When asked who would win in a 1-on-1, Manual basketball players Justice Decker (12, MST) and Malachi Coleman (12, HSU) both laughed before Coleman answered “Me.”
“Justice can’t guard me, [but] I can guard him,” Coleman said, and Decker just nodded, both of them laughing at each other.
The confidence is warranted, as they have both proven themselves to be more than capable on the court.
Coleman has racked up 1,000 points, 500 assists and a Courier Journal Midseason Player of the Year award in his time at Manual. At the same time, Decker has also scored over 1,000 points, claiming 500 rebounds and a KABC 7th Region Player of the Year honor in the process. Both have been nominated for Courier Journal’s player of the week multiple times, as well.
However, when asked what achievement he’s proudest of in his time at Manual, Coleman’s answer was none of these.
“Last year, when I got the teammate award. I was [most] proud of myself… I feel like being a good teammate goes a long way and I feel like if my teammates like me, then I did my job, ” Coleman said.
The teammate award, which is picked by coaches and given to a player at the team banquet at the end of the year, was given to Coleman after his junior season.
So, while they’re surely competitive, Coleman and Decker prioritize relationships and team chemistry both on and off the court. They’ve known each other since playing basketball for the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) in elementary school, and have been growing their bond ever since.
When they first met, however, one thing stood out among the rest for both of them.
“I mean, I just knew he was good at basketball, and then I was wondering what was wrong with him because I was a little kid, so I was wondering why he was bald,” Coleman said.
Decker has had alopecia since before he first started playing basketball at Okolona Elementary. He then played at Newburg Middle School. As a result, basketball has helped him grow as a person, specifically regarding this condition.
“I’d say I learned to embrace my identity with alopecia [through elementary school basketball],” Decker said.
Both Decker and Coleman have grown in multiple ways since they began playing together during their freshman year at Manual. Yes, they’ve surpassed concrete milestones such as 1,000 points scored and garnered awards. However, they’ve also grown into natural team leaders, helping the Crimsons to the postseason by being examples of work ethic and team chemistry.
Coleman, who attended Brandeis Elementary and Noe Middle School, has witnessed this growth in both himself and Decker.
“I feel like I’m a leader. I lead by example. I try to talk sometimes, but on the court, I’m not really a talker… but on the court, I’m more lead by example,” Coleman said. He agreed that Decker also leads by example.
Decker, Coleman and the rest of the seniors on the team share a special bond. While teammate Davis Randle (12, HSU) has missed his last two years due to his struggle with bone cancer, Decker, Coleman and fellow senior Noah Smith (12, HSU) have shared a court for four years now, and they’re now closer than ever.
“On the team, I don’t have a best friend. I like all my teammates,” Coleman said. Through their years sharing the court and the classroom, the team has bonded in countless ways.
“I like that you get to go, like, you’re with them all the time. In high school, you see your teammates every day. You play with them all the time. When we go out of town, the hotel trips are fun. It’s just better, it’s fun to build relationships when you go to the same school,” Coleman said.
“I think it just helps that we know each other outside of the court, we just know each other’s tendencies and what we’re going to do, where we’re going to be,” Decker said.
Among the many bonding experiences and accolades that Decker and Coleman have garnered, one that stands out to Decker is defeating Male during the annual rivalry game the past two years. To him, these games stand out as moments where team chemistry and camaraderie shined through to propel the Crimsons to memorable rivalry wins.
“Just all the emotion the whole team played with. We had no choice but to play together and it showed. Everyone was playing for each other,” Decker said.
The Crimsons recently began their postseason journey. They defeated Male in the regional quarterfinals on Tuesday night, and will take on Trinity in the semifinals on March 7. For now, they’ll focus on the games ahead of them, but will soon begin to look toward their individual futures.
Both athletes aspire to play basketball in college. Coleman has received offers to play at Indiana University Southeast and Campbellsville University.
“I’m planning to major in exercise science and pursue D1 basketball, but if that doesn’t work out, I’m considering playing JUCO (Junior College) basketball for a year or two before playing in the NCAA (National Collegiate Basketball Association),” Decker said.
Though they’ll go their separate ways in a matter of months and pursue their futures, Decker and Coleman will always carry the memories experienced and lessons learned during their time together with duPont Manual basketball into whatever they do next. The special bond that they share has led them to success on and off the court and will continue to do so.
“A lesson I’ve learned from Manual basketball? I would say the power of friendship. Friendship goes a long way. I learned that myself, like the more that you’re cool with your teammates, the more y’all gel off the court, it works better on the court,” Coleman said.
