Manning gets help on Troy DiFranco Night

GRAFTON TWP – It was Troy DiFranco night on basketball courts across Lorain County on Friday. The longtime Midview boys basketball coach and radio announcer passed away after the season in 2019. His former school did him proud, knocking off rival Amherst (10-5, 7-5) at home, 52-41, avenging their only Southwestern Conference loss of the season.

Sophomore forward Aden Gregory staked the Middies (13-2, 10-1) to an early lead with nine of his 12 points in the opening quarter.

The Comets rallied back on an 11-0 run to close out the first half – including their first lead of the game. They held a 24-21 halftime advantage.

The momentum shifted in the third period, highlighted by Midview senior guard Marcell Young’s three-point heave between two defenders at the buzzer, capping a 39-33 score in favor of the Middies.

Missed shots and the Midview defense would doom the Comets from there.

The second half belonged to Midview’s 6′-6″ senior forward Jonny Manning. That’s when he scored 12 of his game-high 18 points, including an emphatic fourth-quarter dunk on an inbound play to give his team a 49-39 lead with half a minute left in the game.

Young tacked on the game’s final points from the free-thow line.

Amherst 6′-9″ senior forward Christian Pfieffer led the Comets with 17 points. Senior Josh Croston tacked on nine.