In the month of February, both Manual girls and boy’s basketball teams compete in crucial matchups. Here are the following teams the Crimsons go up against, including the game’s significance: 

Boys (9-2) 24th                          Girls (9-3) 22th

2/4 Butler: boys (7-5) 18th; girls (13-3) 4th

2/7 Central: boys (3-6) 25th district, and 7th regional match up (Girl’s full record isn’t listed) 

2/11 (Christian Academy of Louisville) CAL: (boys final scores not posted); girls (17-3) 3rd, 7th regional matchup 

 2/14 Male: boys (13-4); 4th girls (7-7) historic rival, regional match up, 

2/21 Eastern: boys (8-3); girls (2-10) Regional match up 

Why do these games matter?

First and foremost, February is the last month of regular season play before the postseason. It is ideal that the team enters tournament play with as much confidence as possible.

Regarding tournament play, four of the five teams including Central, CAL, Male and Eastern are teams Manual would face early in the postseason. The four teams priorly listed are all 7th regional teams, which is the same region as Manual. In addition, Central is in the same district as Manual (25th). 

The better the teams perform against district matchups will give them a higher chance of a top seed and an easier path in the district tournament. Though, the number one seed isn’t granted home-court advantage, being that Shawnee hosted the 25th district tournament and wasn’t a top seed. 

If the team(s) win the 25th District Championship, then they will be entered into the 7th Regional tournament pool. The same will be done with the regional draw as it is with district giving the highest-ranked team the best chance. 

Other reasons why the listed games above are important are because of state rankings and rivalry. On the girls’ side, the Lady Crimsons face Butler (4th) and CAL (3rd) ranked in the state of Kentucky in a week span.

On the boy’s side of play, Manual will face 4th ranked Male and 18th ranked Butler. Also, Male and Manual games are always an intense rivalry between the two. With Male boy’s currently 4th statewide, it is an additional pressure. 

Here are the past results against those teams:

2018-19 Boys (7-16):

Vs Butler: Loss 69-68

Vs Central: Loss 59-55 district finals, and won 87-37 regular Season

Vs CAL: Scores not included

Vs Male: Loss 68-52  

Vs Eastern: Win 63-58    

2018-19 girls (16-8):

Vs Butler: Loss 45-40

Vs Central: Win 52-32 regular season, and won district finals (score not listed)

Vs CAL: 57-42

Vs Male: Loss 63-58 regular season, and Loss 53-35 Regional Championship

Vs Eastern: Loss 63-54 regular season, and won regional semi-final

The outcomes of the games from the previous aren’t necessarily a correlation to this season due to graduated players, new players and any possible injuries.
The team’s records listed are solely based off of regular season and postseason games. The records don’t include any tournaments such as summer or winter shootouts.