Manual Extravaganza Recap
The 3rd annual Manual Extravaganza was a success Saturday. Here’s a look at the seven games that Indiana Basketball Source watched at the event.
Hamilton Heights Christian (Tenn.) vs. Ben Davis
The nightcap was nearing a blowout at halftime. Hamilton Heights Christian was raining three-pointers in the first half. Tre Edwards, Jordan Rawls and Wheza Panzo were knocking down deep triples. HHC had a double-digit lead at the break and it didn’t seem like Ben Davis would be able to slow them down. Ben Davis never found a way to totally shut down Hamilton Heights, but the Giants started to click on offense as well. Dawand Jones had three dunks in about five possessions in the third quarter which energized Ben Davis. Aaron Henry was the story for Ben Davis, though. With Michigan State assistant coach Dane Fife watching, Henry was unstoppable off the dribble. He either finished in the lane against multiple 6-foot-10 players or was fouled. He was on a mission down the stretch. His efforts, although truly Superman-like, fell short as Hamilton Heights won 77-74. Aaron Henry finished with 49 points in the loss.
Evansville Bosse vs. Lawrence North
This pitted 3A #1 Bosse against a strong 4A Lawrence North. It was expected to be an up and down game and it was exactly that. It was a tight game from wire to wire. 2019 guard Jared Hankins was knocking down shots early. He scored 18 points in the first half on 4-5 shooting from three-point range. Sophomore Kiyron Powell turned just as many heads without taking a shot. Powell blocked five shots in the first half. Powell was playing volleyball when Lawrence North attempted shots in the paint. It was impressive. Mekhi Lairy was just as impressive for Bosse. He finished with 23 points on 6-13 shooting. Lairy was limited to 25 minutes because of foul trouble, and he eventually fouled out. D’Angelo Ware provided a lot of the toughness for Bosse. He finished with 13 points, six rebounds and four steals. Late in the game, Kevin Easley made some huge plays. The senior finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Tony Perkins added 12 as Lawrence North won 70-66.
Fort Wayne North Side vs. Cathedral
It was a battle of 4A contenders with the decision going to Cathedral, 65-56. North Side shot well in the first half but was hampered by turnovers. Cathedral shot poorly early in the game but made up for it by forcing turnovers and getting offensive rebounds. Armaan Franklin took over in the second half for Cathedral. He scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half. He received help from Jarron Coleman’s 16, Justin Hensley’s 10 and James Franklin’s seven, though. Keion Brooks had an efficient 30 points, but he didn’t get much offensive help late in the game. Brooks was 10-15 from the field. Lucas Kroft had a nice stretch in the second half and finished with 11 points. Those were the only two North Side players that had more than five points.
Merrilllville vs. North Central
It looked like North Central might blow Merrillville out of the gym early as the Panthers built a 9-0 lead. Merrillville got back into the game behind 2018 forward Jaylon Holmes. He had a game-high 22 points. Merrillville made it a game in the second half, but Caleb Pack buried three straight three-pointers to put the game out of reach. Pack finished with 11 points. Donald Lee was consistent throughout the game for North Central. He had 16 points including a few dunks. North Central won 69-52.
Homestead vs. Tindley
Tindley jumped out early but Homestead chipped away late in the first quarter into the second. Tindley jumped out to an 11-0 lead thanks to great passes to Keith Malone. He feasted on the dimes throughout the game. Homestead started to take away the easy looks in the paint as the first half developed. Offensively, Sam Buck and Onye Ezeakudo stepped up. Buck’s shooting seemed to give Homestead a boost in the second quarter. Homestead was 9-21 from three-point range. Ezeakudo was really quick and strong off the dribble. Sincere McMahon had a strong game including a few really nice set-ups to teammates. He finished with 13 points. Eric Hunter scored 14 of his game-high 21 points after halftime. He turned up his aggression on the offensive end in the second half. That helped Tindley secured the 56-52 victory.
Warren Central vs. Lighthouse CPA
Warren put the foot down immediately behind Jesse Bingham then Jakobie Robinson. Bingham was all over the floor early. He blocked shots, was in the passing lanes, rebounded and hit a three-pointer. His effort early set the tone for Warren Central. Robinson continued the extreme effort that has become a staple of Criss Beyers as he was diving on the floor in a 40-point game. Lighthouse played really hard until the very end. They have had a rough stretch, but the effort is not a problem. They were just outmatched, especially without Devonire Glass.
Indianapolis Howe vs. Cincinnati Taft
In a frantic game, Kycia Washington and Tony Hopkins powered Howe to a win over Taft. Washington thrives in the up-tempo scramble type of game. He was getting to the basket and finishing on a regular basis. Hopkins, the University of New Orleans signee, was crucial down the stretch. He was strong with the ball while scoring at the basket. Without Hopkins’ late scoring, it would have been a nail-biter.