The Manhattan High basketball team is headed to the State tournament in back-to-back years after a statement win 56-40 over Lawrence High School on Friday.

“I’ve seen them play their best games against Hayden and Washburn,” Head Coach Benji Geroge said.

“They just need to play like that tonightTo start the game both teams battled on defense as only 10 points were scored in the first quarter as Manhattan held the lead 6-4 headed into the second. In the second MHS would fall down by three with four minutes in the half. After a timeout was called by Manhattan with the help of seniors Jack Wilson and Dre Delort’s 10 points, Manhattan would go on a 14-7 run to hold the lead 22-18 going into the half. In the third MHS played their best quarter all year going on a 15-3 run to bring the lead up to 12 with a quarter left. In the fourth MHS would stay on the gas pedal on both ends of the court as they pulled off the upset 56-40 to head to State.

“I told them that they were only half a team and we are a whole team and if we played together we would win,” George said.

“We had nothing to lose out there and we played our hearts out now we have to prepare for State,” Wilson said.

Manhattan’s next game will be against the two-seeded Blue Valley North on Wednesday, March 8.