - As the first game in the Columbia City Sectional was winding down, a shout of "We want Manchester" could be heard coming from the Tippecanoe Valley cheering crowd. Valley was winding down a 21-point victory over Central Noble, but the sting of a 34-point loss to the Squires still lingered in the collective minds of the Vikings.
All Manchester had to do was defeat Columbia City on the Golden Eagles' home floor, and Valley could get the rematch it wanted.
That, of course, is not quite as easy as it sounds. Columbia City has not won a sectional title since 1978, but this team wants to change that. Some feel that the Golden Eagles are the favorite because of their tough schedule and the home court advantage.
Sure enough, Columbia City came out early and ended strong to get into the sectional finals with a 61-46 win over a never-say-die Manchester squad.
The Squires struggled to find the range throughout the game, and the first quarter was no different. Dave Richmond scored six points in the opening five minutes to stake Columbia City to an 11-2 lead.
Scot Cromer knocked down his only basket of the game, a three-pointer, to close the deficit to six points, but the Golden Eagles hit four free throws to make the score 15-5 through one quarter.
"I thought we got the ball where we wanted to in the first quarter," Manchester head coach Gary Goshert said. "We just didn't convert."
In the second quarter, Columbia City extended the lead to 16 points with 1:27 to play on a Richmond layup. Columbia City looked as if it had just thrown the knock-out punch, but if you think Manchester would stay down, you have never seen Indiana high school basketball.
Manchester put together a rare six-point possession on the next play to get back within 10 points. Jonathan Price hit a three-pointer, and Jake Peden was fouled underneath. He hit the first free throw and missed the second. Rex Reimer rebounded the miss and Eric Swan hit a layup to complete the possession with six points in 13 seconds.
Columbia City's Matt Moore hit a free throw to close out the first half scoring and give the Golden Eagles a 28-17 lead.
Peden struggled offensively in the opening half as he missed all seven of his shots. Richmond led all scorers with 10 points for Columbia City.
In the third quarter, the Golden Eagles went ahead by 13 points after two free throws from Richmond. Then, the Squires woke up.
Over the final 4:41 of the game, Manchester went on a 13-3 run in which six different players scored. With foul trouble beginning to mount, the Squires had closed to within three points, 37-34.
Columbia City opened with the ball in the fourth quarter, but after a steal, Manchester finished the comeback with a long three-pointer by Swan.
But the Golden Eagles regained their poise and led 49-44 with 3:25 to play when senior Brandon Reimer committed his fifth foul. Still trailing 51-44, Manchester's Price picked up his fifth foul, and the Squires no longer had the firepower to make another comeback. Columbia City closed out with seven free throws and a lay-up to win 61-46.
"We weren't ready to go at the beginning," Goshert said. "Give them credit. Their big kids played well and made it difficult on us. We couldn't handle them inside. That's sad, because I think we're capable of it.
"When you have to work so hard to get back into it like that, it really drains you emotionally."
The wild game featured 44 Columbia City free throw attempts to just 11 for Manchester. The Squires, however, had 57 field goal attempts, while the Golden Eagles only got off 23 shots.
Columbia City made every shot it took in the third quarter, but was outscored in that period, 17-9. The Golden Eagles only took three shots during that eight-minute span.
Manchester did not have a turnover in the second or third quarters and ended with just five on the game. The sophomore Swan led the Manchester with 19 points.
Richmond scored 17 points for Columbia City, and Chris Joy added 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Manchester's two seniors, Brandon Reimer and Peden, played their last game as Squires.
"I'm really happy for them," Goshert said. "They have a Three Rivers Conference Championship to take with them, and we had an opportunity to win tonight."
Manchester ends the season with a record of 13-9. As Goshert said, the Squires won the TRC title with a 6-1 conference record. Rochester will meet Valley for the sectional championship tonight at 7:30 p.m. [[In-content Ad]]
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COLUMBIA CITY - As the first game in the Columbia City Sectional was winding down, a shout of "We want Manchester" could be heard coming from the Tippecanoe Valley cheering crowd. Valley was winding down a 21-point victory over Central Noble, but the sting of a 34-point loss to the Squires still lingered in the collective minds of the Vikings.
All Manchester had to do was defeat Columbia City on the Golden Eagles' home floor, and Valley could get the rematch it wanted.
That, of course, is not quite as easy as it sounds. Columbia City has not won a sectional title since 1978, but this team wants to change that. Some feel that the Golden Eagles are the favorite because of their tough schedule and the home court advantage.
Sure enough, Columbia City came out early and ended strong to get into the sectional finals with a 61-46 win over a never-say-die Manchester squad.
The Squires struggled to find the range throughout the game, and the first quarter was no different. Dave Richmond scored six points in the opening five minutes to stake Columbia City to an 11-2 lead.
Scot Cromer knocked down his only basket of the game, a three-pointer, to close the deficit to six points, but the Golden Eagles hit four free throws to make the score 15-5 through one quarter.
"I thought we got the ball where we wanted to in the first quarter," Manchester head coach Gary Goshert said. "We just didn't convert."
In the second quarter, Columbia City extended the lead to 16 points with 1:27 to play on a Richmond layup. Columbia City looked as if it had just thrown the knock-out punch, but if you think Manchester would stay down, you have never seen Indiana high school basketball.
Manchester put together a rare six-point possession on the next play to get back within 10 points. Jonathan Price hit a three-pointer, and Jake Peden was fouled underneath. He hit the first free throw and missed the second. Rex Reimer rebounded the miss and Eric Swan hit a layup to complete the possession with six points in 13 seconds.
Columbia City's Matt Moore hit a free throw to close out the first half scoring and give the Golden Eagles a 28-17 lead.
Peden struggled offensively in the opening half as he missed all seven of his shots. Richmond led all scorers with 10 points for Columbia City.
In the third quarter, the Golden Eagles went ahead by 13 points after two free throws from Richmond. Then, the Squires woke up.
Over the final 4:41 of the game, Manchester went on a 13-3 run in which six different players scored. With foul trouble beginning to mount, the Squires had closed to within three points, 37-34.
Columbia City opened with the ball in the fourth quarter, but after a steal, Manchester finished the comeback with a long three-pointer by Swan.
But the Golden Eagles regained their poise and led 49-44 with 3:25 to play when senior Brandon Reimer committed his fifth foul. Still trailing 51-44, Manchester's Price picked up his fifth foul, and the Squires no longer had the firepower to make another comeback. Columbia City closed out with seven free throws and a lay-up to win 61-46.
"We weren't ready to go at the beginning," Goshert said. "Give them credit. Their big kids played well and made it difficult on us. We couldn't handle them inside. That's sad, because I think we're capable of it.
"When you have to work so hard to get back into it like that, it really drains you emotionally."
The wild game featured 44 Columbia City free throw attempts to just 11 for Manchester. The Squires, however, had 57 field goal attempts, while the Golden Eagles only got off 23 shots.
Columbia City made every shot it took in the third quarter, but was outscored in that period, 17-9. The Golden Eagles only took three shots during that eight-minute span.
Manchester did not have a turnover in the second or third quarters and ended with just five on the game. The sophomore Swan led the Manchester with 19 points.
Richmond scored 17 points for Columbia City, and Chris Joy added 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Manchester's two seniors, Brandon Reimer and Peden, played their last game as Squires.
"I'm really happy for them," Goshert said. "They have a Three Rivers Conference Championship to take with them, and we had an opportunity to win tonight."
Manchester ends the season with a record of 13-9. As Goshert said, the Squires won the TRC title with a 6-1 conference record. Rochester will meet Valley for the sectional championship tonight at 7:30 p.m. [[In-content Ad]]