The Courier-Journal (Louisville)
Balanced scoring carries Manual to 24-point win over Male
After the rivalry basketball game against Male High School ended in Manual’s favor, 70-46, Crimsons players danced and celebrated with the student section Friday night.
Manual coach Miquel Coleman simply pointed to the back of his shirt, which read, “Manual > Male.”
“We feel like we’re greater than Male,” Coleman said of his 11th-ranked team. “I’m sure (Male thinks it is better), but that’s how we feel, and we’re not going to back down from it.”
The Crimsons (23-3) received 19 points and 13 rebounds from junior Justice Decker, 16 points from senior Ryan Shene and 12 points apiece from junior Malachi Coleman and senior Josh Darst.
“This is a great feeling, (my) first time winning in this rivalry,” Malachi Coleman said. “Game plan was to shut down Cole (Edelen) and force everyone left. You shut down (Edelen), you shut down the team.” Edelen scored a team-high 14 points.
Bulldogs coach Tim Haworth said his team “got beat in all facets of the game. Chalk it up to a regular-season game; we know what our goals are. The district and region is what we’re fighting for.”
Miquel Coleman’s team has won six consecutive games, and he said the Crimsons learned important lessons in their 75-55 loss to Christian Academy on Feb. 1.
“They practice harder; they listen and focus more,” the coach said. “I think we’re going to be really good going down the stretch.”
On Friday night, Manual grabbed a 15-5 lead before Male (18-9) called its first timeout amid chants of “This is our house” from Crimsons fans. Manual’s biggest lead in the first half was 15 points, as Coleman and Decker combined to score 12.
In the second half, the Crimsons’ lead grew to 26 points after Decker’s rimgrazing dunk.
Reach sports reporter Brooks Warren at bwarren@gannett.com and follow him on X at @Broookksss.