Box Score NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. – In a tremendously hard-fought Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Semifinal game, the no. 5 seed Franklin Grizzlies advanced past the no. 1 seed Manchester University Spartans by a final score of 78-73.
Manchester opened the game with great energy on both ends of the floor. A 10-2 run from the 17:55 mark to the 14:25 mark of the opening half saw the Spartans grab a 13-6 lead. Manchester continued to hold a narrow lead over the Grizzlies for much of the 1st half.
Following a Mitch Mendenhall (New Haven, Ind./Woodlan) that put the Spartans ahead 30-24 at the 4:03 mark, the Black & Gold were limited to just one more point in the opening period of play.
Franklin's 12-1 run to conclude the half saw the Grizzlies snag a five-point lead at the intermission 36-31.
Both teams battled in the second half as the game's physicality intensified. Neither side led by more than two possessions in the 2nd half.
A layup by Jackson Jannsen (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) put the Black & Gold ahead by a point, 71-70, at the 1:48 mark of the second half. That lead was short lived as Franklin's Payton Mills hit a tough layup in the paint to give the lead back to the Grizzlies.
After a missed three-pointer and turnover by the Spartans on its two final possessions, Franklin's Danny Goggins' four straight points lifted the Grizzlies to a 78-73 victory.
Manchester certainly saved its best performance of the season for its final contest. The trio of senior Spartans Matt Westman (Michigan City, Ind./Michigan City), Cortiz Buckner (Lafayette, Ind./Lafayette Jefferson) and CJ Hampton (Hammond, Ind./Griffith) played their final contest in a Black & Gold uniform on Sunday afternoon.
Hampton lined the stat sheet with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Westman added 13 points, three rebounds, and two steals. Buckner added 12 points and four rebounds.
Forward Brandon Christlieb (Ashley, Ind./Prairie Heights) led MU with 18 points and six boards on Sunday. Mitch Mendenhall added 10 points off the bench.
Franklin's Payton Mills poured in a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds. 8 of his 11 boards came on the offensive end of the floor. Danny Goggins added 15 points off the bench, while Nathan Webb contributed 14 points and five rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench.
Franklin shot 29-of-61 from the field, good for 47.5%. The Spartans shot 41.5% (22-53) from the field on Sunday. The Black & Gold made 22-of-26 (84.6%) free throw attempts. Franklin also had a strong day at the charity stripe, finishing 14-of-18 (77.8%).
Franklin held a 44-26 rebounding advantage in Sunday's HCAC Tournament Semifinal. The Spartans did manage to convert 13 Franklin turnovers into 23 points.
The Grizzlies (8-6) will advance to Wednesday's HCAC Tournament Championship at Transylvania.
Manchester (4-10) concludes its 2020-21 season.
