INDIANAPOLIS – It is difficult to believe you could find a tougher kid on Manchester’s roster than Kaleb Kline.
Kline, a 6-1 senior, tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the first game of football season. When he was told he would not be able to return until March if he had surgery, Kline rehabbed his knee for 10 weeks and prepared to play his senior year of basketball on a torn ACL.
“He is so tough,” Manchester coach Eli Henson said. “Probably the toughest kid I’ve ever coached.”
Kline not only played this season — he thrived, shooting 45% from the 3-point line. And in the Class 2A state championship on Saturday, he delivered a big 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter to help propel the fourth-ranked Squires to a 59-54 victory over University for the program’s first basketball state championship.
“I just wanted the chance to be able to play with these guys,” said Kline, who was named the Mental Attitude Award winner for 2A.
Kline is tough. So is Gavin Betten, the 6-6 senior and Manchester star who scored more than 2,000 career points, leading the way on Saturday with 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals. But if you are ranking the “toughest” Manchester players, reserve a spot near the top of the list for Ethan Hendrix.
University coach Justin Blanding called Hendrix, all of 5-8, “the head of their attack.” Hendrix was in the middle of the Squires’ fourth-quarter run, scoring on a driving lefty layup to put Manchester up by one point with 2:20 left. He wanted the ball in his hands down the stretch, making 5-for-6 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.
Hendrix never left the floor. In 32 minutes, he scored 21 points and dished four assists. He handled the ball the entire game and committed just one turnover.
“Without him,” Henson said, “we don’t get the ball across halfcourt most games. For his ability to just go out there in key moments and handle their pressure, hats off to him. That’s how tough he is. He’s so tough. He’s one of the best players I’ve ever coached and I’ve never had anybody that works as he does every day in practice.”
Even with Betten and Hendrix leading the way, Manchester (26-2) had to withstand a 3-point barrage from University. Blake Gray tied a Class 2A state finals record by hitting 6-for-10 from the 3-point line to lead the Trailblazers (20-10) with 20 points. Max McComb also heated up in the second half, finishing with 16 points on 4-for-8 shooting from 3.
The lead seesawed back and forth in the fourth quarter. University took its last lead at 51-50 on two free throws by Faisal Mohamud with 1:44 left. Betten scored on the next Manchester possession to put the Squires ahead for good.
“We tried to force him right,” ...
