The Manhattan High girls basketball team (6-3) defeated Blue Valley (3-7) 57-44 Friday for the Indians’ sixth double-digit win of the season.
“We saw from the J.V. game, it was going to be a very physical game, so we knew we had to stay aggressive and be prepared for that,” head coach Scott Mall said.
The Indians led the Tigers 12-9 in a defense-heavy first quarter.
“We were super aggressive in our trapping and stealing, and we knew when to help each other,” sophomore guard Bailey Busch said.
The Tigers built up some momentum and led 18-15 midway through the second quarter. MHS responded, scoring 11 unanswered, including three pointers from freshman Evie Banks and junior Kat Ball.
“We had good looks and we got about two, three, three’s back to back,” sophomore forward Jelena Depusoir said. “I think that was the push we needed in the second quarter.”
The Tigers scored three points right before intermission, narrowing MHS’s lead to 26-21 going into half.
In the third quarter, MHS added 17 points to the board, increasing their lead to double digits.
In the fourth quarter, the Indians kept their foot on the gas and topped Blue Valley by 13 for their second home win of the season.
“We were very persistent with our defense,” Busch said. “We made smart plays, and scored when we needed to score.”
Busch led the tribe with 16 points, juniors Ball and Delaney Larson both tallied nine points and Banks scored eight. Collectively, 12 Indians found playing time.
“It’s a matter of trying to give them all a chance,” Mall said. “At the same time trying to figure out who fits best with the way the game is going.”
The large rotation of players has given underclassmen opportunities to shine.
“We have a lot of young girls,” Depusoir said. “I think our upperclassmen have done a really good job teaching us the ways of the game.”
The Indians are the three seed in the McPherson Tournament and will face Wichita Southeast (4-6) on Thursday.
“If we can win the first game, that keeps us in the winners bracket,” Mall said.
