The Manual JV boys’ basketball team defeated the Ballard Bruins on Thursday with a score of 45-32. The game was heavy on defense and got off to a slow start, but the Crimsons were able to pick up the momentum in the second half and run away with the game.
First Half:
The Bruins won the tipoff and were able to create turnovers early with defensive pressure including multiple traps and steals. However, a reaching foul on Ballard resulted in the Crimson’s first points on the board.
A block by Manual’s Corey Chapman (#3, 10) created the first of many three-pointers for Manual. The first quarter of the game was a defensive battle with both teams creating turnovers and transition baskets.
With three minutes left in the first quarter, Chapman hit his first three-pointer of the night. This was quickly followed by a turnover, created by Chapman, who made a long pass to Willis Nofsinger (#10, 11), who was able to score on the transition layup. Manual was on a run, but a lapse in defense quickly followed and Ballard was able to capitalize with a transition three. At the end of the first quarter, the Crimsons were leading with a score of 11-10.
“We knew it was going to be kind of a track meet up and down, so I had guys I wanted to put in that fit that type of scheme… fly around, right? So we were trying to speed them up,” Head Coach Jaelyn Maxey said.
The second quarter started with a shooting foul on Ballard and Manual’s Geoffrey Njogu (#4, 10) went one for two at the free-throw line.
Manual struggled to slow down Ballard’s transition offense late in the half, and the Bruins hit multiple mid-range jumpers to gain a late lead. A block by Manual’s Mark Woods (#15, 10) led to the end of the second quarter. At the break, the Bruins led the Crimsons by two with a score of 18-16.
Second Half:
The second half was much more offensive than the first, as the Crimsons hit a quick two-pointer and then a three-pointer in transition to get up, 21-18, early.
Njogu hit a three and quickly after, Manual’s defensive pressure led to a Ballard turnover and a transition layup basket by Taeren Pryor (#2, 10) increased the Crimson’s lead. Manual’s defense created two tie-ups late in the quarter and Chapman hit two more three-pointers. The quarter came to a close with Manual in the lead, with a score of 31-24, heading into the fourth.
“As a team, we played a little sloppy, but in the second half we came in strong,” Chapman said.
The third quarter opened with a shooting foul on Manual and Ballard hit both free throws. However, Manual returned the punch with a transition layup for Pryor and an assist from Woods on a three-pointer from Deshawn McGee (#23, 10). An offensive rebound and a layup for Manual quickly followed. Manual extended their lead by 15 points, with a score of 41-26. Ballard hit two more transition layups, but Manual’s offensive pressure prevailed.
The Crimsons defeated the Bruins by a final score of 45-32.
“In the second half, once we got a little bit of a lead, I wanted to slow the game down. We’re up, I tried to use the time to our advantage. Move the basketball around, take longer on possessions, those types of things,” Maxey said.
The Crimson’s JV boys’ basketball team will play again at Eastern on January 16, 2024.
