Manhattan Basketball

Following the departure of Luis Flores in 2004, Bobby Gonzalez brought in a handful of talented recruits to rebuild the Manhattan College Jaspers. Among the group were C.J. Anderson, C.J. Lee, Arturo Dubois, and Jeff Xavier.

All four eventually transferred from Manhattan. Anderson transferred to Xavier University, Lee packed his bags for the cold weather in Ann Arbor, and Dubois headed to Delaware State.

None of these three were the ideal basketball player.

Anderson skipped class and was on academic probation for half of his sophomore season. Lee had the right attitude, but did not have a good basketball IQ. Dubois did not have much of a brain for the game or the right attitude. But he was very solid when he played within his range.

What makes Xavier, who transferred to Providence after his sophomore season, stand out against the aforementioned three is that he possessed every asset that a coach could possibly ask for.

He had good hands, smarts, quickness, a soft touch from three, the ability to drive, and a nose for the ball on defense.

At 6'1" and 185 pounds, Xavier came into Manhattan as an undersized shooting guard, but he was able to make an immediate impact on a rebuilding team. In 19.3 minutes per game, he averaged 7.8 points and 1.4 steals. Xavier also shot 36.9 percent from long range.

His playing time skyrocketed in his sophomore season.

As a result, his statistics also took a leap. Xavier began averaging 34.8 minutes per game. The starting shooting guard poured in 16.6 points, grabbed 5.9 rebounds, and stole 2.3 passes. He scored at least 20 points in 10 games.

The Jaspers, who were upset by Keekee Clark's Peacocks of Saint Peter's in the 2006 MAAC semifinals, were a heavy underdog against Maryland in the first round of the NIT.

Behind Xavier's best performance of his collegiate career, he scored 31 points on four treys and recorded six steals. The Jaspers were able to defeat the Terps.

In the following round, Xavier's 19-points were not enough to beat an Old Dominion team that advanced all the way to the NIT semifinals. The guard's final shot as a Jasper was a desperation three-pointer that would have defeated the Monarchs if it had not rolled in and out.

At the end of the season, Bobby Gonzalez announced that the was taking the vacant coaching job at Seton Hall, prompting Xavier as well as Anderson and Lee to transfer.

Xavier had a life-long dream to play for his hometown Providence Friars, but he was overlooked by Tim Welsh during his high school days. Coming off such a strong season at a reputable mid-major program, Xavier had the profile to be accepted by the school that once neglected his talents.

After spending the 2006-2007 season on the bench due to transfer regulations, Xavier made his debut with the Friars in a two point win against Temple on Nov. 15, 2007. Xavier scored 12-points in front of the home crowd.

He had a starting job upon eligibility and had a very solid junior season with Providence. His statistics declined a bit, but that was expected because of the higher level of competition. Nonetheless, the shooting guard averaged 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.3 steals in 31.6 minutes per game.

As a senior, Xavier's statistics declined.

He had a tough year, only shooting 36.5 percent from the field and averaging 9.5 points per game. With the return of Sharaud Curry and the drastic development of Marshan Brooks, Xavier's playing time decreased to 24 minutes per game.

Maybe that was why his stats dropped. Maybe he was affected by new coach Keno Davis. Either way, his offensive production was not the same.

In today's Big East quarterfinal against No. 5 Louisville, Xavier would not have been able to hit water if he fell out of a boat. He scored six points on a terrible 2-of-10 conversion rate. A couple of his shots were so off that they hit the edge of the backboard instead of the rim.

While I was watching the game, I could not believe what I was seeing.

Early on, I thought this was not the same Jeff Xavier that I saw at Manhattan. Then, after bricking a three, he planted his feet and drew a charge on the other end.

That and the rebound that he secured after getting a cramp in his leg told me that this was the same tough, hard-nosed Jeff Xavier from Manhattan.

It is a shame that this kid will never receive the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament. As of now, it looks like the Friars will be headed to the NIT in which Xavier scored his career-high 31 points as a sophomore.

Assuming that Providence accepts its invite to the NIT, Xavier will suit up at least one more time.

If the Friars reject the invite, the career of a basketball player, who had the skills that any coach would crave for, ended today.

Hi, this is Ronald Weintraub. Here are my women's MAAC championship picks for today's games.

Game One: Canisius vs. Niagara—Canisius wins

Game Two: Fairfield vs. Siena—upset, Siena wins

Game Three: Iona vs. St. Peter's—upset, Iona wins

Game Four: Marist vs. Loyola—Marist wins

Semifinals: Saturday

Game One: Canisius vs. Siena—Canisius wins

Game Two: Marist vs. Iona—Marist wins

Championship game: Sunday

Marist vs. Canisius—upset, Canisius wins 70-69

Now the men's games.

First round

Game One: Canisius vs. Loyola—Loyola wins

Game Two: Iona vs. Marist—upset, Marist wins

Saturday games

Game One: Manhattan vs. Fairfield—Manhattan wins 74-69

Game Two: Siena vs. Loyola—Siena wins

Game Three: Niagara vs. Marist—Niagara wins

Game Four: Rider vs. St. Peter's—upset, St. Peter's wins

Semifinals: Sunday

Game One: Manhattan vs. Siena—upset, Manhattan wins 72-70

Game Two: Niagara vs. St. Peter's—Niagara wins

Championship: Monday night

Manhattan vs. Niagara—upset Manhattan wins 74-72

Good luck to all the teams this weekend.

This afternoon, Manhattan played its final home game of the 2008-09 season. The Jaspers hosted the Rider Broncs who, heading into the game, stood a game-and-a-half ahead of the Jaspers in third place of the MAAC. 

Because it was the final home game, the Jaspers honored seniors Devon Austin and Herve Banogle prior to the tip. 

Austin, the last Bobby Gonzalez recruit, played four seasons at Manhattan, but he is currently sidelined with a back injury. 

Banogle transferred to Manhattan after spending two seasons at a junior college. In his time in Riverdale, Banogle has matured from a fouling and traveling machine into a potential threat down low, though he still travels...a lot. 

After the seniors were honored, the game began. The teams exchanged leads throughout the first half and Manhattan led 35-29 at the break.

Patrick Bouli hit one of his three treys early in the second half to give the Jaspers their biggest lead, 40-31, but Rider climbed back and tied the score at 41. 

The Jaspers scored the next six points and appeared to be pulling away, but the Broncs came back again and took a 52-49 lead. The score remained close and Bouli broke a 68-68 tie with his third and final three-pointer of the game with 50 ticks left. 

Rider couldn't cash in on second, third, and fourth opportunities on the other end, and Darryl Crawford's two foul shots with four seconds left iced the game.

The Jaspers were victorious on senior day, 73-68. 

How Manhattan won:

1. Andrew Gabriel has to be commended for his strong play. He drew five of Rider's first six fouls and scored eight points, including a fast break throw-down that gave Manhattan a 45-41 lead and pumped up the crowd. 
2. The offense was more fluid. Jaspers were setting picks, moving around, and taking high-percentage shots—they shot 47 percent from the floor and 54.5 percent from deep. Ever since being routed by Iona in the Garden, the Jaspers have cut down on shooting three-pointers. Instead of taking treys every other time down the floor, the Jaspers only fire on open-looks.
3. Darryl Crawford scored 26 points on 7-for-14 field-goal shooting. Crawford was also 9-of-11 from the foul line and 3-of-3 from long range. 
4. Laurence Jolicoeur is playing with loads of confidence. After starting the season on the bench, Joli emerged for 10 points in a 19 point victory at Marist which started the Jaspers current hot streak. Manhattan has won four of its last five games and Joli has been in double-figures in each one. Today, he was five-for-seve from the floor and scored 11 points. 
5. Chris Smith came up big with 11 rebounds. The sophomore, whose brother was far from spectacular in last night's dunk contest, also scored six straight points on a Manhattan run that kept Rider close at hand in the second half.

On Tuesday, word spread that Devon Austin underwent arthroscopic back surgery. Austin was troubled by a disk in his back, and was forced to ride the bench in games against Niagara and Marist before deciding that surgery was his best option.

Austin, now a senior, is the last remaining player from the Bobby Gonzalez era who stuck through the difficult transition to the Barry Rohrssen era—an era that Jasper fans hope will be ephemeral, but that is besides the point.

The point is that Austin’s career at Manhattan could possibly be over. It is truly a shame to see a player, who has been so devoted to his team, play what could be his last game without knowing it could be his last time suiting up in green and white.

Coach Rohrssen hopes that Austin will be cleared to play by the end of the season. However, there are only seven games left before the MAAC Tournament, leaving Austin with about a month to recover from the operation.

If, in fact, Austin will miss the remainder of the season, the senior’s nine-point performance against Fairfield on Jan. 26 will be his last game as a Jasper.

This article goes out as a tribute to Devon Austin, a hard-working leader who experienced (some of) the highs of Manhattan basketball as well as the difficulties.

Manhattan fans were ecstatic when they heard the news that Bobby Gonzalez received a verbal commitment from Austin, the 6′6″ star of White Plains High School’s basketball team.

Austin was not nationally ranked, but Big East schools, such as Pittsburgh, Saint John’s, and West Virginia all saw the small forward’s potential. Luckily, Gonzalez was able to beat out the bigger schools and to convince Austin to stay close to home and play for a school with recent success.

On a stacked Manhattan team as a freshman, Austin did not see too much action until sophomore standout C.J. Anderson was put on academic probation. Austin got his first career start in a 19 point loss to Rider in which he only scored seven points. However, he found his rhythm shortly after, scoring 15 against Fairfield and 20 against Siena.

After his strong freshman season, Austin seemed to be living up to the hype. He averaged 7.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in a minimal 22 minutes per game. His three-point percentage of 36 percent fit in perfectly with Gonzalez’s upbeat offense.

Then, Bobby Gonzalez abandoned ship and headed to Seton Hall.

Austin averaged 12.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game—both are career-highs—as a sophomore. Improvement was apparent and Manhattan fans thought that Austin would carry the young, new-look Jaspers back to the top of the MAAC.

Well, they were mediocre in Rohrssen’s first season, but Austin’s level of play had reached its peak and Rohrssen did not do a sufficient job of improving his new players. The Jaspers only finished 10-8 in MAAC play in Austin’s sophomore season, and they slipped well below .500 in 2007-08 with a 5-13 conference record.

Austin, who was once thought of as a steal from the Big East, did not continue to imporve. In fact, his statistics declined as his tentativeness on the court increased. Austin was always a reliable three-point shooter, but he stopped looking for his shot as a junior. Even if he realized that he was the star of the team, he didn’t put his status into action.

This probably was not Austin’s fault. None of Rohrssen’s players have steadily enhanced their game during the coach’s three year tenure at Manhattan. Also, Rohrssen runs a slower offense that condemns shots early in the shot clock.

Austin was probably just being a good listener when he elected to pass instead of shoot, but that is one reason why the Jaspers have struggled to reach the height that they were at under Gonzalez.

This year, Austin willingly accepted his role on the team—the role of being the third leading scorer behind Chris Smith and Darryl Crawford. He only reached the 20-point mark twice this season, and he scored in double-digits in all but seven games this season.

There is no doubt in my mind that Austin could have averaged 20 points per game this season under the proper coaching. Unfortunately, he wasn’t fortunate enough to spend all four of his collegiate seasons under Bobby Gonzalez. Barry Rohrssen definitely hindered Austin’s improvement.

Even though he didn’t reach his full potential, Austin was a delight to watch for four seasons. Whether he was draining a deep three-pointer from the left corner, swishing an off-the-dribble jumpshot, or rocking the rim on a contested dunk, Austin’s play was always appreciated by Jasper fans.

It’s going to be weird sitting in the bleachers at Draddy Gymnasium without hearing, “Your 6′6″ senior from White Plains High School, No. 23, Devon Austin,” during the lineup announcements.

It’s going to be bizarre sitting through an entire game without hearing, “Three-point basket from Devon Austin.”

Hopefully the doctors will clear Austin for the conference tournament.

With that, here’s to a speedy recovery. We all hope to see you don the Jasper green and white again.

It will be a shame if Austin does not recover by the end of the season. As coach Rohrssen stated, “It’s not the way you want to see the kid go out.”

In what was a wild night of MAAC games, only one team was able to walk away with an upset.

Fairfield 60—Manhattan 65

After being embarrassed by Iona at Madison Square Garden, the Jaspers rebounded and appeared to be motivated to put another "W" on their schedule.

Manhattan (11-9, 5-5) started off on a 12-3 run, but let Fairfield (12-9, 5-5) back into the game—the score was tied at 25 by halftime. Coming out of the locker room, Manhattan scored the first eight points of the second half and led by 13 with 10 minutes remaining.

As soon as Manhattan's radio announcer, Ed Cohen, stated that Manhattan would need to continue to play hard on offense and defense in order to win the game, the Jaspers became lackadaisical and allowed the Stags to nibble away at the lead.

Fairfield got a boost of energy when its leading scorer, Greg Nero, decided his back would not keep him out of a winnable road game. Nero sat out the first 30 minutes, and he scored five quick points during the run—he finished with seven.

Brandon Adams hit two huge foul shots to put the Jaspers ahead by three points with about three minutes remaining. From there on, Manhattan remained in control. However, the Jaspers left their fans on the edges of their seats.

Manhattan was led by Darryl Crawford and Chris Smith—both guards scored 16 points and shot a combined 11-of-15 from the charity stripe. Foul shooting, which has severely hampered the Jaspers' ability to win close games, was still inconsistent. Manhattan connected on eight of their first ten foul shots, but started off slow in the second half and finished 22-of-33.

The main culprits of the lower percentage were Brandon Adams and Antoine Pearson. Adams hit three-of-four down the stretch to help preserve the win, but he shot a meager 50 percent in the game.

Pearson, who was once able to hit foul shots in his sleep as a freshman, continued to struggle from the charity stripe. The junior guard finished two-of-five from the line, but connected on a floater late in the game to help secure the victory.

One noticeable difference on the offensive end was Manhattan's shot selection. For the most part, the three-pointers that they shot were open or good looks. The shot selection paid off—the Jaspers shot seven-of-15 from deep, which enhanced their normally low field-goal percentage.

The Jaspers missed Herve Banogle's bulky presence down low—the senior had to serve his mandatory one game suspension for his ejection in Saturday's game—however, Smith and Andrew Gabriel grabbed nine boards apiece to make up for Banogle's absence.

Gabriel fouled out with over four minutes to go and the Jaspers clinging to a two-point lead. This seemingly gave Fairfield an advantage because Manhattan's only other player taller than 6'6" was the frail Laurence Jolicoeur.

Anthony Johnson, who struggled throughout the game, went to work against Jolicoeur in the post and got to the line. The only problem for Fairfield was that Johnson was shooting 49.1 percent from the stripe heading into the game—the result, two big misses that hindered Fairfield from cutting deeper into Manhattan's lead.

Fairfield could have used a healthy squad—Nero played with a hurt back and Herbie Allen wore a wrist brace. Jon Han was healthy, but he played like he was sick. The senior was a dismal two-of-12 from the floor.

The win was big for Manhattan because it allowed them to stay in the thick of the standings. Siena might be running away with first place, but the Jaspers are 5-5 and a game-and-a-half behind Niagara for second place. The Purple Eagles head to Riverdale for a match with the Jaspers this coming Saturday night.

Canisius 69—Niagara 75

In other MAAC news, Niagara (15-6, 6-3) held off a hot Canisius (7-13, 2-8) team. Their record may not show it, but Frank Turner's exceptional play has kept the Golden Griffins in games against solid MAAC competition.

The Griffs took down third-place Rider behind Turner's 20 points. The little guy's 23 needed to be 25 to defeat Iona, but 22 points were enough to take down Marist. Tonight, Turner led the comeback, but his 22 points were not enough to beat the favored Purple Eagles.

Canisius shot well from deep and the free-throw line, which kept it in the game; however, their 20 turnovers led to too many Niagara points. 

Key to the game: Benson Egemonye. The senior scored 14 of Niagara's last 18 points and totaled 24 in the game. He was eight-of-11 from the floor and eight-of-nine from the charity stripe.

Iona 68—Siena 69

Iona (10-11, 5-5) came back from a 13-point deficit in the second half and led Siena (16-5, 10-0) by one point with less than 10 seconds left, but Edwin Ubiles connected on one of his five makes to win it for the Saints.

Somehow, Siena continues to fend off these close calls. They won in overtime at Marist, barely defeated Manhattan, and were a Scott Machado three-pointer from losing to Iona (at home!).

As usual, the Saints had a balanced offensive attack. Senior Kenny Hasbrouck led the team with 16 points, but Ryan Rossiter, Alex Franklin, and Edwin Ubiles were all in double-figures. Rossiter, who is the latest MAAC Player of the Week, also grabbed 12 boards to finish with his fourth double-double of the season.

The Saints have what should be two easy games against Canisius and Saint Peter's before heading to Rider on Feb. 7.

Heading into today's afternoon match with Siena, Manhattan had won three straight home games against MAAC teams that were predicted to finish in first place.

In 2005-06, the Jaspers defeated Iona by four points in a wild back-and-forth game.

Jared Jordan and the Marist Red Foxes were incapable of outlasting Manhattan's efforts in 2006-07; and, the Jaspers defeated Siena by one point last year.

Today was a different story, and Manhattan fell 68-64 to the MAAC's No. 1 team. 

The Jaspers struggled early with Siena's suffocating defense, and their turnovers led to a 20-7 Saints' lead midway through the first half.

Darryl Crawford scored five straight points to pull Manhattan within four points, but Siena led 31-25 at halftime. 

Devon Austin hit three consecutive treys to pull the Jaspers within two early in the second half, but Siena responded with a 14-3 run and appeared to be in control.

However, the Jaspers did not quit. 

Andrew Gabriel's forced shots prevented the Jaspers from turning their nibbles into bites, but they were able to make it close and Crawford's two foul shots with 18 ticks left brought Manhattan within two.

After Edwin Ubiles nailed two free-throws, Siena rebounded Antoine Pearson's missed three-pointer and the game was over. 

With the victory and Niagara's 89-68 loss at Marist, Siena (12-5, 6-0) gained complete control of first place. Ubiles (21 points), Kenny Hasbrouck (17 points), and Ronald Moore (13 points) led the Saints. 

For the Jaspers (9-7, 3-3), it was Chris Smith (14 points), Crawford (13 points), Austin (13 points), and Herve Banogle (9 points, 14 rebounds). 

How the Jaspers were able to hang in with Siena:

1. Despite giving Hasbrouck an open look from deep to start the game, the Jaspers were able to contain the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year in the first half. Forcing Hasbrouck to miss those early shots kept Manhattan in the game. 
2. Herve Banogle's rebounding
3. Spurts of hot offense and solid defense
4. Siena's shoddy foul-shooting—Hasbrouck only hit two of his seven foul shots, and the Saints as a team were 11-21. 
5. Manhattan shot 14-19 from the charity stripe. 
6. Siena missed multitudes of open three-pointers. Some of the misses came at times when the Jaspers were nibbling away at a lead. Had they hit some of those shots, they may have been able to put the Jaspers down earlier.

What prevented the Jaspers from being able to win:

1. Turnovers that turned into Siena fast breaks 
2. Not running back on defense at all times—Siena pushed the ball up the floor even after Jasper baskets and caught Manhattan unprepared on the other end.
3. Excessive big man use—Gabriel and Brandon Adams put the ball on the floor way too much and forced some bad shots instead of dishing the ball to a guard. 
4. Poor substitutions—Barry Rohrssen still does not have a handle on his team. He has reduced the amount of players played to about eight or nine per game, but the rotations are not always coherent. There were multiple instances when Rohrssen sent a bench player into the game for a hot hand. 
5. Seven team assists is a disgrace. The Jaspers were able to stick with the Saints, but there was still too much selfish play. Instead of putting their heads down and going to the basket, they should keep their heads up and look for the open man. Austin was open in the corner a handful of times, but his teammates did not always get him the ball. When they did, he converted. 

Overall, the Jaspers can be satisfied with the way they played. A few mistakes kept them from winning the game, but that's why basketball is basketball. 

Manhattan finishes their four game home stand with games against Loyola and Saint Peter's. Both games should be victories for the Jaspers. 

It's been awhile since Marist defeated Manhattan in Riverdale. Last year, the Jaspers were 21-point victors, Darryl Crawford sank a floater with six ticks left to beat Jared Jordan's Marist squad in 2007, and Bobby Gonzalez's Manhattan team ran away with a double-digit victory in the 2005-'06 season. 

The game started off sloppy, but both teams found their touch about five minutes in. However, Manhattan was able to maintain the hot hand throughout the rest of the first half and led 43-33 at the break. 

The Red Foxes caught the Jaspers on a cold streak in the beginning of the second half and kept Manhattan close throughout the rest of the game. Marist's most talented freshman, R.J. Hall, nailed a trey with under two minutes left to tie the game at 67, but Devon Austin responded with a layup in the lane and Antoine Pearson followed with four consecutive foul shots to finish off Marist, 73-67.

Both teams played well on the offensive end tonight. Both teams shot 45 percent from the floor. Marist connected on six more three pointers than the Jaspers did, but Manhattan shot 13 more free throws.

The difference that won the game for Manhattan was rebounding. The Jaspers out-rebounded the Red Foxes, 38-19. On multiple occasions in the game, Marist seemed like they were asleep and didn't go after the ball like Manhattan did. Well, the stats show.

Despite being out-rebounded, out-hustled, and out-shot at the charity stripe, Marist was able to stay close off of the three-point shot. They were shooting 37.8 percent from deep coming into the game, but Manhattan allowed them open look after open look and the Red Foxes were able to connect on 12 of their 26 attempts from deep for a percentage of 46.2 percent.

Offensive production has been inconsistent for Manhattan. Overall hustle and foul shooting has been a problem. The one thing that has been consistent, for the worse, is Manhattan's three-point defense.

They can't allow teams to get so many open looks from the perimeter—especially in crucial situations. Dejuan Goodwin air-balled an open-corner trey that would have kept Marist's hopes alive, but, nonetheless, he was wide open.

Manhattan will need to make sure that they shut down the perimeter against Siena on Sunday. If they allow any of their shooters to get open looks, they will be in for a long afternoon. 

The offense looked a little bit better tonight—there were some picks, most of them were ineffective, but it's a start. However, there was still a lot of idleness. There was a little too much NBA-style of play. Too much of "give me the ball, I'll try to beat my guy, if that doesn't work, too bad."

Chris Smith was the primary culprit, but it all goes back to Barry Rohrssen allowing his players to run an offense in that style. For some reason, Rohrssen continues to refuse to set an offense with picks and backdoor cuts.

If Manhattan wants to defeat Siena, they will need to play Siena's style of play—the style that Manhattan should play—and get out and run. 

The officiating crew tonight was not the best. They let a lot of calls slide, allowing the game to be extremely physical. This led to two fights.

First, Herve Banogle fouled a Red Fox on a layup towards the end of the first half. It was hard to see, but there was a lot of pushing and shouting occurring underneath Marist's basket. In the end, Jamel Ferguson and Javon Parris were hit with technical fouls.

In the second half, Brandon Adams and Ryan Schneider dove to the floor for a loose ball. There was a lot of contact and it looked Schneider may have pushed Adams, but then Adams put Schneider in a head lock and would not let go.

The refs called a jump-ball, but Schneider wriggled out of the mess and had to be retained by half of his team. Adams walked away from the scuffle, but Schneider was livid. 

Antoine Pearson scored 20 points on 5-8 from the field, 8-9 from the line, and 2-3 from deep. He also added four assists and four rebounds. It was relief to finally see Pearson shoot like he did as a freshman from the charity stripe. 

Devon Austin had 13 points on 4-12 shooting. He hit one three on six attempts. It seems like the senior has a penchant for settling for the outside shot, but he is very skilled at putting the ball on the floor and getting close for a high-percentage shot. He got into the paint a few times tonight and was successful from close.

Darryl Crawford continued to showoff his improved play. The junior scored 12 points on 4-9 shooting. He also knocked down two treys and grabbed nine boards.

Seldom did the announcer say, "Count the basket for Chris Smith." However, Smith was able to contribute on the glass tonight with 10 rebounds. The sophomore added seven points on 3-9 shooting.

Andrew Gabriel was in foul trouble the entire game, but managed to score eight points in 16 minutes of action. The Jaspers were expecting more from Gabriel after it appeared that he broke out of his "slump" against Canisius with his first career double-double, but foul trouble prevented him from playing too physically. 

For Marist, Ryan Schneider was extremely impressive. He's a big man who can shoot with a sweet stroke from deep. He scored a game-high 21 points on 5-10 shooting from long range. 

R.J. Hall has a lot of potential for the Red Foxes. He only scored seven points and had a few key turnovers down the stretch, but he has a smooth touch from three and is an excellent lock-down defender. There were stretches when he was on Pearson and the Jaspers were unable to get the ball to their point guard because of Hall's defense.

I see Hall as a replacement for Jay Gavin, who transferred to VCU after Matt Brady left Marist. He is a reliable shooter, not as good as Gavin, but reliable nonetheless. And, he is one of the best defenders I've seen in the MAAC. 

Dejuan Goodwin and Kaylen Gregory each added their fair share of points, but they were mostly on open threes that were given to them by the Manhattan defense. 

Both teams have tough games coming up on Sunday. Marist hosts Niagara (13-3, 4-0) and the Jaspers host Siena (11-5, 5-0). 

Barry Rohrssen walks through the Manhattan College campus headed to Draddy Gymnasium in early January.  He is getting his team ready to face off against conference rival Marist College on Friday evening. 

His Jaspers at 8-6 (2-2 MAAC) are severely underachieving for the second straight season.  His third season at the helm of this once proud program, Rohrssen has been under fire for not living up to expectations.

A little less then three years ago the Manhattan Jaspers were considered the next Gonzaga, a very successful mid-major program on the verge of crashing the national hoops scene.

Led by coach Bobby Gonzalez the Jaspers had just clinched the 2006 MAAC Regular Season Title and a trip to the NIT on their home court against the arch rival Iona Gaels.

A program that had a mix of veteran leadership and three young stars was ready to continue the success that former star Luis Flores had begun just a few years earlier.

In March 2004 the Jaspers made names for themselves with an 85-70 upset of Florida in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.  Chris Paul and Wake Forest barely hung on to end their magical run two days later.

After the tournament ended Gonzalez was considered one of the top young coaches in the nation.  Big time schools such as St. John's and Miami came calling.  Gonzalez turned down the offers, he was focused on the task at hand.  Taking Manhattan to the next level.

He was bringing to Riverdale arguably the best recruiting class in Manhattan history.  It included Arturo Dubois, Jeff Xavier, and one of the top small forwards in the country in CJ Anderson.

Gonzalez knew those kids were special and that over the next four years he could mold the best mid-major program in the country.

At the time of that amazing victory over Iona at Draddy Gymnasium in February of 2006, the Jaspers and their fans did not realize that their worlds would soon begin to crumble in the coming weeks.

Manhattan upset the 2002 NCAA Champion Maryland Terps in the NIT, and again Gonzalez's phone was ringing off the hook.  Except this time he did not say no.  Gonzalez piggybacked off of his success to jump up to the Big East with the Seton Hall Pirates.

Who could blame him though?  All mid-major coaches jump at the opportunity to coach in one of the top conferences.

At the very least the nucleus of sophomores Dubois, Xavier, and Anderson was still intact.  For the time being.

Not only was there buzz on campus regarding who Gonzalez's successor would be, but there was word that many of the players might depart for other programs.  Would they stay? Would they follow Gonzalez to Seton Hall?

With the futures of the Big Three in limbo, Manhattan moved quickly to find a new head coach.  They settled on Barry Rohrssen, assistant head coach at Pitt who was known as one of the best recruiters in the country.

His first priority was to convince Dubois, Xavier, and Anderson to stay in Riverdale.  While he convinced Dubois, he did not have much luck with the other two.

Xavier, a Rhode Island native, transferred home to Providence, a Big East program.  He said it was always a dream of his to play for the Friars, and his breakout season put him on their radar.

CJ Anderson was actually kicked out of school because he did not meet the minimum requirements of the college.  Once known as the best recruit ever to commit to Manhattan College, he was now gone.

Just like that, in a short three week span the bright future of the Manhattan basketball program became frighteningly dim.  With the graduation of several seniors and the departure of Xavier and Anderson, there was concern about the lack of talent and depth on the roster.

It was late April and most high school recruits were already signed.  Top Jasper recruit, point guard Andre Tarver, decided to de-commit from Manhattan with Gonzalez gone. 

Somehow Rohrssen assembled a recruiting class of seven players headed by guards Darryl Crawford and Antoine Pearson.

Flash forward to today. 

Rohrssen is in the midst of this third season behind the Manhattan bench.  While he enjoyed coaching an over achieving team his rookie season, it raised the expectations for him. 

The team bombed his second year finishing a despicable 5-13 in the MAAC.  This season is not going much better.  Although Rohrssen's recruiting remains solid his players have not progressed as they have gotten older.  Inconsistency continues to plague the Jaspers.

When Rohrssen was introduced as head coach in 2006, Athletic Director Bob Byrnes stated, "Barry Rohrssen brings years of successful experience to Manhattan College.  People associate Barry with recruiting, but he is much more than a recruiter.

The University of Pittsburgh teams that Barry coaches with had the Most Improved Player in the Big East in four of his seven seasons, and I believe Barry certainly knows how to make players better. In short, Barry Rohrssen is a winner that recruits winners and develops winners."

Yes, part of that statement is true.  Rohrssen does have many years of successful experience.  And yes, Rohrssen does recruit winners. 

But in his time here at Manhattan, he has not developed a winning formula for this program.  He recruits players who excel at running the court, but he refuses to let them do just that. 

Not one player has drastically improved since Rohrssen got here.  His coaching style is hindering the development of Devon Austin, Antoine, Pearson, Chris Smith, as well as many others.  This team should easily be one of the best in the MAAC.

I'll give him one thing though.  He definitely pays more attention to the STUDENT part of student-athlete then Bobby Gonzalez ever has.  At the very least his players are stand up people unlike CJ Anderson and Mike Konovalchuk.

While precious time is ticking away and the years go by, the Manhattan Jaspers are still trying to find the right stride to be successful under Barry Rohrssen.

Overview

Just about halfway into this 2008-2009 season, the Jaspers have yet to play to their best ability for a full game.  Inconsistency is the word to describe the Jaspers thus far, as they can look energetic and cohesive in one game while they play flat and lackluster in another.  Different players have been clicking at different times, but they cannot collectively put it all together.

The Jaspers have an overall record of 7-6 and are 1-1 in MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) play.  The Jaspers do not have much to be proud of so far, but they have most of conference play left to prove that they belong in the upper tier of the MAAC. 

Schedule

Although a 7-6 record may not sound bad, at this point, the Jaspers expected themselves to be far better than that.  Coach Barry Rohrssen did not schedule games against quality opponents, to say the least, and the Jaspers still are only one game above .500.

In the RPI ratings (Rating Percentage Index), which is a measure of a team’s strength of schedule and performance against their opponents, the Jaspers place 221 out of 343 teams.  That is seventh in the MAAC, only ahead of Iona, Marist, and St. Peter’s.  However, when looking at strength of schedule itself, which puts aside performance, the Jaspers are 311 of 343.  That is dead last in the MAAC.

In contrast, Siena, the top-rated team in the MAAC, has an RPI of 37 and a strength of schedule of 26.  St. Peter’s, with a 4-8 record, is 301 in strength of schedule.  Even N.J.I.T., which has lost an NCAA Division I record 42 games in a row, including 13 in a row this season, is 282 in strength of schedule.

The best team Manhattan has beaten is Binghamton, which ranks 211 in RPI.  Manhattan only has six games on its schedule with teams that are currently in the RPI top 100, and they are all in the MAAC: Siena—37, Niagara—66, and Fairfield—81.  Manhattan had a demoralizing road loss on Nov. 26 to St. Francis of Brooklyn, which places 241 in RPI.

Rohrssen certainly did not take advantage of the out-of-conference schedule.  It may have helped the Jaspers to schedule a game against higher quality opponents to get some experience in big games and prepare them for conference play. 

Scoring

Arguably the most inconsistent part about the Jaspers is their offense.  As a team, they average 67.8 points per game, which is fifth in the MAAC.  In wins, Manhattan averages 71 points, while in losses they average 62 points.

When watching the Jaspers, it seems they have no offensive strategy, as players just pass the ball around the perimeter until someone has an open three or someone drives to the basket and creates.  Most points come off of three-pointers and fast breaks.

The sophomore Chris Smith is Manhattan’s leading scorer with 14.6 ppg.  In wins, Smith averages 19.8 points, while in losses, Smith averages just 7.6 points, including three games with five points or less.  They need consistent production from Smith in order to be successful this season.  That is a lot to put on one player’s shoulders though.

After Smith, Darryl Crawford averages 11.8 and Devon Austin averages 11.7.  Crawford had 29 points against Binghamton but has been inconsistent as well.  Austin has been Manhattan’s lone three-point threat the last two seasons, but this year he is shooting only 29.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Austin is one of two seniors on the team, and they need him to step up and be a consistent scorer if the Jaspers are to succeed.  Austin has only had three 15+ point games, and he has four games with 10 or less, including two two-point performances.  The Jaspers need Austin to be a leader.

Point Guards

Not only do the Jaspers need more consistency at shooting guard, but point guard as well.  Antoine Pearson is without a doubt Manhattan’s best point guard, as he has proved in the past.  He has the ability to beat anyone off the dribble and sees the floor well.

However, he is not seeing as much action as he has in the past.  This year, he only plays 24.3 minutes per game opposed to last year’s 29.5 mpg.  Too many people are running the point this year, and it makes it very difficult for the Jaspers to get into an offensive rhythm.

This year Pearson does not drive to the basket as much as he has in past years, and the Jaspers have to chuck up more threes.  This is partly due to the lack of a set offense.  But if Pearson can create more for himself, it will help his teammates get open, and they will no longer need to rely on the three. 

Frontcourt

The Jaspers have had a hole at the center position ever since the graduation of Guy Ngarndi in 2006.  The Jaspers need an inside presence not only for scoring, but for rebounding too.

Manhattan’s tallest starter has been Herve Banogle at 6'8".  Banogle is only averaging 4.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.  His backup, Brandon Adams, is 6'6" and averaging 4.8 points and 4 rebounds per contest.  There is a visible absence at the center position for Manhattan, which forces them to heavily rely on their guards.

Andrew Gabriel, the 6'6" sophomore power forward, is averaging 6.2 points and 4.8 boards.  Even though Gabriel’s numbers are acceptable, he is an undersized power forward.

In a small conference such as the MAAC, it is very difficult to find quality big men, and the Jaspers have had a lot of trouble when they play teams with dominant centers and power forwards.

A few matchups to watch will be when Manhattan plays Niagara, Siena, and Iona.  Niagara has 6'10" Benson Egemonye, who is averaging 12.1 points and 7.4 rebounds.  Siena has 6'6" center Alex Franklin, who plays very much like he is 6'10", averaging 13.8 points and 6.8 rebounds.  Iona has 7'0" junior transfer from Louisville center Jonathan Huffman, who is averaging 7.1 points and 3.9 boards.

Manhattan’s big men are providing the Jaspers with just 25.1 percent of their points.  In order for Manhattan to compete with top conference opponents, they will need much improved performances from Banogle, Adams, and Gabriel.

A bright spot has been the play of 6'9" sophomore Laurence Jolicoeur.  He had six points and eight rebounds (six offensive) in just 17 minutes off the bench vs. American University.

Free Throw Shooting

Manhattan’s free throw shooting has been despicable.  Manhattan is shooting 66 percent from the line this year, and it has cost them some much-needed wins.  In wins, Manhattan is shooting 76 percent from the line, while in losses they are shooting a pathetic 56 percent.

In a 70-68 loss at St. Francis, Manhattan shot just 11-22 from the line.  In a 65-61 loss to Hofstra, Manhattan shot 17-27 (63 percent) from the line.  Against American University, Manhattan shot just 7-12 (58 percent).  If Manhattan wants to start winning these close games, they need to convert at the free throw line. 

Coaching

Coach Rohrssen has done an excellent job in getting talented guards to attend Manhattan.  However, getting big men has been a different story.  This year, Manhattan brought in just one scholarship freshman, Djibril Coulibaly.  Coulibaly is a 6'8" center who has seen just six total minutes in one game so far.

In Rohrssen’s first season in Riverdale, 2006-2007, the Jaspers finished 13-17, but 10-5 in the MAAC.  He also brought in Pearson and Crawford.  That year, Austin averaged 12.4 points, Crawford averaged 9.6, Pearson averaged 9.5, and Patrick Bouli (another guard) averaged 6.3.  It seemed Manhattan was on the rise.

In 2007-2008, Manhattan finished 12-19 and just 5-13 in the MAAC.  The Jaspers had a much worse MAAC season and saw little improvement from the previous year, even though they only lost one player in Guy Ngarndi.  This year, Pearson is averaging about the same as he did three years ago, while Austin is averaging less.  Manhattan has seen little improvement in three years both in record and production.

The Jaspers do have a lot of potential though, as they have displayed it at different times.  They need better play inside and more consistent play from the guards.  It is just a matter of everything coming together at once. 

What to Watch for

Manhattan hosts the first place Siena Saints at Draddy Gymnasium on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 4 pm.  Expect the Jaspers to be close, as they have knocked off the number one teams at home in each of the last two seasons, beating Marist 75-74 in 2007 and Siena 73-72 in 2008. On Saturday, Jan. 24, the Jaspers get a shot to play at the World's Most Famous Arena as Manhattan plays Iona at Madison Square Garden at 9 pm.

On Saturday, Jan. 31, Manhattan hosts Niagara at 7 pm.  It should be interesting to see the Jaspers against the fast-paced Purple Eagles offense with 6'10" center Benson Egemonye.  On senior day, Sunday, Feb. 15, the Jaspers host the Rider Broncs and Ryan Thompson, the MAAC points leader.  He is also the brother of Jason Thompson, the 6'11" rookie for the Sacramento Kings.

Frustration is the most suitable word to describe the emotions of the Jaspers and their fans. After starting the season 7-3 with losses by two, three, and four points, Manhattan was defeated by 12 against American, 25 at La Salle, and 19 at Niagara. 

As a team, the Jaspers have been very inconsistent on offense, mostly for the worse. Until tonight, Chris Smith and Devon Austin hadn't led the team in scoring since Dec. 5. 

Tonight, the Jaspers' offense scored over 70 points for the first time since they scored 86 at Binghamton on December 20. 

Unfortunately, Niagara scored 93 points and defeated Manhattan, 93-74. 

The Purple Eagles are a bigger, stronger, and more aggressive team than the Jaspers, and Manhattan's weaknesses were exploited throughout the game.

Niagara forced a total of 19 turnovers and the Jaspers were too slow getting back on defense, which allowed the Purple Eagles to produce 33 points.

Niagara's size didn't affect Manhattan's ability to rebound the basketball—the Jaspers have managed to compete with larger teams on the glass this season—however, the size difference created more Manhattan fouls.

Going into tonight, the Jaspers fouled 18 times per game. Tonight, Manhattan fouled the Purple Eagles 26 times. Niagara is shooting 71.1 percent from the charity stripe this season, and they connected on 25 of their 32 foul shots tonight.

Every team will give up its share of points off of turnovers and foul shots, but the totals tonight were absolutely disgusting. You can't give up 58 points in that manner and expect to win the game. 

Defense was not the only problem that Manhattan dealt with tonight.

After shooting 18-of-36 from the floor in the first half, the Jaspers lost their touch and shot 10-of-36 in the second stanza. This is part of the inconsistency that was mentioned above. They finally got production from Austin and Smith, but the rest of the team didn't produce.

Manhattan has two must-win games against Canisius and Marist before hosting Siena. The Jaspers can't afford to lose to either the Golden Griffs or the Red Foxes because they don't want to get buried early in conference play. 

If the Jaspers lose two of these three games, frustrated Jaspers fans will need to realize that this team, constructed by Barry Rohrssen, will not be able to contend for the MAAC crown.