GREG MANNING

THE STANDARD

The Steelton Guard

From Highspire to College Park

By the time Greg Manning reached the Atlantic Coast Conference powerhouse Maryland, the Highspire guard was proving the Steamrollers guard pedigree was nationally recognized.

Lefty Driesell knew just where to find the guard to complete his backcourt.

The scoring sensation had put up 896 points his senior season, while leading the Rollers to the large school State Championship game.

The Terps already had a Philly point guard, nationally renowned for their grit and tenacity. Lefty needed an outside shooter, a scorer, another ball handler, who understood the games nuisances.

By the time Manning arrived on the scene for the Rollers, Steelton was well known for great guard play.

From Miles Fox, Gil Reich, Dennis Stewart, to John Krovic the pipeline from Steel-High to the NCAA’s Division I ranks was well established.

And from this lineage came another guard ready for a bigger stage.

Not just college basketball ready.

Maryland Basketball.

One of the premier programs in the country.
One of the toughest leagues in America.
One of the hardest places in the game to earn trust, earn minutes, and stay on the floor.

And Manning did just that in a line-up full of future NBA players.

He became a starting guard. A key contributor. A Highspire kid stepping into the heart of ACC basketball during one of its most competitive eras.

This was Maryland Basketball with Albert King, Buck Williams and Ernest Graham.
This was the ACC with Ralph Sampson and James Worthy.

To play you had to be able to handle pressure.
To last you had to be dependable.
To matter you had to bring something with you every night.

Greg Manning did just that.

And once March arrived, his career kept placing him where Roller players had a way of showing up big.

On the NCAA Tournament stage.

The Stage got Bigger

This is where the Roller tradition rises again.

This is not a single breakthrough moment.

Year after year, Manning was part of a Terps program competing deep into the postseason against some of the best teams in the country.

This was a sustained post season impact.

The pipeline from Steelton and Highspire to big-time college basketball was gaining traction.

It was real.

NCAA Tournament
1978 – NCAA Tournament – Sweet 16
1980 – NCAA Tournament – Sweet 16
1981 – NCAA Tournament appearance

Tradition Continues.

The Discipline.
The Toughness.
The Work ethic.
The Accountability.

Those traits were left behind when Roller basketball players graduated.

They showed up in the same ol’ blue and grey uniforms, worn by past All Staters.

While Manning was off playing in larger arenas, bigger conferences, and under brighter lights, back home new stars were watching and dreaming of their chance.

Greg Manning’s career at Maryland did not only reflect his own ability.

It reflected the place that built him.

And in that way all “The Winning Pedigree” story’s become bigger than one player.

It becomes more evidence.

More confirmation.

More proof that something powerful was being formed at the little school on the hill.

Gil Reich showed it could happen.
John Krovic showed us we could dance again.
Greg Manning showed us the pipeline was underway.

The Rollers were not only sending players forward.

It was sending its identity with them.
It was influencing those behind them

1977-1980 UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

Career Stats -1979-80 All ACC 2nd Team -1980 1st Team All-ACC Tournament -118 Games -1561 Total Points -13,2 PPG (4x -Top 20 in ACC) -28 PTS – NCAA Tournament High vs Tennessee 3/8/1980 -2.3 APG -.858 Career FT%