PEORIA – In a heavyweight battle between two of the area’s best teams, Class 3A No. 3 Morton (18-5, 9-1 Mid-Illini) delivered the knockout punch against Class 2A No. 8 Manual (13-10, 5-2 Big Twelve) as the Potters won 53-51.
Manual High School was the site for the annual Manual Shootout, which featured five games throughout the day, all leading up to the much-anticipated nightcap.
The game delivered, and then some as the gym was riled up by both Potters and Rams fans. The intensity was felt everywhere from the court, to the sideline, to the bleachers.
“We came here two years ago and got it handed to us pretty heavily,” Morton senior forward Wes Gudeman said. “It’s a historic gym and that’s a historic program…We really had to rally together and unite as one. It feels really good and that was a challenge we needed and we showed what we can do.”