The leg-weary Manhattan High School Indians, coming off a game the night before like their counterpart, Great Bend, jumped ahead 15-8 in the first quarter on Saturday night at Panther Gymnasium.
Great Bend made a comeback bid, but the Indians converted 8 of 10 free throws in the fourth quarter and 18 for 26 on the night to register a 51-43 non-conference win.
“I thought our kids came out and really played hard,” GBHS head coach Chris Battin said. “(Manhattan) knocked down some big shots and they were really good from the free-throw line.
“We did some really good things and then we just did some crazy things that we do sometimes. We had some silly turnovers. Overall, I was happy with our effort.”
Jonathon Taylor scored five points and Jacob Holloway scored four as the Indians (7-6) jumped ahead in the opening minutes.
Chad Touslee closed the margin to 15-12 in the opening minute of the second quarter with back-to-back baskets, but Manhattan went on a 7-1 run for a 22-13 halftime lead. It stretched the margin to 36-23 after three quarters.
Great Bend opened the fourth quarter with a 6-1 run to close to lead to 37-29 before making it a seven-point game, but Manhattan’s Keaton Barranger made 5 off 6 free throws in the final 1:32 to keep Great Bend at bay.
“When you get teams that can step up and knock down free throws, it’s tough to make a run on them,” Battin said. “A couple times, we went 3-for-2 and we cut it down a little bit. But that’s what a good team does when they get that lead and hit shots at the free-throw line.”
Brandon Payne led the Indians with 14 points, including 4-for-4 from the free throw line.
Matt Marshall led Great Bend with 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Non-conference

At Panther Fieldhouse
Great Bend

Saturday

BOYS

Manhattan 51, Great Bend 43
MANHATTAN (7-6)
     Deante Burton 1 3-6 5, Payton Stephens 2 2-4 6, Jonathon Taylor0 4-6 4, Keaton Barrager 2 5-6 11, Jacob Holloway 4 0-0 9, John Perbeck 1 0-0 2, Brandon Payne 4 4-4 14. Totals 14 18-26 51.
GREAT BEND (4-11)
     Connor Sell 1 1-2 3, Matt Marshall 4 1-2 11, Chad Touslee 2 1-3 5, Jace Bowman 0 3-4 3, Ethan Henderson 2 3-4 7, Blaise Cain 4 3-4 7, Wyatt Bayless 2 0-1 4. Totals 15 9-19 43.
Manhattan       15  7  14  15  —  51
Great Bend        8  5  10  20  —  43
     Three-point goals — Manhattan 5 (Barrager 2, Payne 2, Holloway); Great Bend 4 (Marshall 2, Cain 2).