The girls’ basketball team trounced Shawnee 58-20 to improve to an overall record of 2-0 on the season.

After Tonysha Curry (23) won the opening tip-off, Aricka Prentice (25) started off the game with a series of free throws. Ami Ballard (11) and Jaela Johnson (33) knocked down the first two threes of the game shortly after.

Manual’s defense successfully kept Shawnee’s explosive offense from scoring until halfway through the first quarter, and kept them to only two points in the third quarter, during which the running clock, or ‘mercy rule’, was put into effect.

“The other day we said we needed to get better at a few things,” said coach Mr. Jeffery Sparks (Social Studies). We didn’t have Krys [McCune (#55)] tonight, so some people had to step up and play some different roles and I thought it was really good for us

With McCune, one of the team’s top defenders, out, Manual still held Shawnee down to 20 thanks to a well-rounded full-court press defense, as well as strong defensive performances by Angelica McBride (24) and Roncayle Hunter (15).

Despite the win, Coach Sparks was not fully satisfied with the team’s performance. “We need to work on shot selection, and that’s gonna come with more game experience and more practice,” he said. “We need more assists and more shots that lead directly to baskets.”

The win puts Manual at the top of District 25, with Shawnee and Central tied for second place one game behind. Manual’s next game, the first away match of the season, will be against Presentation High School on Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m.