The lobby outside the Manhattan High north gym hummed Monday evening.

Aside from the occasional janitor crossing and the intermittent student finding their way to a classroom, the only distinct sound was that of the MHS boys basketball team going through its pre-practice warmups in preparation for Tuesday’s road meeting with Shawnee Heights.

As they traversed the hallway back and forth, opening, stretching and unfolding different muscles, the players quipped and playfully tussled with each other, and perhaps they have earned the privilege: the Indians have bolted out to a 13-1 — and 7-0 in Centennial League play — start to the season.

Head coach Benji George entered the lobby through the north gym’s sturdy white doors, signaling an end to the warmups.

“We’ve got to get a good one today,” he said, referring to the evening’s practice, after his team had circled around him.

And the second-year head coach had a case. Shawnee Heights, second in the Centennial League, boasts a 10-4 record on the year, and as George later explained, the Thunderbirds’ style of play is similar to Manhattan’s: fast.

“They would prefer to play fast; a lot of possessions,” he said. “We’re kind of the same way, so I think that equates to a game of runs. We’re just going to have to be resilient in weathering the storm at times.”

Heights is three days removed from a 65-58 win over Emporia, a game in which Thunderbird junior guard Jesse Moss tallied 17 points on two triples. He is an asset to the run-and-gun threat that is Shawnee Heights, and George said his defense will pay close attention to Moss.

“He’s a catch-and-shoot guy. He’s a guy we’re definitely going to have to get out on,” George said. “Definitely going to have to make sure that we get high hands on him and take away his rhythm threes.”

Underneath, on the other hand and on Heights’ side, stands 6-5 center Ahmad Winston. Tasked with guarding him may be Manhattan senior forward Grant Munsen, who said the Thunderbirds pose a challenge.

“We definitely know they can score the basketball, so I think defense is going to be really key,” Munsen said. “Coming off a good defensive win against Topeka West, I think that’ll really help the way we play; our energy level on defense against Shawnee Heights.”

And indeed, the Indians’ defense has served as a beacon of how they have managed the historic beginning to the season: Manhattan is allowing just a shade under 53 points per game and has held opponents to less than 50 points on four occasions.

But George remains wary of Shawnee Heights’ weapons on offense.

“I know they can put points on the board,” he said. “I know that they’re one of the more capable offensive teams that we’ve played this year, with shooters around the arc and a point guard that can break down the defense and a couple bigs inside. They’re going to be a load for us defensively.”

Central to the defense have been juniors Tommy Ekart and Ian Trapp, both of whom missed Friday’s win over Topeka West with injuries. But George said Tuesday morning that he plans for both to play against Shawnee Heights.

Manhattan tips off against the Thunderbirds Tuesday night at 7:45 p.m.