By Paul Casey Gotham
BUFFALO, N.Y. — With just two regular season games remaining and post-season conference tournament seeding hanging in the balance the Canisius seniors responded to the challenge Friday night.
Greg Logins led a quartet of Golden Griffins in double-digits, and a suffocating defense fueled a second-half run as the Canisius Golden Griffins defeated the Manhattan Jaspers 72-63 in Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference action at Koessler Athletic Center.
Logins led the Golden Griffins shooting 6-of-11 from the field including 4-of-6 from behind the arc and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
Logins wasted little time getting started. The 6’7″ forward gave the Griffs an early three-point lead. Robert Goldsberry made a steal in the front court and led Julius Coles with a pass. Coles then skipped the ball from the foul line extended at the right to Logins in the left corner who drilled a trey.
“It wasn’t the prettiest of games,” head coach Tom Parrotta explained. “We made enough plays. Greg kept us in it throughout.”
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy1PiLl3yvE]
Gaby Belardo followed with an acrobatic three in the lane.
Alshwan Hymes fed Logins for a layup, and the Blue and Gold led 10-8.
Coles hit a three in transition. The senior guard led Belardo with a pass into the right corner. Belardo created space with an upfake and one dribble before returning the ball to Coles who hit from the top of the arc.
Coles fed Tomas Vazquez-Simmons, and the senior forward dropped a 12″ foot jumper.
The Griffs continued to push the ball in transition. Coles took an outlet pass and advanced the ball into the Jaspers’ end. With the defense retreating to the basket, Coles kicked the ball to Logins who connected at the top of the key, and Canisius led 18-14.
But Manhattan would not go away easily. Shooting 52 percent from the field in the first half, the last-place Jaspers trailed 35-31 at the break. Michael Alvarado paced the Jaspers with 16 points in the first stanza.
“We labored at times,” Parrotta explained. “They were taking 20-25 seconds off the shot clock pretty much every time and what it ultimately came down to was them setting a high ball screen and getting into the lane and going to the free throw line. That’s a lot of defense to play. That’s a large span of time without something going in.”
Canisius gave an inspired defensive effort in the second half holding Manhattan without a field goal for almost 14 minutes. The Jaspers were limited to the free throw line for most of their points.
Goldsberry gave the Griffs an eight-point lead with a trey. Reggie Groves and Coles swung the ball around the top of the key to Goldsberry who connected from foul-line extended on the left.
After Coles and Chris Manhertz blocked back-to-back layup attempts, Goldsberry grabbed the defensive and led Belardo with an outlet pass. Belardo then found Frazier in transition for the dunk and a 57-47 lead.
“You talk about meeting people at the rim,” Parrotta commented. “It’s good stuff. It’s good energy.”
“The two blocks were huge,” Logins said. “It gave us some energy.”
Belardo’s pull-up 3-ball made it 60-49.
On the next possession, Belardo penetrated the paint and dished to Frazier for another slam and the lead at 62-51.
Frazier hit 10-of-12 from the free throw line and finished with 18 points. The senior has 988 for his career.
Coles added 13 points with six assists.
Belardo chipped in with 11 and five helpers.
Alvarado had a game-high 23 with George Beamon getting 22 for the Jaspers.
Manhattan falls to 3-14 in MAAC play and 6-23 overall.
The Griffs improve to 8-9 in conference play and 14-14 overall. Canisius took control of their destiny for next weekend’s conference tournament. With the win and Siena’s loss to Fairfield, the Griffs have all but clinched sixth-place and a first round bye for the tournament.
Canisius hosts Loyola on Sunday. The game will be last at the KAC for seniors Coles, Frazier, Goldsberry, Logins and Vazquez-Simmons.
How much did Kevin Laue of Manhattan play? He’s the 7-footer from California with one arm (or more accuarely, one and a half arms). Greatest line I’ve ever heard from a coach was when the Manhattan coach was questioned on why he’d offer a scholarship to a one-armed player – he said something along lines of “We recruit kids because they have superior play and positively affect the team. Why can’t I recruit a kid because he has superior work ethic that will affect my team?”
That is a great line. Laue did not get into the game last night.