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February 18, 2011


Guess scores 25 to lead Manual past Butler

By Bob White
Special to The Courier-Journal

Like any senior, center Mechael Guess of Manual didn't want to lose her final basketball game in her home gym, and she made sure she didn't Friday night.

Guess, who plays much bigger than her 5-foot-10 stature, scored 10 of the Lady Crimsons' first 17 points and sank two clutch free throws late in the fourth quarter to pace the state's top-ranked team to a 58-50 victory over Butler.

“This was a very important game,” Guess said after scoring 25 points as Manual stretched its winning streak to 13 and a 25-4 record moving into next week's 25th District Tournament. “It's good to go into the postseason this way, and as a senior you want to win the last game for yourself and the team.”

Guess, the most outstanding offensive player when Manual won the Louisville Invitational Tournament in late January, was not the only Lady Crimson who had a good night. Leasia Wright, a 5-7 junior, scored 16 points, including five straight to spark a 7-0 spurt that came after Butler had reeled off 10 points in a row.

The regular-season finale for both teams matched the favorites in the Sixth (Butler) and Seventh (Manual) regions, according to The Courier-Journal's Litkenhous Ratings. Butler, ranked No. 8 statewide, got 12 points apiece from Heather Wheat and Aareon Smith.

Butler trailed 20-8 in the early going. Taking the ball strong to the basket, Butler got scores from McKenzie Martinez, Danielle Lawrence and Wheat in a 10-0 run that put the Bearettes ahead 28-23.

Wright then hit a three-point shot and took a long pass from Guess for a layup to ignite the 7-0 run that gave Manual a 30-28 edge.

“I was kind of shocked (by Butler's 10-0 run),” Guess said, “but our team stayed together and we pulled it out.”

It was tied at 33 until Guess wiped a Butler pass and hit a layup at the 0:12.9 mark to give Manual a 35-33 lead at halftime.

Manual scored the first nine points of the second half, with Raven hitting a three, Guess making two straight baskets and Kara Wright scoring the last goal to hand the Lady Crimsons a 44-33 advantage.

Butler did not score in the first 6:02 of the third quarter, finally getting back on the scoreboard when Lawrence hit a free throw with 1:58 left.

“We were face-guarding them early in the game and they were getting layups on us,” Manual coach Stacy Pendleton said. “We started dropping back in the second half.”

Said Butler coach Larry Just: “They were more aggressive in the third quarter, but we were a little tired coming out for the second half. We didn't have as much movement on offense. We had some shots blocked around the basket, and that set the tone for the second half.”

Manual led twice by 13, at 49-36 after a three-point play by Leasia Wright and 51-38 after Guess scored on a lob pass.

Manual missed several free throws in the fourth quarter, and Butler crept to within 55-50 when Smith sank two free throws and Wheat hit a basket and foul shot with 53.7 seconds remaining.

Guess, who was 4 for 6 at the foul line, swished two at the 0:43.3 mark for a 57-50 margin.

Although Pendleton wasn't happy about his team's 9-for-20 free-throw shooting, he praised the rebounding work and shot blocking of 6-1 sophomore Kayla Styles.

“Styles did a lot of good things,” he said. “Leasia Wright has been playing well. But you can be sure we will be shooting free throws when we practice tomorrow morning.”

“I believe it,” Guess said.

Just believes playing the No. 1 team right before district tournament time has to benefit his team.

“Anytime you play a team like that, it can't do anything but help you,” he said.

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