Box Score Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) | Highlights | Waterman DunkRiverdale, NY - Junior
Zane Waterman (Winston-Salem, NC / Fayetteville Academy) canned a three pointer with 5.6 seconds to play and the Manhattan defense stopped Marist on the ensuing possession as the Jaspers posted a thrilling 68-67 victory at Draddy Gymnasium.
Manhattan improved to 9-16 and 4-10 in the MAAC thanks to Waterman's game-high 22 points while the visitors fall to 6-18 and 3-10 in the league.
After Marist opened the game with a three, Manhattan responded with a 10-1 spurt in opening up six-point lead with 12:41 to play in the first half. The Red Foxes would battle back to within one at 14-13 with 8:30 until halftime before Thomas Capuano (So., Hasting-on-Hudson, NY / Iona Prep) hit a layup, junior Zavier Turner (Indianapolis, IN / Ball State) a jumper and Waterman a three in stretching the Jasper advantage to eight.
The lead would grow to a game-high 11 at 29-18 at the 3:47 mark following an Aaron Walker Jr. (Fr., Brooklyn, NY / Cardozo) three-point play before Manhattan entered halftime up 31-22.
Marist came charging out of the gates to start the second half with a 16-4 spurt in assuming a 38-35 advantage with 15:32 remaining only to see the Jaspers answer with a 9-2 push in reclaiming the lead.
The Red Foxes then put together a 10-0 run in taking their largest lead of the game at 50-44 following a Kristinn Palsson triple with 9:15 to play. In keeping with the game of runs theme, Manhattan notched a 10-2 spurt in taking a brief two-point lead at the 7:15 mark.
Marist fought back with six-straight points and led 63-59 with less than three minutes to play when Khallid Hart seemed poised for an easy layup only to be denied when senior Tyler Wilson (Bronx, NY / Cardinal Hayes) forced a shot alteration at the last second. Waterman converted on the other end to again make it a one possession game while setting the tone for a fantastic finish.
The Red Foxes would again stretch their advantage out to four points with just over a minute to play before Turner hit a pair from the line and Waterman split two to make it a one-point game. Brian Parker was then fouled and made the first before missing the second while setting the stage for Waterman's heroics.
Waterman registered his fifth 20-point game of the year and the seventh of his career, finishing with 22 while pulling down seven rebounds. Turner joined him in double-figures with 12 points to go along with six assists, including the setting up Waterman's winning play. Junior Ahmed Ismail (Cairo, Egypt / Colby CC) pulled down a game-high eight rebounds with three blocks while pacing a front line that registered a decisive 39-28 advantage on the glass.
The Jaspers shot 44.7 percent (21-of-47) from the floor and 82.1 percent (23-of-28) from the line.
Marist, meanwhile, made good on 34.6 percent (18-of-52) from the field, including just 29.0 percent (9-of-31) on two-point attempts, as Manhattan improved to 7-0 on the year when limiting the opposition to less than 70 points.
The Red Foxes did make a blistering 42.9 percent (9-of-21) from deep and were led by Hart (20 points), Funk (12 points) and Parker (10 points).
The Jaspers will look to make it two in a row when first-place Monmouth comes to Riverdale on Friday, February 10 with opening tip tabbed for 9:00 pm.
