Former Warrior Logan Willoughby stars now for the Manchester Univesity Spartans.
The only games Logan Willoughby played the first half of his college career had the word ‘waiting’ in front of it.
Forced to miss 13 outings in Manchester University’s 2021-22 season due to a stress fracture in his left knee, Willoughby waited, watched and, most importantly, learned.
The former Whiteland player, a sturdy 6-foot-2, 210-pound sophomore guard whose strength and low center of gravity enables him to excel anywhere on the court, made it his duty to make up for lost time this season.
Willoughby is, and then some.
A participant in the final 11 games last winter – including the first five starts of his Manchester career – Willoughby has gone next-level this season.
He’s currently the Spartans’ second-leading scorer at 17.9 points a game; Willoughby is tops in various statistical categories, including rebounds (5.8), assists (3.4) and steals (2.2).
Manchester is a Division III program that plays in the 10-team Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference with Franklin College, Rose-Hulman, Hanover and others.
“It’s going pretty well. I feel like I’m doing a lot to help our team and playing at a level I feel I should be playing at,” Willoughby said. “Coach (Nate) Conley gives me a lot of freedom to make plays. Getting downhill and getting to the free throw line.”
In an era known for its hailstorms of 3-point attempts, Willoughby’s offensive skillset includes glimpses of yesteryear.
He’s launched 38 triples so far this season, third-most among Manchester players. However, Willoughby’s knack for maneuvering inside and drawing contact has him shooting 33 of 40 (.825) from the free throw line.
“Logan just has a diversity in his game, both offensively and defensively,” said Conley, a 2006 graduate of Fort Wayne Dwenger High School, located a half-hour’s drive northeast of the Manchester campus. “We’re able to really spread teams out because of our personnel, and he’s at the forefront of that.
“Logan is part of a real special sophomore class. They’re young, but they don’t work like young guys.”
The Spartans (6-5), losers of their first four games this season before putting together a six-game win streak, play an HCAC contest at Anderson on Wednesday night.
Among the Ravens players is 6-6 sophomore Gavin Dowling, a Greenwood product averaging 7.6 points and 5.8 rebounds.
Manchester continues to attempt to position itself for the program’s first winning season in 12 years.
Considering the entire Spartans roster is made up of underclassmen, a plus-.500 ledger seems more a matter of when, not if. Four of Willoughby’s fellow sophs, guards Bryant Smith, Ty Lynas, Quentez Columbus and Zach Sawyer, also average double-figure point totals.
Conley’s program will continue to trend the correct direction next season with a freshman that includes current Whiteland senior guard Austin Willoughby, Logan’s younger brother.
“It’s going to be awesome. We’re very close,” Logan said. “Having Austin come in, he’s 6-4 or 6-5, and a great athlete, so he’ll help with rebounding and having another physical player in there.”
Conley looks forward to the day he officially doubles the number of Willoughby’s in his program.
“That’s the icing on the cake, right there,” he said, laughing.
