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MANTENO — The Manteno boys basketball team came into its home game against Illinois Central Eight conference opponent Herscher on Friday looking for its 10th win in the last 12 games. It was a close game throughout, but the Panthers managed to stay hot and pick up a 48-41 win.
Manteno improved to 11-6 on the season overall and 5-1 in conference play while Herscher fell to 4-11 overall and 1-5 in conference.
Manteno led throughout the tight game on Friday, claiming a 12-6 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Tigers responded to open the second, through, cutting the score to 12-11 before Manteno pulled away to lead 21-13 at halftime.
The Panthers were up 39-29 heading into the fourth quarter, but Herscher cut the lead down to two scores multiple teams, including with 1:20 left in the game when an Austin Buckley 3-pointer cut the Panther lead to 45-40.
Manteno star Ray Lee knocked down a pair of free throws on the ensuing possession to give the Panthers a bit of breathing room, and they managed to hold on for the win.
Manteno head coach Zack Myers said he was happy with the team’s start on Friday, and even though the second half was not perfect, was glad they could do enough to earn the win.
“We got off to a good start there, and I thought we played a decent second half,” he said. “Defensively we kind of struggled a bit getting to open shooters and didn’t contest, and they got a few buckets on us there. They made a good run on us in the third quarter, but I think with our transition game we kind of held them at bay.
“Ray got out in transition and got a few buckets there, and Braden Campbell did a good job getting it ahead along with Andrew Norred. So I felt like our transition game and rebounding down the stretch kind of helped us.”
Herscher managed to keep themselves in the game, even though at times it looked like Manteno was threatening to pull ahead comfortably. The Tigers have been in a lot of close games this season, with their five-closest losses, including Friday’s loss, coming by an average of just 4.2 points per game.
Herscher head coach Drew Boudreau said he was proud of his team’s fight once again in a close loss, even though the result did not pan out.
“I was so proud of my group tonight,” he said. “Manteno’s hot, they’ve won nine of their last 11, and we know Manteno’s a tough place to play on a Friday. We came in and we got down in certain spots, but this group shows so much fight, and has all year long.
“There was a couple points where it was like there was a lid on the basket and shots didn’t fall, and it is what it is. There’s nothing you can do.”
Herscher’s Jacob McCree led the team with 12 points, and did most of his offensive damage from mid-range. The big junior was still a presence in the paint defensively against a Manteno team that boasts some size, setting the tone with a pair of strong blocks in the first quarter.
Myers said that McCree’s defense put the Panthers in some tough spots.
“Herscher kind of took us out of our game,” he said. “McCree did a good job protecting the paint and kind of took us out of our game offensively.”
Boudreau said that becoming a stronger defensive player was something McCree has been focusing on, and that focus has been paying off throughout the season.
“He’s been really good defensively,” Boudreau said. ”Last year I think he kind of struggled a little bit. He admitted that and that was a part of his game he really wanted to work on this year. This offseason into the second half of the year he’s really improved. Physicality and that mindset has gotten a lot better with him.”
Offensively, Buckley finished just behind McCree with 11 points in the game, nine of which came from three 3-pointers. Tanner Jones finished with six points and Gavin Hull had five.
For Manteno, Lee was fresh off a 33-point second half in the Panthers comeback win at Morris on Tuesday. He did not put up the kind of eye-popping numbers he has reached in recent games, but was still a handful for the Hercher defense through the night.
He finished with a game-high 18 points, knocking down three 3-pointers. He has also been getting to the free-throw line more consistently of late, said Myers, which has helped him develop into an even more effective scorer.
“The thing we’ve really been harping on is getting to the free throw line, and he was 5-of-6 tonight. We’ve been pushing him to get to that free-throw line to be that consistent scorer. That was good, and some buckets from some other guys filled out the stat sheet.”
Braden Campbell finished second on the team with 11 points, five of which came in the fourth quarter, while Nathan Hupe and Cooper Monk scored six points apiece.
The Panthers will head on the road for three games next week, starting on Tuesday with a non-conference clash with a tough Bishop McNamara team. They will then play another non-conference game against Central before closing out the week against ICE opponent Coal City on Friday. The Panther and Coalers are both currently 5-1 in conference play.
Myers said the team is going to have to buckle down through the week, especially against the Coalers.
“You don’t get any nights off in our conference, that’s for sure,” he said. “We’ve got a couple tough road tests next week and we’ll see Coal City for the first time this season, so we’ve just got to take it one game at a time and get the job done each night.”
Herscher rolls straight from Friday’s game into a home matchup with Iroquois West on Saturday. The Tigers will then be on the road next Tuesday against Paxton-Buckley-Loda and on Friday against Peotone in conference action.
They will be looking to bounce back from the Manteno loss, and responding to tough games is something Boudreau said the Tigers do very well.
“This team, they never give up,” he said. “The first thing I said to them in the locker room is there’s nothing for them to hang their head about tonight. Basketball is a game of ups and downs and you’ve got to move onto the next one, and they do every single time.”
UP NEXT
Manteno will head on the road on Jan. 14 to play Bishop McNamara in non-conference action at 7:30 p.m. After Saturday’s home contest with Iroquois West, Herscher will also be in action Jan. 14 against Paxton-Buckley-Loda at 7 p.m.
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