Manheim Central earns road win at Garden Spot, boosts league playoff hopes
Written by: TJ Eck on January 25, 2024
When the moments matter most, Aaron Enterline couldn’t be stopped.
“I just kind of felt like I was getting to my spot,” said Enterline. “When I get to my spot I am going to shoot it and they were just falling.”
The Manheim Central senior forward scored 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Barons to a critical Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 road win at Garden Spot, 66-54, Thursday night.
“If (Enterline) gets the ball in the lane, we need him to take it up strong and that’s 100% what was happening in the fourth quarter of that game,” said Manheim Central head coach Charlie Fisher.
Enterline, a wide receiver and defensive back who is known as one of the best football players in the L-L League, showed he’s also a force on the hardwood. He scored repeatedly inside while also serving as the front man for the extended zone defense that the Barons broke out in the second half against the Spartans.
“We stress tips a lot,” said Enterline. “So we get tips and it leads to turnovers and fast break points and that really flips the momentum of the game.”
An example of what Enterline is talking about came in the third quarter when he stole a Garden Spot pass in the backcourt and threw down a thunderous dunk. It came just moments after Manheim Central sophomore guard Chase Book drilled one of his four three-pointers. The five-point run gave the Barons a four-point lead and forced a timeout by the Spartans.
“I thought (Manheim) Central did just an awesome job tonight,” said Garden Spot head coach Curtis Waltman. “When they had their shots, they made them…we didn’t respond in kind.”
Waltman’s squad started the game strong. Playing in front a packed home-side of the gym and a student section clad in white, the Spartans brought energy from the opening tip.
Garden Spot opened the contest on a 12-2 run and led 17-10 after one quarter of play.
“I think it was just executing the game plan,” said Waltman. “When you can control the tempo, you put yourself in a much better position. Which we were able to do until about the third (quarter).”
The second quarter featured strong moments by both teams. With the Spartans in front 21-10, Manheim Central went on a 14-2 run to take a brief lead before Garden Spot scored the final four points of the half and held a 27-24 advantage at halftime.
“I thought in terms of the importance of the game, that run at the end of the second quarter was crucial,” said Fisher.
Part 2: Manheim Central head coach Charlie Fisher after his team’s road win at Garden Spot Thursday night:@LLhoops @BaronSports717 pic.twitter.com/m8bxd322yG
— TJ Eck (@TJEck_TV) January 26, 2024
Helping fuel Manheim Central’s attack in the second quarter was Book. He drilled a pair of three-pointers and scored eight of his game-high 20 points in the second frame to keep the Barons within striking distance.
“When he has confidence, he can be able to do a lot of things,” said Fisher. “He’s very dynamic with the ball…he can shoot. Tonight you could just tell he was ready to groove…that’s probably, offensively, the most dynamic I have seen him play.”
Enterline also praised his younger teammate: “When we were down big early, he kept us in it and that gave us life and we know Chase is a dog…we have a lot of faith in him. It really helps having a sophomore like that.”
Aaron Enterline is one of the best wide receivers in PA but he’s also a heckuva basketball player.
I talked to the Manheim Central senior forward after his team’s road win over Garden Spot Thursday night: @LLhoops @BaronSports717 @EnterlineAaron pic.twitter.com/YrPydWHQwS
— TJ Eck (@TJEck_TV) January 26, 2024
Manheim Central improves to 15-3 overall and Thursday’s victory gives the squad a 7-2 mark in league play. The Barons are now alone in second place of Section 2 of the L-L League as they continue their push to earn a league playoff berth. The top two teams in each section qualify for the L-L League playoffs.
“When you play late January, it has a feel and it means something and this game had that feel,” said Fisher. “After going down ten early, I was very proud of how we responded.”
With the loss, Garden Spot drops to 9-8 overall and 5-4 against Section 2 foes. Junior guard Jace Conrad led the Spartans with 11 points and four rebounds while fellow junior guard Owen Usner scored 10 points in the defeat.
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