News Sentiel 11/24/99
Manchester 83 Southwood 59
Squire 'D' Steps Up In Win Over Southwood
By Dale Hubler, Times-Union Sports Writer
NORTH MANCHESTER � Manchester�s girls basketball players weren�t astronauts walking on the moon Tuesday night in a 83-59 win over Three Rivers Conference rival Southwood, but rather a team taking small steps and then a giant leap.
After both teams went 0-2 in their respective first games, Manchester coach Keri Nichols said this was without a doubt her team�s biggest leap.
�Definately,� she said. �We talked about it in the locker room. We were making baby steps and this was by far our biggest step. Now we can move on to the next step.�
The biggest step for the Squires in their 24-point, first win of the season was their defense.
Manchester�s pressure defense �Nichols calls it the �T-trap� �forced the Knights to turn the ball over 29 times. The Squires were victim to just 15 turnovers.
�When we run we expect to have turnovers,� said Nichols. �We call it organized chaos. Only 12 or 13 turnovers is great. We�d been averaging 20. When we start working on our pass fakes we can cut down the turnovers.�
Said Southwood coach Rod Cole: �We have a plan to play against the press, it�s hard to tell at times. We need to prove we can beat the press. That�s one of our immediate goals.�
Manchester junior forward Jessica Hicks led all scorers with 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the field and a 4-of-4 performance at the free throw line. She also tallied eight rebounds and three steals.
�We expect that out of Hicks,� said Nichols. �How many times was she double- or triple-teamed and still made a nice move?�
Ann Harms added 15 points and six caroms in the win.
�Ann has been maturing. She�s only a sophomore,� said Nichols. �It�s coming from all of her hard work. We�re not worried about her getting points, she can get rebounds.�
Junior Brooke McKee led the Knights in the scoring column with 14 points on a 5-of-5 effort from the floor. She also made good on 4 of 9 free throws and snared five rebounds. Senior Hayley Bozarth and 6-foot freshman Denae Gibson each added 11 points in the loss.
�This was only Gibson�s third varsity game,� said Cole. �She caught some difficult passes. She showed a lot of improvement over last weekend even.�
Harms scored the game�s first two points, giving the Squires a lead the never relinquished. After one quarter of play Manchester led 20-13.
In the second quarter Jennifer Jester capped off an 11-point run with a three-pointer, giving Manchester a 36-20 lead. The Squires led 44-28 at the half.
Manchester kept its advantage near 20 throughout the majority of the final frame. The fourth quarter was Southwood�s highest offensive output. Manchester only outscored the Knights 23-19 in the fourth quarter.
Not only was this Manchester�s first win of the season, but the Squires are now 1-0 in the Three Rivers Conference.
�Before we came out we talked about how this was not only a big county game, but a big conference game too,� said Nichols. �We wanted to come out and set the tone.�
Said Cole of the conference race: �It�ll be tough. We only have one home conference game. I wouldn�t say a conference title is out of the question, but we certainly put ourselves behind the eight ball.�
Manchester (1-2, 1-0) will host county rival Wabash at 6 p.m. Saturday with no junior varsity contest. The Manchester boys varsity team will host Wabash after the girls game.
MANCHESTER 83, SOUTHWOOD 59
Southwood (0-3) 13 15 12 19 � 59
Manchester (1-2) 20 24 16 23 � 83
Southwood FG FT S R A Pts
Gibson (C) 5-6 1-2 0 5 0 11
Kellam (F) 1-3 0-0 1 3 0 2
Bozarth (F) 3-6 5-6 0 5 0 11
Keith (G) 4-6 0-0 1 4 0 8
McKee (G) 5-5 4-9 1 5 1 14
Byerly 0-6 0-2 3 3 0 0
McPherson 2-5 1-1 0 2 0 5
Dale 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 0
Smith 0-0 0-2 0 0 0 0
Bowman 0-3 0-2 1 1 1 0
Cly 4-7 0-0 0 2 0 8
Totals 24-47 11-24 7 36 2 59
Manchester FG FT S R A Pts.
C. White (C) 2-6 3-3 1 1 0 7
Hicks (F) 10-15 4-4 3 8 1 24
Harms (F) 7-9 1-6 1 6 0 15
Terflinger (G) 6-10 0-0 1 0 2 12
Jester (G) 4-13 3-4 3 1 8 14
Markstahler 2-8 0-0 1 4 3 4
Brubaker 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
Bungitak 0-2 0-0 0 0 1 0
E. White 1-1 0-0 1 0 2 2
Speicher 2-3 0-0 0 0 0 5
Totals 34-67 11-17 11 24 17 83#
Three-pointers � Manchester 4 (Jester 3, Speicher 1). Turnovers � Southwood 29, Manchester 15. Fouls � Southwood 13, Manchester 15. Fouled out � none.
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