Still looking for some kind of consistency that has eluded them all season, the Manchester varsity boys basketball squad earned a split in their two games last weekend, one at home and one on the road. On Friday, Jan. 29, the Hounds overcame all the distractions involved in Homecoming Night to defeat the West Union Dragons 61-45, but on Saturday night the Hounds traveled to Whiteoak and laid an egg in falling to the Wildcats 70-47.

Friday night’s Southern Hills Athletic Conference victory over West Union came after Hounds’ head coach Kyle Pertuset made some necessary lineup changes and opened up the team’s offense. That move resulted in the Greyhounds hitting 13 three-point shots in the game, beginning with four in the opening quarter- two by Jamie Combs and one each from Colton Thornburg and Kaulen Cox, as the home team led 16-7 after eight minutes of play.

The Hounds continued the three-point barrage in the second quarter, getting a pair from beyond the arc from Mason Bilyeu and another from Combs on their way to a 27-17 halftime advantage.

Though the Dragons got threes in the third quarter from Garrett Vogler and Eiljah McCarty, the period belonged to Manchester’s Thornburg who fired in three treys plus two more scores from inside the arc. Toss in Combs’ fourth trey of the night and the Hounds were in front 48-31 after three quarters of action.

In the final eight minutes, Cox, who has benefited the most from the new Hounds’ lineup, hit two more threes in the fourth quarter as the home team defended their turf on Homecoming night with a 61-45 win over the visiting Dragons.

In the win, the Greyhounds placed three players in double figures, led by Thornburg’s 18 points. Combs added 13 and Cox 11, with Sean Frost getting 7 and Mason Bilyeu 6.

West Union (3-14) was led by 13 points from sophomore Garrett Vogler, the only Dragon in double figures. Craig Horton added 9 and Logan Clifford 6.

The win on Friday night improved the Hounds to 5-11 on the year, but the bad loss at Whiteoak the next night dropped them to 5-12, with a very tough week ahead with games upcoming with North Adams and Eastern Brown.

The Dragons were out of conference on Feb. 2, hosting Blanchester, and travel to Fayetteville in SHAC play on Friday, Feb. 5.

WUHS 7 10 14 14 —45

MHS 16 11 21 13 —61

WUHS (45): Welch 1 0-0 2, Fuller 1 0-0 2, Vogler 5 1-2 13, McCarty 1 2-2 5, Kramer 2 0-0 4, Horton 3 1-1 9, Clifford 2 2-2 6, Weeks 1 2-2 4, Team 15 8-9 45.

MHS (61): Combs 4 1-2 13, Aldridge 0 3-4 3, Frost 3 1-2 7, Thornburg 7 0-0 18, Bilyeu 2 0-0 6, Young 1 1-2 3, Cox 4 0-0 11, Team 21 6-10 61.

Three-Point Goals:

WUHS- Vogler 2, McCarty 1, Horton 1

MHS- Combs 4, Thornburg 4, Bilyeu 2, Cox 3

Mancehster’s Jamie Combs, right, looks to make his move on West Union’s Elijah McCarty (14), during last Friday night’s varsity boys game in Manchester.
https://www.peoplesdefender.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_MHS-WUHS.jpgMancehster’s Jamie Combs, right, looks to make his move on West Union’s Elijah McCarty (14), during last Friday night’s varsity boys game in Manchester. Courtesy photo
Reach Mark Carpenter at 937-544-2391 or on Twitter @adamscosports.

By Mark Carpenter

mcarpenter@civitasmedia.com