Jaspers raise record & dollars

The Manhattan College Jaspers weren’t just playing basketball on Jan. 22. They were raising funds for the American Cancer Society — about $1,000. 

The money was raised from ticket sales and a donation bin. This is the third year the school has undertaken the project. 

The men’s team also defeated Niagara 71-64 for its fifth-straight win, improving its record to 14-7, 7-2 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

The Jaspers let a 12-point second-half lead disappear and were behind the Purple Eagles by as many as seven points with about nine minutes left in the game. But Manhattan outscored Niagara 25-11 for the remainder of the game to preserve the win. The green and white hit 16 consecutive free throws during the final run. 

George Beamon matched his season-high record of 24 points, while sophomore point guard Michael Alvarado scored 13, going 11 for 12 from the free-throw line. 

The Jaspers as a team were a superb 83 percent from the line. 

Beamon scored 14 of his 24 points in the first half as Manhattan took a 31-24 lead into the dressing room at halftime. 

For the second straight game, the Jaspers shut down their opponent’s top scorer. After holding Marist guard Devin Price to a deuce and only 0-11 shooting in a contest on Jan. 20, Manhattan stuffed Niagara’s Juan’ya Green to only six points and 1-9 shooting. 

Manhattan also out-rebounded the Purple Eagles 38-31.

The only blemish on Sunday was the Lady Jasper’s setback to Loyola 59-45. Manhattan’s record fell below .500, to 9-10, 3-4 in the MAAC. 

Though Lady J’s scored the first two points of the game, Loyola went on a 10-point run to open up a substantial lead.

The teams juggled runs in the first half, with Manhattan getting the final pre-halftime rally, narrowing the Greyhounds advantage to 31-27.

Three Lady Jaspers led the way in scoring for the team: Allison Skrec, Schyanne Halfkenny and Monica Roeder, who each had 10 points. Tori-Ann Lawrence was the rebound leader.