By RANDY GONZALES
Hays Daily News
Manhattan won its third Hays City Shoot-Out crown while at the same time denying the Hays High School boys' basketball team its fourth championship at its own tournament in Saturday night's title game at the HHS gym.
Manhattan swished 18-of-22 free throws in the fourth quarter to hold off Hays High. Manhattan had just one basket in the final eight minutes.
Hays High (2-1) got as close as 51-45 in the final minutes, but Manhattan 6-foot-9 senior center Jackie Carmichael blocked a follow shot by junior Tyler Riebel, and HHS was forced to foul.
Manhattan made four more free throws in the final minute.
Manhattan's stifling defense had allowed just 65 points in two games entering the finals. Hays High had 26 points through three quarters before coming up with 24 points in the fourth quarter.
Hays High shot 33 percent from the floor (16-of-49), and made 7-of-24 from 3-point range (29 percent).
Senior Jason Ball led Hays High with 14 points on 4-of-11 shooting, and senior Jordan Juenemann was held to nine points on 2-of-12 from the floor. Senior Austin Dreiling led HHS with nine rebounds.
Senior guard Sam Kenney led Manhattan (3-0) with 18 points. Carmichael had a double-double, with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Third place
Kearney 70, Newton 57
Senior R.J. Rhoads scored 24 points and junior Dane Bacon added 22 points for the Bearcats (2-1), who led 44-29 at halftime.
Senior Jordan Voelker scored 14 points for Newton (1-2).
* * *
Kenney was named the tournament's most inspirational player, and was named to the all-tournament team, as were Carmichael, Ball and Juenemann. Also on the squad were senior Jordan Voelker of Newton, seniors Bobby Wesley and Brodrick Smith of Garden City, junior Bruce Field of Riley-Riley County, senior Trent Mauler of Great Bend, junior Jamell Townsend and senior Andre Linzy of DeSoto and senior Brett Maher from Kearney, Neb.
* * *
The girls' most inspirational player was senior Kelly Curtis of Great Bend. Curtis was joined on the all-tournament team by junior tammate Amanda Dreiling, senior Sarah Gist and junior Raena Sander of Hays High, junior Marisela Rodriguez of Garden City, senior Christy Nelson of Manhattan, senior Raeanne Yoder of Newton, senior Katie Henry, junior Beth Husted and senior Tiffany Bulk of Riley County and junior Maggie Maher and senior Ashley Arp of Kearney, Neb.