By Paul Gotham
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Jim Baron is one for reminders. Like the fact that his Canisius Golden Griffins were picked to finish tenth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings.
The veteran coach is also one for knowing how to motivate. The collective chip on the shoulder worn by Baron and the Golden Griffins led to history.
Josiah Heath led three with double-doubles as Canisius outlasted Fairfield, 72-65 at the Koessler Athletic Center. Friday night.
Canisius improved to 11-9 and registered the third straight winning season in conference play for the first time in school history.
“To have 11 victories in the league is tremendous, and our kids did it,” Baron said. “This was one of the most unbelievable years for me as a coach.”
Like it has been so many times this year, the Griffs figured out a way to win. Entering play averaging 6.6 three pointers a game, the Griffs hit just one of ten on the night.
“We really stuck with our game plan with defending and rebounding,” Baron added. “On the offensive end I thought we really tried to get it inside. We got to the free throw line. We made the extra pass. We just wanted to make a conscious effort of getting it inside.”
Both teams were missing key players in their front courts, but Canisius came out on top with a 41-24 advantage in rebounds.
“Our kids stood with us, with the game plan,” Baron continued. “They stayed focused. They defended. They rebounded.”
Heath and Bleeker grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, and Jamal Reynolds added 11 as Canisius outscored Fairfield 38-12 in the paint and 22-9 on second-chance points.
“They hurt us a little bit on the backboards,” Fairfield’s Sydney Johnson said. “Maybe their bigs had a bigger night than they’ve had in the past…I know they’re missing a couple guys as well. Heath has had a good year. Kevin probably hurt us more than we expected.”
Heath netted a team-high 18 points on 8 of 13 shooting. He ignited a decisive 10-2 run as Canisius took the lead and never surrendered it.
“It’s unbelievable,” Baron said. “Did he play himself into an all-league player? His numbers are incredible. He’s got to be one of the top rebounders in the league. Who’s played better than him at the post?”
Trailing 49-44, the senior, playing in his final home game, took a lead from teammate Zach Lewis on a two on one and converted with a dunk at the 11:53 mark.
“It was emotional,” Heath said of the night. “I’ve been thinking about it all day and all week. It would be my last game at the Koessler. It’s a big deal. My team kept me calm, kept me relaxed and got me the ball in the spots that I needed to produce.”
After a media timeout, Reynolds converted a pair of free throws. Kassius Robertson drove baseline for a layup. Baron called timeout and switched to zone defense. The Griffs responded creating two turnovers, as Jeremiah Williams swiped a pair of steals and led Reynolds for a bucket and on the second he went the length of the floor for the deuce and a 54-51 Canisius edge.
“Credit them for turning us over at key times and converting,” Johnson noted. “We tip our hats to them.”
Tyler Nelson hit one of two free throws as Fairfield cut the lead to two with 7:10 on the clock. That was as close as the Stags would get.
Bleeker scored inside on the next possession. Reynolds slipped along the baseline on the next trip for a tap in. Robertson scored five straight with pull-up jumper, a nifty drive in traffic and one of two free throws before another Heath dunk at the back end of the press pushed the lead to eight at 65-57.
“Boy our kids really gravitated to stepping up and doing what we asked them to do,” Baron said. “I applaud them. I applaud the players, my staff. It was just a very, very good team effort.”
Bleeker’s 13 rebounds were a career-high. He tallied a season-high 15 on 4 of 7 shooting from the floor and 7 of 7 from the free throw line.
“He was an animal today,” Heath said of his teammate. “He’s just being more aggressive. He’s confident in his abilities. He’s knows he can go out there and produce. It’s good to see him actually get out there and really be able to show everybody what we already know.”
The win came after a disappointing 82-71 loss earlier in the week to cross-town rival, Niagara. A game which the Griffs hit 12 of 29 from behind the arc.
“I was real proud of how our kids bounced back,” Baron said.
Canisius opened a six-point early in the first half on a Reynolds steal and layup.
Fairfield responded with a 15-0 run for their largest lead of the game. The Stags’ defense created three consecutive turnovers to tip the scales. Steve Smith started the run with a catch-and-shoot three in transition. Coleman Johnson got on the floor for a steal and fed Nelson for two. Nelson followed with a swipe and layup. After another Johnson theft, Nelson connected again behind the arc. Johnson hit for three. Nelson hit two from the charity stripe, and Fairfield had a 29-20 lead.
Canisius answered. Heath nailed a free-throw line jumper. Lewis had a steal and layup. Williams pulled up in the lane for two and followed with two charity tosses. Lewis drilled a trey from the top of the key, and Reynolds sent the teams into the locker room knotted at 34 when he hit one of two free throws.
“Their maturity showed,” Johnson said. “Even against our run, their maturity showed especially at those key spots that they have. That’s where it got away from us.
“I think it was really key that they tied the game at the half. If we had a lead, just because of the youth of our team, maybe that would have given us an extra boost.”
As is has been for the entire month of February, Canisius played without Phil Valenti (10.6ppg/4.9 rpg). Jermaine Crumpton (7.3 ppg/ 2.2 rpg) missed his sixth straight game. Fairfield was without Amadou Sidibe (6ppg/ 7 rpg).
Reynolds finished with 15 points for Canisius. It was the first time since 2004 that three Griffs registered double-doubles in the same game.
Nelson netted a game-high 23 for Fairfield. Marcus Gilbert added 13. Mike Kirkland had 10.
Fairfield plays at Niagara on Sunday.
Canisius clinched the fifth seed in the upcoming MAAC Tournament.
“Everybody picked us next to last,” Baron said “We come in fifth through tremendous adversity…It was unbelievable.
“I told the kids ‘no one, in my opinion since I’ve been here, believed that we could be in this position that we’re in right now, but us, but that team in the room.”
Canisius will play next Saturday at the Times-Union Center.
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