Albion, MI. - Manchester Men's Basketball opened its 2025–26 season with an 86–63 road loss to Albion College on Monday night at Kresge Gymnasium.
The Spartans started competitively, keeping pace through much of the first half before Albion's size and inside scoring began to take over. Manchester trailed 45–25 at halftime but responded with a more balanced effort after the break, playing the Britons nearly even in the second half.
Manchester's offense found success from the perimeter, connecting on eight three-pointers, but the Spartans couldn't overcome Albion's dominance in the paint. The Britons outscored Manchester 56–24 inside and held a 43–35 edge on the boards, using 14 offensive rebounds to create extra scoring chances.
Max Robertson led the way for Manchester with 15 points and five rebounds, while Clay McCorckle added 14 points and five assists in a steady all-around performance.
Ty Lynas contributed eight points and a team-best seven rebounds, and
Ladarius Wallace chipped in six points and four assists.
Logan Brace and
Jason Kobe brought interior energy, combining for 10 points and six rebounds, while
Talan Boehler and
Makhi Davis provided sparks off the bench.
Despite the loss, Manchester showed resilience and flashes of cohesion against a strong Albion team. The Spartans demonstrated improved ball movement in the second half and held their own defensively down the stretch. With the first game behind them, Manchester will aim to build on those positives as they head to Marietta this weekend.
