With a double-double perfromance of 13 points and 11 rebopunds, Manchester senior Drew Kennedy helped lead the Greyhounds to a 59-46 conference win over Lynchburg.
By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
The Manchester Greyhounds returned to the Hound Pound on Tuesday night, hosting the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs in a Southern Hills Athletic Conference match up. Coming off a solid win over Western Latham in the Coach Young Classic, the Hounds kept their momentum going as they led at every quarter break on their way to a 59-46 victory.
Maybe it was bus lag from the long trip from Lynchburg but the Mustang offense struggled against the Manchester “D” in a perfect parlay first half where the visitors scored just 5 points in each quarter while the Greyhound put up 12 in each stanza, That math added up to a 24-10 halftime advantage at the intermission.
The halftime break seemed to rejuvenate the Mustangs as they began to find the range and cutting into the Manchester advantage. But the Hounds were always equal to the challenge, fending off every Lynchburg rush and keeping the lead at double digits. Though they were outscored 36-35 in a much more explosive second half, Coach Austin Kingsolver’s troops held the line and improved their record to 9-7 (3-5 SHAC) with the 13-point triumph.
Four players in double figures is usually a good sign in a high school basketball game and it was for the Hounds as they were led by sophomore Parker Hayslip’s 14 points. Senior Drew Kennedy turned in one of his best all-around performances with a double-double night of 13 points and 11 boards. Also reaching double figures were Leland Horner with 11 and Connor Darnell with 10, Elijah Crabtree added 6 points to the victorious cause.
The Hounds have a busy conference weekend ahead, traveling to Fayetteville on Friday night, then hosting county rival Peebles on Saturday night.
