Triple overtime brings Jaspers crucial win

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If there was ever a time for the Manhattan Jaspers to tell the rest of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) that reports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated, it was in the last few days when conference play commenced in full swing.

Sure, the Jaspers would still be scratching and clawing with a roster of just eight scholarship players and a pair of walk-ons. But if there was one thing these Manhattan teams — the ones with two straight MAAC titles in their back pocket — have displayed during their championship runs, it was that unmistakable grit that has taken them to the MAAC penthouse the past two seasons along with a couple of trips to the NCAA Tournament.

So what did Manhattan turn to last Monday night against a Siena team that had spanked the Jaspers in Albany last month in a 89-54 defeat — the Jaspers’ worst loss of the season? They dug into that deep reservoir of grit and pulled off their finest victory of the season.

Shane Richards led four Manhattan scorers in double figures with 21 points and RaShawn Stores added 16 points as the Jaspers avenged that painful loss in their first meeting with Siena and pulled out a thrilling 92-87 triple-overtime victory at Draddy Gym. It just might be the victory that turns around the Jaspers whole season.

“That was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, only one team could win it,” Manhattan coach Steve Masiello said. “Siena deserves a lot of credit. [Siena coach] Jimmy’s [Patsos] team really battled. They came in and fought us tooth and nail in a revenge game for us after they took it to us up there last month. I thought we made some big shots and big defensive plays that we’re accustomed to making in this program that we haven’t made.”

It was a victory that put a nice capper on a 2-0 weekend for the Jaspers, who also knocked off Fairfield last Saturday, 72-66, at Draddy. The two victories evened the Jaspers record in the MAAC at 2-2 and have put a whole new look on their season.

Manhattan College, basketball, Steve Masiello, Shane Richards, Sean Brennan
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