Tyler Reynolds scored career-best 17 points to lead Manhattan to victory over Fairfield, ending three-game losing streak for Jaspers. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)
NEW YORK -- Navigating the waters of a season rife with growing pains and offensive struggles, Manhattan returned to familiar territory to find the shot in the arm it so desperately craved to maintain its footing in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings.
Thursday's opening act of a four-game homestand proved to be the elusive pick-me-up the beleaguered Jaspers sought, with a familiar payoff at the end of its rainbow.
In a performance that echoed to the back-to-back MAAC championship defenses of years past, Manhattan tightened the vise on visiting Fairfield, holding the Stags under 60 points for the third time in as many matchups between the schools in a 62-49 victory at Draddy Gymnasium.
"It's very encouraging," a visibly relieved Steve Masiello said after the Jaspers (5-16, 3-6 MAAC) limited Fairfield into shooting 34 percent from the floor and making only six three-point field goals, using a 22-6 run spanning the end of the first half and opening minutes of the second stanza to break a 20-all tie and establish an insurmountable advantage. "Just from the stance of guys being bought in and understanding when you do you're supposed to, what that can lead to, I thought the guys did a great job of that tonight."
In a season where the Manhattan youth and its indoctrination into Masiello's brand of basketball has taken center stage, two upperclassmen carried the torch for the hosts Thursday night, as junior college transfer Tyler Reynolds showcased multiple facets of his game to offset his reputation as a token shooter while Ebube Ebube took a greater leap forward with 15 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
"I just had a different mindset," said Reynolds, whose 17 points were not only a career-high, but also signified the third time in his last four contests where the junior posted a double-digit point total. "I think I came out and just wanted to be more aggressive, get to the basket, and show a little more to my game. I'm not just an outside shooter."
"It hasn't been a huge adjustment," Ebube revealed as his responsibilities have increased as a sophomore, playing the stretch four role filled by Zane Waterman the past four seasons. "Playing behind Zane, I just learned from him, and he's taught me the right things to do. I've just been staying to that all offseason and all season long, and it paid off."
On the defensive end, Manhattan's efforts against Fairfield point guard Neftali Alvarez were reminiscent of the Jaspers' lockdowns of former all-conference floor generals the likes of A.J. English and Justin Robinson. The freshman sensation was pressured almost instantly whenever the ball was in his hands, making it impossible for him to create his own shot. Alvarez did record five assists, but was held to just four points, missing five of his seven field goal attempts.
"We just wanted to make him work," Masiello admitted of his intentions for Alvarez against Manhattan's matchup zone. "We wanted to give him different looks, tough reads, make him work for everything. He's a very talented player and we understand what he's capable of, but we just wanted to make him work."
As Alvarez labored in his first taste of the Jasper defense, Fairfield (6-16, 3-7 MAAC) was unable to capitalize off its decisive upset win over Iona, erasing any lingering momentum from an 80-68 upset of the Gaels that may have carried through three days of preparation for Manhattan.
"I was excited about us continuing that momentum, but we certainly weren't sharp tonight," head coach Sydney Johnson conceded. "We spent a lot of time preparing for Manhattan, and I don't think the execution was there. I just don't think it carried onto the floor."
"We had a number of different guys that we tried, and it just didn't get there. I think in the second half, we were just chasing the game the entire time, and to their credit, they kept us behind them."
Now only two games out of a first-round MAAC Tournament bye halfway through the league season, Manhattan now finds itself in a resurgent position, with a favorable matchup Saturday night against Saint Peter's -- whom the Jaspers defeated on a last-second shot by Samir Stewart two weeks ago in Jersey City -- next on the docket.
"Your confidence has to come from what you do on an everyday basis," Masiello cautioned as Manhattan braces for the Peacocks and the challenge of defending Davauhnte Turner, the MAAC's second-leading scorer. "Your confidence can't come from results. It has to come from what you do every day, and I thought our preparation for three days was meticulous."
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