In a battle of Indians during a Friday afternoon losers’ bracket game at the Tournament of Champions, the Manhattan High School Indians used a third-quarter run to surge past the Hays Indians 51-37 at the Civic Center.
Senior guard Zach Nelson scored a game-high 20 points for MHS (4-5) in the low-scoring affair. Hays (8-3) was led by guard Dexter Pfeifer with 13 points.
Manhattan plays Shawnee Mission South (5-4) in today’s 1:30 p.m for fourth and sixth place. Hays is relegated to today’s noon seventh- and eight-place game against Wichita East (7-3).
Nelson scored seven straight points during the opening four minutes, 43 seconds of the third quarter, including a 3-pointer, and Connor Brooks and Alec Giambrone also had 3-point hits for a 29-24 Manhattan lead.
A.J. Stitt then a baseline jumper just before the third-quarter buzzer to cap the 15-9 burst for a 31-24 edge.
In a snail’s-paced opening half, Manhattan seized a 16-15 lead at intermission after Ryan Wilkinson’s basket just before the buzzer.
Hays went scoreless in the second quarter until Bryant Bombardier nailed a 3-pointer at the 2:18 mark. Zach Gaughan and Dexter Pfeifer also had baskets to put Hays up 15-14 before Wilkinson’s late bucket.
Manhattan jumped out to a 10-6 after the opening quarter, with the Indians’ Nelson and Brooks knocking down 3s.
67th Annual Tournament of Champions
At Dodge City
Dodge City Civic Center
Friday
Losers’ bracket
Manhattan 51, Hays 37
HAYS (8-3)
Derek Meyer 0-6 0-0 0, Seth Tophoj 0-1 0-0 0, Trey Herman 1-2 2-2 4, Bryant Bombardier 1-3 0-0 3, Dexter Pfeifer 5-10 3-5 13, Tyler Rathke 1-5 0-0 3, Travis Pfannenstiel 3-4 1-2 7, Daniel Moritz 0-3 1-2 1, Jordan Niemberger 0-1 1-2 1, Zach Gaughan 2-3 1-2 5. Totals 13-38 9-15 37.
MANHATTAN (3-5)
Zach Nelson 5-7 8-8 20, Connor Brooks 2-4 2-4 7, Alec Giambrone 1-1 0-0 3, Tyler Francis 0-1 0-0 0, A.J. Stitt 3-8 0-1 7, Ryan Wilkinson 1-2 1-2 3, John Perbeck 0-0 0-0 0, Will Kern 2-3 0-0 4, Trey Connet 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-30 12-16 51.
Hays 6 9 9 13 — 37
Manhattan 10 5 15 20 — 51
Three-point goals — Manhattan 5-12 (Nelson 2-3, Brooks 1-3, Giambrone 1-1, Stitt 1-5; Hays 2-11 (Bombardier 1-1, Rathke 1-2, Meyer 0-4, Pfeifer 0-2, Niemberger 0-1, Tophoj 0-1. Total fouls — Hays 17, Manhattan 14. Fouled out — Pfeifer, Pfannenstiel. Rebounds — Hays 22 (Moritz 4); Manhattan 22 (Nelson 4). Assists — Manhattan 8 (Nelson 2); Hays 4 (Pfeifer 2). Steals — Hays 15 (Herman 3); Manhattan 13 (Brooks 4, Stitt 4). Turnovers — Manhattan 18, Hays 16. Blocked shots — Manhattan 2 (Francis, Payne); Hays (None). Technical fouls — Rathke.
