Riverdale, N.Y. (December 23, 2005)-
Jeff Xavier rebounded from an off-night in Manhattan's last game, pouring in 24 points and tallying a career-high six steals on the way to being named the John "Doc" Johnson MVP of the 98th Battle of the Bronx game, won by the Jaspers, 81-68, over borough rival Fordham tonight in front of a sellout crowd at Draddy Gym. The win, Manhattan's fifth in a row this season and its fifth straight over the Rams, ups the Jaspers' record to 5-4, while Fordham falls to 3-7.
Fordham controlled play in the early going, leading by seven on three occasions, the third making the score 22-15 with 9:49 left in the first half. Manhattan responded, using an 8-1 run to knot the score at 23, and extended the run to 13-3, taking a three point lead, 28-25, on a three pointer by Xavier. Fordham scored the last eight points of the half, including a half court heave by Jermaine Anderson as time expired, to go into the break with a five point, 33-28, lead.
Manhattan came out with a renewed sense of fire and drive in the second half, using a full court press to exert their will on the game. The Jaspers scored the first 10 points of the second stanza, highlighted by back-to-back fast break dunks by
CJ Anderson and
Arturo Dubois, to take a five point lead, 38-33, with 18:07 left in the game. Fordham was able to cut the lead to a single point, 42-41, with 14:01 left following a Jermaine Anderson lay-up, but Manhattan answered with another big run, this time 11-2, to push the lead to 10, 53-43, with 11:57 left in the game. Fordham never cut the lead to single digits the rest of the way, as Manhattan led by as many as 23, 73-50, with 6:01 to play.
Anderson tallied his fourth double-double of the year, recording 23 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, adding five assists. Completing the sophomore double-figure trifecta was Dubois, who scored 14 points, while adding seven rebounds and three blocks.
Jermaine Anderson paced four Rams in double-figures with 19 points. Marcus Stout added 17, while Bryant Dunston scored 15 and Kevin Anderson scored 10.
Manhattan takes a week off to celebrate the holiday's before returning to the hardwood on Friday, December 30, hosting St. Francis-N.Y. at 7:30 p.m. at Draddy Gym, as the Jaspers and Terriers renew a series that was an annual event from 1961-62 through 1987-88.
