By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Topeka High boys found themselves short-handed against Centennial League foe Manhattan and were unable to keep pace, falling 68-35 to the Indians at home Tuesday.
Topeka High junior Da'Mykel Hales (3) scored 11 points to lead the Trojans in Tuesday's loss to Manhattan. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Trojans were forced to go without senior point guard Isaiah Lyons, who suffered a high-ankle sprain the previous week. They were also working fellow senior guard Jalen Freeman back into the rotation following a leg injury.
“Being down Isaiah changes some things. He’s our primary ball handler, our best perimeter scorer,” said Trojan coach Geo Lyons. “We’re asking some guys to fill some roles that we haven’t prepared them to do. As a coaching staff, we’ve got to do our best to help them get ready.”
The Trojans put up a fierce fight out of the gate. They trailed just 16-11 at the end of the first period. But that energy was unsustainable and a 16-0 run by the Indians in the second period established an insurmountable lead.
“We want to get in other teams’ shorts and play with that energy,” Lyons said. “But with our rotation being chopped down and being down players, those kids that were out there were gassed.
“But that’s our style of play. I didn’t want to pull the reins back and just stand back in zone or something like that. That’s not us.”
Five Indians broke double figures Tuesday, led by Asher Newcomer, who racked up 16 points without missing a shot from the field.
The Trojans were led by Da’Mykel Hales with 11 points. Daniel Brown and Miguel Villegas each added six points.
The Trojans now turn their attention to their next opponent, Bonner Springs, which will visit the Dungeon Friday.
“Hopefully we can get healthy,” Lyons said. “That’s our last one going into winter break. If we can get that one, it would match our win total from last season. (Going) into the break, we have some other things that we want to put in, a change of style of play. So, getting that win Friday would be big for us.”
MANHATTAN BOYS 68, TOPEKA HIGH 35
Manhattan 16 20 19 13 -- 68
Topeka High 11 5 7 12 -- 35
Manhattan (4-2, 1-0) – Kim 4-8 0-1 10, Braxmeyer 2-2 0-0 4, Newcomer 6-6 0-0 16, Knopp 4-9 2-2 11, McNabb 4-8 2-2 10, Stanard 0-0 0-0 0, Speigel 1-2 2-2 5, Newton 0-4 0-0 0, Goos 0-0 0-0 0, N. McFadden 4-5 0-0 10, Doering 1-2 0-0 2, Washington 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 26-46 7-9 68.
Topeka High (2-3 0-1) – Freeman 1-7 0-2 2, Hales 4-12 1-2 11, Groves 1-4 0-0 2, Villeagas 2-9 0-0 6, Norman 0-7 2-2 2, Brown 2-2 2-5 6, Murph 2-2 0-0 4, Aldridge 0-1 0-0 0, McFadden 0-0 0-0 0, Woods 1-1 0-0 2, Campbell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 13-45 5-12 35.
3-point goals – Manhattan 9 (Newcomer 4, Kim 2, N. McFadden 2, Knopp 1), Topeka High 4 (Hales 2, Villegas 2). Total fouls – Manhattan 14, Topeka High 12. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.
