box score
audio - coach sydney johnson & zach finley
When head coach Barry Rohrssen was a teenager, siding up to the pool table at Andy's Tavern on the weekends to listen to Princeton coach Pete Carril dissect basketball games over a few beers, he wouldn't have believed that he would grow up to lead Manhattan to their first win at Jadwin Gym in school history.
The visiting Jaspers turned around a 13 point deficit with under 12 minutes left in regulation, defeating Princeton 71-65. The loss was the Tigers' eighth straight of the season.
Coach Rohrssen was caught by surprise after the game upon learning that Manhattan had not won in any of their previous 12 visits to Princeton.
Guards Antoine Pearson and Rashad Green led the Jaspers. Pearson tallied a career-high 22 on the day, while Green added 16 points and seven rebounds.
Zach Finley had a team-best 17 points and eight rebounds for Princeton, but did not attempt a field goal after scoring inside with 11:54 left to play, giving Princeton a 49-36 advantage.
In the early-going, the Tigers fed Finley in the paint repeatedly. Manhattan had no starters over 6'6" and Finley was able to get ideal positioning on the low block. Finley could not bank a shot in from close range on the right side of the rim and his second shot after rebounding his own miss was too strong. Finley was unable to complete a strong drive the third time he touched the ball down low.
Manhattan scored the game's first two baskets - a drive and baseline dish from Pearson to Green followed by a Green layup after he stole poor pass from Marcus Schroeder.
The Tigers continued to dump the ball to Finley in the post and the gameplan eventually started to pay off with conversions. Finley went to his left off glass for Princeton's first points. Kyle Koncz found Finley clearing out in the lane for a right-handed layup and Finley played give-and-go with Koncz for a third consecutive basket. After Koncz connected from up top for Princeton's first three point shot, the Tigers had a 9-4 advantage.
Manhattan was able to battle back as Princeton turned the ball over on five of their next six possessions. These turnovers were primarily of the unforced variety. Tiger passes were either at the feet of teammates or out of the reach of intended Princeton recipients.
The Jaspers capitalized on these errors, turning them into transition points. Antoine Pearson's layup put Manhattan up 14-11.
Kevin Steuerer came off the bench when Noah Savage picked up two quick personal fouls. Steuerer was able to size up his first three point shot of the season and tie the score after having failed on his first nine chances this year.
The two teams went back and forth as the half rolled on, with Michael Strittmatter providing a big offensive lift for the Tigers. Strittmatter entered the game at center, replacing Zach Finley at the 8:51 mark, but slid to forward when Finley returned after two minutes on the bench.
It was at forward where Strittmatter had his greatest offensive success. Koncz rewarded a cutting Strittmatter with a layup that knotted the score at 20. Gunn fed Strittmatter on a curl and the junior from Arizona scored as he was bumped by Patrick Bouli. A made free throw put Princeton up 24-23.
Strittmatter was fouled on a third path to the basket, converting one of two free throws after Gunn's dish.
The two teams were even at 30 with :31 left following two free throws by Manhattan's Darryl Crawford. Princeton held for the final shot. Kevin Steuerer drove from the wing to the top of the key, bringing an extra defender with him. A screening Strittmatter slid over to the wing, filling the space Steuerer had occupied. Strittmatter sized up his first three point shot of the season and the Tigers ran off the court up 33-30 at intermission.
Strittmatter scored nine points in as many minutes on 3-4 shooting in the first half for the Tigers. Finley also had nine from his perch in the post.
Antoine Pearson led all scorers with 10 points at the break.
Princeton was 12-22 from the floor (54.5%), 5-10 from outside (50.0%) and 4-6 at the line (66.7%). The Tigers had 11 turnovers in the first 20 minutes.
At the start of the second half, Princeton was able to expand their lead. Manhattan adjusted to front Finley in the post, so Gunn lobbed a pass over the defense for another layup. A hustling Gunn saved a loose ball as it bounded towards the stands, keeping a Princeton possession alive. The end result was a swoop to his left by Finley that put Princeton up 40-34.
Kyle Koncz got free for a second after Finley set a wide upscreen for his teammate and Koncz was hacked by Devon Austin as he went up for a three point shot. All three free throws were good and the Tiger lead was nine.
Finley scored two straight for Princeton, giving them their largest advantage of the game.
Coming out of the under-12:00 media time out, the Tigers again could not take responsibility of the basketball with any consistency. Rashad Green picked off a completely telegraphed Matt Sargeant inbounds pass for an easy layup. Finley was stripped in the paint and Green scored again on the other end after a zip feed by Jamel Ferguon. Schroeder lost the ball, leading to a third basket by Green on the baseline and lead was down to four.
The Tigers tried to expand their edge at the free throw line, but Savage, Schroeder and then Savage again each split trips at the stripe. As Princeton earned a single point at a time, the Jaspers inched closer.
Manhattan's first three point shot of the ballgame, a jumper by Pearson with 6:03 left in regulation, pulled the Jaspers within 54-53.
A classic Princeton backdoor, Strittmatter finding Koncz creeping in from the perimeter, made the lead three again.
5'9" 150 lb reserve freshman guard Nick Walsh was left unattended outside and his only three point shot of the game evened the scoreboard with 5:09 to go. As Gunn brought the ball up seconds later Walsh picked his pocket and banked in a circus shot while Gunn was fouling him out of frustration. Manhattan had the lead for the first time since the score was 28-27. Princeton took a time out to regain composure.
Savage rushed a turnaround three point shot trying to tie and following a Manhattan turnover Koncz had a great look from outside using a Finley screen. Pearson floated a shot up in the paint to make it a two possession game and Koncz could not answer when open again outside.
Gunn drove twice on the smaller Walsh for easy layups to keep Princeton within four. These were Princeton's first field goals since Finley had given the Tigers a comfortable cushion almost ten minutes previous. A lob from Gunn to Finley did not have enough arc on it and Brandon Adams intercepted. The ball and the game belonged to the visitors from Riverdale.
Manhattan upped their pressure in the last quarter of the game, and Princeton did not respond. The Tigers' offensive schemes were disrupted before the ball could go inside to their primary scoring threat. "It is a tough way to lose" said Princeton head coach Sydney Johnson. "They punched, we never counter-punched."
Notes:
-For the first time this season, the Tigers shot over 50% from the field. Princeton was 22-41 in the game (53.7%).
-Noah Savage did not record a field goal for the second straight game. Savage was 0-2 from the floor.
-Princeton's 21 turnovers were turned into 25 points for Manhattan.
-The Tigers attempted a season-best 20 free throws, making 15 of these chances.
-The 1997-98 Ivy League championship Princeton team was honored at halftime of the game.
-Next up for the Tigers is a trip to Marshall for a game against the Thundering Herd on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 pm ET.
