Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Manhattan men's basketball team's furious charge in the last 11 minutes came up short as the Jaspers were edged 62-58 at Marist in their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opener on Friday. Junior point guard Michael Alvarado powered the offensive surge by scoring 14 of his game-high 19 points as Manhattan (2-5, 0-1 MAAC) dropped the last contest of a strenuous four-game road series.
Marist (3-5, 1-0 MAAC) was led by sophomore guard Chavaughn Lewis who scored 14 of his team-high 17 points in the first half. Lewis had the hot hand in the first half knocking down his first six shot attempts of the game, including two three-pointers.
The Red Foxes' offense was clicking early on sinking 52.4% (11-21) of their field goal attempts in the opening stanza. Lewis had help from senior guard Devin Price and junior forward Jay Bowie as the trio combined for 29 of Marist's first 30 points. Manhattan shot only 29.2% (7-24) from the field, which allowed Marist to take a 34-25 lead into the break.
It took nearly nine minutes into the second half before Manhattan got rolling. The Jaspers woke up after a 7-0 run that was topped off by Lewis' layup giving the Red Foxes their largest lead of the game (47-32).
Alvarado answered by igniting a 26-8 scoring flurry over an eight minute span that resulted in the Jaspers' first lead of the ballgame. He scored all 14 of his second half points during the run and gave Manhattan a 58-55 lead on a layup after a steal in the backcourt by Rhamel Brown with three minutes remaining.
Marist quickly recaptured all the momentum that slid to the Jaspers' side when Bowie buried the game-tying three-pointer with 1:40 on the clock. It ended a span of 9:22 where Isaiah Morton was the only Red Fox to score. He posted two three-pointers and a pair of free-throws during this stretch. Lewis and Morton then gave Marist a 60-58 lead as they each connected on the front end of two trips to the free-throw line.
Manhattan came up empty on its last offensive possession with two seconds on the clock and inbounding from midcourt. The Jaspers did not get a shot attempt off after freshman forward Shane Richards stepped out of bounds as he was tight roping the sideline on a difficult entry pass. Price sank two free-throws at the opposite end of the floor to seal the victory.
Sophomores RaShawn Stores and Donovan Kates scored nine points apiece for Manhattan. Kates recorded all his points at the free-throw line going 9-for-10, and he grabbed a season-high eight rebounds to lead the Jaspers' 36-27 advantage on the boards. Stores matched Alvarado with three assists.
Richards finished with six points as he buried two of the Jaspers' four three-points in a difficult 21.1% (4-19) shooting effort beyond the arc. Marist shot 50% (9-18) from downtown with Bowie going 3-for-3 in an 11 point performance. Price added 14 points and Morton had 10 to round out the four Red Foxes in double-figures.
The Jaspers were without the services of senior guard George Beamon who missed the third game this season with an injury.
Manhattan returns to Draddy Gymnasium Sunday for the first time since defeating Hofstra on Nov. 21 as the Jaspers look to rebound against Siena. Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m. At halftime, the Manhattan baseball team will be honored with a ring ceremony celebrating the program's second straight MAAC title last season.
