Manchester High retain Rural Area basketball double
MANCHESTER High school retained the ISSA Rural Area basketball double after they completed 2-0 wins over Herbert Morrison Technical in their best-of-three finals that ended in Montego Bay on Thursday.
Manchester High won the Under-16 game 48-27, after winning the first game played in Manchester 67-22, and then took the Under-19 game 43-28 after winning the first game 74-42.
Herbert Morrison trailed by one point, 10-9, after the first quarter in the Under-16 game but Manchester High — led by a triple-double from Jelani Ricketts who scored a game-high 19 points — had 12 rebounds and 10 steals, took over in the second quarter, and were ahead 23-15 at half-time, leading by 18 points, 39-21, going into the fourth quarter.
Jayquan Palmer also had a double-double for Manchester High with 12 points and 20 rebounds, as well as four steals.
Michael Johnson scored 12 points for Herbert Morrison while Shamar Russell scored six points and had four rebounds and four steals.
Manchester High also dominated the Under-19 game, with Oral Daley — who was named Player of the Final — scoring 14 points alongside 11 rebounds as well as eight blocked shots and four steals.
They led 13-8 after the first quarter, 27-13 at half-time, and 33-20 at the end of the third quarter as Shane Nembhard also scored 11 points and had seven rebounds and four steals.
Daniel Clarke registered a double-double for Herbert Morrison with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Manchester High’s Christopher Henderson was named MVP for the Under-16 competition and also picked up awards for most assists, most free throws, and most steals.
Belair High’s D’Khamron Scott took the award for most blocks, his teammate Chad-Romel Smith won the award for most points; Revonne Hinds of St Elizabeth Technical High School won the award for most rebounds; while Denbigh High’s Matthew Nagasa won the award for most three-pointers.
Belair High’s Rahim Hayles was the MVP for the Under-19 competition and also won individual awards for most blocked shots, most free throws, and most rebounds.
St James High’s Jordan Anderson had the most assists, Manchester High’s Nathanael Reynolds had the most steals, Joshua Ferguson of Herbert Morrison had the most three-pointers, and his teammate D’Aire Patterson was the top scorer.
