Spartans Hold on to Post-Season Hope
Tanner Edge
Manchester University’s men’s basketball team has ridden a rocky path their whole season. A power-loaded conference mixed in with other non-conference match-ups has left the Spartans with a 7-16 record. Of the ten teams in the HCAC, Manchester ranks tied for sixth with Bluffton.
While battling for sixth place doesn’t seem like much, it is when a chance to play in the post-season is still up in the air. The top six teams in the conference are eligible to make it into the play-offs. Manchester is faced with Defiance this coming week, who is ranked one spot ahead of both Manchester and Bluffton. “A loss to Defiance is out of the question,” said shooting guard Evan Romie. “Good defensive possessions can lead to a nice string of offensive possessions as we get down to the last games of the regular season. We need to ball out and win the rest of our games to secure a spot in the post-season.”
For good reason, the Spartans must be ready to go against Defiance and Transylvania, the last couple of games. Romie, who is the Spartans’ defensive leader, will be looking forward to shutting his opponent down to the best of his ability. In addition, Tyler Alexander, a key scorer with an average of 18.1 points per game, will also be looking to put the ball in the hoop during the final push. Most importantly, it will take the whole team to work collectively to win these games. “It’s more than a one- or two-man sport; it takes everyone on the court to win,” Romie said. “Teamwork makes the dream work.”
On Saturday they play against Transylvania as they attempt to earn a conference berth.