Manchester Girls Win Shore Conference Basketball Championship

If you heard sirens and honking late Saturday evening, that was the sound of victors being welcomed home: The Manchester Township girls basketball team is the Shore Conference Tournament champion.

The Hawks, the third seed in the tournament, defeated top-seeded St. John Vianney, 58-42, to win the SCT championship on their first trip to the final. Manchester is the first Ocean County team since 1984 and third overall to win the SCT crown.

"It's an amazing blessing," sophomore Destiny Adams, the tournament MVP, told Shore Sports Network, which livestreamed the game played at Monmouth University on Saturday night. Brick Township won the first SCT championship, in 1972, and Southern Regional won the title in 1984.

"It was such a special night ... to get our first crack at it and get it done," Hawks coach Dave Beauchemin told Shore News Network.

The game was played in front of 4,000 spectators, Shore Sports Network reported, including a large contingent from Manchester that included students, parents and fans. Among them: Mayor Ken Palmer, who issued his congratulations while sitting in the stands at Monmouth.

The team was greeted by a pizza party and a police and fire escort upon its return to town.

None of that mattered Saturday night. Manchester (25-2) went at the Lancers from the opening tip and never backed down, taking the lead near the end of the first quarter and never relinquishing it. Twice Vianney tied the game, taking advantage of turnovers and miscues — Manchester turned the ball over more than 20 times. But each time, the Hawks found another gear and pulled away.

"We just had to keep our composure and work as a team," said Destiny Adams, who scored 19 points and drove to the basket as much as she shot from outside, twice drawing offensive fouls as the Lancers' defenders stood their ground.

Leilani Correa added 14 points for Manchester, 6 of them in the first 2-1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter to give the Hawks some breathing room, after Vianney had drawn within a basket. Both wound up in foul trouble but managed to avoid getting their fifth fouls.

Destiny's sister, Dakota Adams, was a force on the boards, giving the Hawks extra shots almost every trip down the floor. Dakota Adams finished with 8 rebounds and 12 points, including 7 points in the fourth quarter as Manchester put away Vianney.

"I love playing with my sister," Destiny Adams said. "She's one of the hardest workers out there."

The Lancers had trouble getting shots to fall all game and weren't afforded many second chances. Sajada Bonner was the only Lancer in double figures, finishing with 12 points.

"We played well defensively," Beauchemin told Shore News Network.

The Hawks will now turn their attention to the NJSIAA tournament, which is scheduled to begin Monday with a home game against Pemberton. One thing they will need to improve: foul shooting. Manchester made just 11 of 24 free throws and was 1-for-9 from the line at one point as Vianney was narrowing the gap.

"Everything is easier to correct with a win," Beauchemin said with a smile. But he also saw the victory as something to build on for the state playoffs.

"We experienced some things here tonight we haven't yet," he said, challenges he hopes will help the Hawks finally get over the hump in the Group II tournament.

If you missed the game, Shore Sports Network has the video on its website. Click here to watch.

Note: This article has been updated to correct the date of the first game in the NJSIAA tournament.

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