Squires Hold Off Valley VikingsNORTH MANCHESTER – Tippecanoe Valley cut Manchester’s lead from 14 to four points early in the fourth quarter, and the momentum was with the Vikings. But the host Squires got hot the rest of the way, missing just 2 of 9 field goal attempts in the final period. Manchester’s 22-point fourth-quarter outburst allowed it to salt away a 69-53 Three Rivers Conference boys basketball win Friday night. Manchester head coach Mark Underwood said he could tell by looking that his team was going to do well late in the game. “It was definitely one of our best fourth quarters we’ve had this year,” he said. “When it got down to four, I told the guys ‘O.K, we knew at some point they would challenge us. How are you guys going to react to this?’ “I looked them in the eye and I could tell we were in good shape because they understood we could go one of two ways. We could fold the tent up and let them take the lead, or we can bring it and use that same energy and get after it. So I’m proud of the guys. They went out and executed in the fourth quarter.” The key for Manchester getting a big lead, then putting the game away, was getting out in transition before Valley could set up its half-court defense. “We’ve been working more and more toward (an up-tempo game),” said Underwood. “We understand we are a smaller team, and it’s gonna be hard with our lack of size to play a half-court game with teams being able to post us up. “But we do have quickness, and we do have speed, and we feel like if we can get out and run, and limit the turnovers, that would be something to our advantage. We’ve been trying to do that, and there have been times it’s been working for us. Tonight was one of those times, and it made a big difference in the game. “If we had played them a half-court game all night, the outcome would have been different.” Valley, which never led in the game, kept it close for most of the first half. Head coach Bill Patrick said a lapse at the end of the second quarter and into the third put his Vikings in a hole. “We had a minute there right at the end of the second quarter, we just broke down on three or four possessions,” he said. “Those turned out to be big, big possessions. “We’ve had several games where we have a minute or so where we totally break down and do some things wrong. “I didn’t think we went hard to start the third quarter. We had a stretch where we put some kids in, we went hard and cut it to four. But then we didn’t get out on their outside shooters and they hurt us on the offensive boards, where they put several of those back.” The blueprint for the Vikings going forward seems simple, according to Patrick. “We’ve just gotta find a way to play better defense, block out and do a better job on the defensive boards,” he said. Manchester (4-11, 3-3 TRC) was led by Mason Hamby’s 23 points. Koehl Fluke, after picking up three fouls in the first half, scored all 18 of his points after intermission. David McAtee had eight of his 14 points in the fourth quarter. The Vikings (6-11, 2-4 TRC) were led by Alec Craig’s game-high 24 points. Keith Wright had 17. The Squires return to TRC play Thursday when they host Northfield. Valley hosts TRC foe Wabash Thursday.
MANCHESTER 69 TIPPECANOE VALLEY 53 TV 12 9 19 13 – 53 M 14 15 18 22 – 69 Valley – Tanner Trippiedi 0-3 0-0 0, Keith Wright 6-13 2-3 17, DeSean Heckman 0-0 0-0 0, Alec Craig 11-19 0-0 24, Alex Morrison 2-5 1-1 5, Cameron Parker 0-1 0-0 0, Jarod Duzenbery 3-6 1-2 7, Wes Melanson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-48 4-6 53. Manchester – Brayden Casper 2-5 1-2 6, Adam Byers 1-3 0-0 2, Mason Hamby 7-11 6-6 23, David McAtee 5-11 2-2 15, Kam Lester 0-1 0-0 0, Koehl Fluke 7-8 2-2 18, Devon Rooney 2-4 0-0 5, Kane Gable 0-2 0-0 0, Heath Dierks 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-45 11-12 69. Three-pointers – Valley 5 (Wright 3, Craig 2); Manchester 10 (Hamby 3, McAtee 3, Fluke 2, Casper, Rooney); Rebounds – Valley 18 (Morrison 4), Manchester 30 (Hamby 7, McAtee 7); Turnovers – Valley 7, Manchester 11; Fouls – Valley 15, Manchester 12; Fouled out – none; Records: Valley 6-11 (2-4 TRC), Manchester 4-11 (3-3 TRC) JV – Manchester 47 Tippecanoe Valley 34 Valley – Parkur Dalrymple 14, Jalen Potter 12, Jace Potter 5, Tucker Shull 2, Dakota Parker 1 Manchester – Isaiah Davis 10, Caleb Stout 9, Konrad Borgmann 8, Andrew McAtee 6, Thane Creager 4, Logan Parrett 3, Kreeden Krull 3, Spence Trick 2, Drake Hatfield 2
