After starting the season 0-2 and dropping three of their first five games, the Manchester girls basketball team has turned it around tremendously over the past month, evidenced by six wins in the last eight games. The Lady Squires made it seven of nine on Wednesday night, defeating Churubusco 52-23 at home.
The start was not one the Lady Squires were looking for, as they were blitzed by Churubusco in the game’s opening minutes. The visitors were able to use a hot start shooting the ball from deep to take a 8-0 lead in the first two minutes of the contest, prompting the home side to burn a quick timeout after being put in a quick hole.
Following the break in action, Manchester was able to figure things out, namely on the defensive end, allowing the comeback to begin. After allowing eight points in the contest’s opening two minutes, the Lady Squires would not allow a point for the remainder of the first quarter. Slowly but surely, the home side began to chip away at the deficit.
To do so, it would be a team effort, and Manchester was up to the task. The Lady Squires used just about every available player in the first half, and each of them were able to contribute. Whether it was the strong defense and rebounding of Hadley West and Kim Schroll or the timely scoring of Brookelynn Buzzard and Emma Walker, every player had a role to play. The outstanding teamwork displayed by the home side allowed Manchester to score the final eight points of the opening quarter, tying the game up after eight minutes.

    Senior Kim Schroll of Manchester puts up a shot during Wednesday night's home game against Churubusco. Photo by Gary Nieter

In the first few minutes of the second, the Lady Squires would go on top for the first time in the game, and wouldn’t stop there. Manchester would extend its lead to double digits only briefly, but overall was able to control the pace of the contest and stayed in front once getting there. In total, eight different players scored for the home team in the first half, with big shots coming from Peyton Ream, Ava Sautter and others. The defense continued to suffocate the Lady Eagles, making it extremely possible for the visitors to create enough space for open shots.
After flipping the switch and turning the game around completely after a poor two minutes, the Lady Squires were able to take an eight-point lead into halftime, with their sights set on extending it as the third quarter began.
That’s exactly what would happen, as Ream used two quick buckets in a matter of seconds to put her team back up by double digits once more. While Manchester didn’t do much offensively in the minutes that followed, they didn’t have to, as the defense was continuing to shine. Churubusco went into the third quarter with 17 points on the board, and as time continued to tick away, the visitors remained at that total.
The Lady Squires would score just eight points in the quarter, the final basket coming on a short jumper by Molly Schannep. Despite this, Manchester was able to extend its lead to 15, as the Lady Eagles managed just one point on a free throw with 20 seconds left. The tenacious defense paved the way for the successes the home side was having, and set them up nicely to finish off a victory in the fourth quarter.
The lead would extend some more in the fourth as Gracie Lauer would make her first shot of the game after coming away with a steal and going on a breakaway. Still having not allowed a field goal in the second half, the Lady Squires got the advantage up to 20 with about five minutes remaining on a three by Walker. The make would begin an offensive onslaught for Manchester that soon saw the advantage approaching 30.
Not only was the defense effective, it was full of highlight plays. More than once, Lauer would send an opponent’s shot into the bleachers with an emphatic rejection. Now fully rolling and with the offense continuing to dominate the game, Manchester soon saw its lead grow to 33 just over a minute after it got to 20. It would do so on a free throw made by McKelvey Espeset, as the senior became the ninth Manchester player to get on the scoreboard.
With a little less than three minutes to go, Schroll’s first bucket would get the lead up to 35 and initiate the running clock. Fittingly, it was immediately afterwards that the Lady Eagles would hit a three for their first points of the fourth quarter and first made field goal of the second half. Not much would happen afterwards as both sides began the process of emptying their benches.
Walker led all scorers with 14 points, followed by Buzzard with 10 and Ream with nine. All four players grabbed four rebounds. Schroll scored six points and added nine boards. Schannep scored four points while Sautter and Lauer each added three.
Manchester (10-6) will resume Three Rivers Conference play on Saturday in a road game against North Miami.