The decision improved the Grizzlies to 7-4 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference and 17-5 overall and dropped the Spartans to 5-6 in the league and 11-11. FC trailed nationally-ranked conference co-leaders Hanover College and Transylvania by two games, following the night’s action (11th-ranked Hanover routed No. 23 Transylvania 83-65 at Hanover).
After the Spartans’ David Mattingly hit a lay-up to put Manchester up 61-58 with just under two minutes left, Grizzlies freshman Jon Neill hit a clutch three-pointer with 1:40 remaining to tie the game. FC junior Nick Kane scored on a lay-up with 48 seconds left and Kane and sophomore Alan Davidson added one free throw apiece in the last 14 seconds to give Franklin its first victory in Manchester’s Stauffer-Wolfe Arena since the 1999 HCAC tournament championship game.
Kane, hit 11 of 13 field goal attempts and posted game-best totals in both points (27) and rebounds (nine). Neill followed with 12 points, hitting all four of his three-point shots, and senior Nick Scott had 10. Manchester’s balanced scoring attack was paced by Jon Cain, who had 14 points. Jamaal Wade had 11 points and team-high six rebounds.
FC out-shot the Spartans 57 to 43 percent in the second half en route to the victory.