Canisius falls to Rider on buzzer beater

By Paul Casey Gotham

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Tommy Dempsey knows better than to fight a good thing.

The Rider University coach and his Broncs brought a five-game win streak with them to 1833 Main Street, Buffalo. So when his team fell behind 9-0 early, the fifth-year coach let the game take its course.

Little did anyone know that this game would take so many twists and turns.

Novar Gadson capped a wild afternoon with a rebound and put-back as time expired, and the Rider Broncs rallied to defeat the Canisius Golden Griffins 77-76 in Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference action at the Koessler Athletic Center, Sunday.

Gadson’s lay-up ended an unlikely series of events giving the Broncs their second conference win of the weekend.

The Griffs appeared to have secured the game just moments before when Gaby Belardo grabbed a defensive rebound and broke into the open court. As the red-shirt sophomore began his lay up, he was fouled from behind drawing a whistle. The made basket was called off, and Belardo went to the line for one-and-one instead of shooting two for an intentional foul. When Belardo’s free throw rimmed out the Broncs took advantage for the game-winner.

“Certainly feel fortunate to be getting back on the bus with a win because for most of the day it didn’t look like it was going to go in that direction,” Demspey said. “I thought Canisius played a terrific game. They executed very well. They made big shots after big shots. It was certainly an emotional game.”

After the Griffs jumped to an early advantage the lead changed hands three times in the game’s final five minutes.

Elton Frazier found Julius Coles with an inside-out pass, and the 6’4″ guard kept the ball moving to Belardo who hit a three from the top of the arc to tie the score at 71.

Danny Stewart gave the Broncs the lead back with a free throw. Jonathon Thompson made it 75-71 with a lay-up and free throw.

With the shot clock winding down, Coles brought the Griffs back within one using a step-back three from the top of the arc.

Canisius regained the lead at 76-75 when Alshwan Hymes found Coles on a flex cut for a lay up.

The Griffs looked to have secured victory when Tomas Vazquez-Simmons swatted Justin Robinson’s running one-hander, but it barely eluded Frazier chasing down the loose ball. Canisius forced the Broncs into another difficult shot that caromed off the rim and out-of-bounds with the possession surprisingly going back to Rider.

“We’re coming into our own a little bit. I thought we played pretty hard and competed,” Tom Parrotta commented. “We did a lot of good things, but they did one thing better, and that was difference in the game. When you got a team like that gets six, seven, eight, nine chances, they’re going to break you at one time or another.”

Greg Logins staked the Griffs to the lead scoring five points in the game’s first six minutes. The senior forward hit a free throw line jumper and two possessions later with a three from the top of the arc. Logins finished with 18 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Coles led all scorer with 30 including 3-6 from behind the arc. The senior also grabbed five rebounds and had three assists.

Elton Frazier added 12 points and six rebounds. Robert Goldsberry scored six and handed out nine assists.

Belardo scored seven and had five assists.

Justin Robinson paced the Broncs with 19 points and eight assists. Mike Ringgold chipped in 17, and Novar Gadson had 16.

The Broncs out-rebounded the Griffs 37-32 including a 15-11 edge in offensive rebounds.

“It’s our intention to keep getting better,” added Parrotta. “We’re clearly not there yet. We haven’t performed up to expectations.”

Rider improves to 12-5 and 4-1 in the MAAC.

Canisius falls to 1-4 in conference play and 7-8 overall. The Griffs travel to Manhattan on Saturday.