The Manitou Springs High School Boys’ Basketball team went up against St. Mary’s last Friday. The game was an intense exchange between the two teams, constantly switching who had the lead. With Manitou leading at the half, the game looked like it would turn out in their favor. Unfortunately, the St. Mary’s boys pulled ahead right at the end and finished the game leading by four. “The game was intense, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time,” Grayson Bodor (11). “We gave it all we had, but they were just better. I’d say the game was great, even though we lost.”

Zach Perry-Perkins (12) and Isaiah Thomas (10) scored the majority of the points with Perry-Perkins scoring 13 points and Thomas scoring 21 points with five three-pointers. “I felt really good coming into the game and (apparently) was feeling really good on the floor, but, a lot of the points I had were set up by my teammates so I really can’t take all of the credit,” said Thomas (10).

Unfortunately, due to complications, Rashaun Booker (11) and Bodor were unable to participate but cheered the loudest for their fellow teammates. “It sucks we couldn’t play. I bet if we were playing, we would have blown them out of the water,” said Booker. “I guess that’s just how it goes, though.” Even though they couldn’t participate in the game, they were a huge asset in boosting team morale and assisting in drills at the beginning of the game as well as at halftime. It just goes to show how much the team cares about their fellow teammates and the wellbeing of the team.

The St. Mary’s boys played hard and it showed in the number of fouls they had accumulated: a total of 33. “They were actually some of the nicest guys we’ve played. They would always be like ‘my bad’ or ‘sorry about that’ whenever they knocked me down,” said Thomas. Both teams displayed great deals of sportsmanship throughout the game, never talking to the referees or trying to harm other players intentionally. It was by definition, a gentleman’s game.

The spectators, however, displayed great amounts of school spirit with the respective fans cheering back and forth at each other in an attempt to be the loudest to root for their teams. The spectators were respectful and only decadent when something major would happen with or against their respective team.

Head Coach Brian Vecchio utilized major assets throughout the game to give Manitou advantages and it showed throughout the first three quarters. From calling certain plays that allowed players like Thomas to have a wide open shot at the basket to pulling and playing certain players to create a balance on the floor. The two coaches kept their heads throughout the game, never becoming enraged at the referees or making any irrational decisions that would earn them technical fouls or create issues with the players that would cause any issues for them. The pure knowledge of the game and understanding of how intricate decisions can affect the game, gave Manitou the advantage throughout the first half and right up until the end of the game.

The game was a success for both teams and further strengthened the rivalry between the two. The teams played hard and the sportsmanship was actively shown throughout the game. “We’ll be back,” said Joey Allen (11). “And we’ll be a lot better.”