Jaspers Fall in MAAC Quarterfinal
Bri Yurek
Issue date: 3/11/09 Section: Sports
Last Saturday, the Jaspers basketball team headed upstate to Albany's Times Union Center to compete in the 2009 MAAC Men's Basketball Championships. Unable to connect in end, the Jaspers were sent home following their quarterfinal game against the Fairfield Stags (17-15, 9-9 MAAC) where they went down 68-61.
Less than two minutes into the first half, the Stags posted the first points on the board. Exchanging baskets with Fairfield Unversity, junior guard Darryl Crawford connected with teammate Andrew Gabriel resulting in a dunk for the Jaspers.
MC picked up momentum taking the lead on a 5-0 run and at 13:33 the score was 9-4 in favor of the Jaspers.
For the next several minutes, the Stags were playing catch up. Fairfield's Allen Herbie managed to post nine of their next 15 points. With less than seven minutes to go in the half the score was tied at 18.
The remainder of the half was tight with both teams fighting hard. Patrick Bouli and Devon Austin hit back-to-back threes for the Jaspers making the team short just one point at the half, 25-24.
Austin returned to play in the MAAC's after being out for the end of the regular season due to back surgery. Austin scored five points off the bench in his last game as a Jasper. Throughout his four years in Riverdale, he totaled 1,177 points, finishing 19th on the all-time scoring list.
Hopeful Jasper fans came alive when the Jaspers opened the second half with a surge of intensity.
"At the half we went over a few things and wanted to get out of the gate real well, which we did," Head Coach Barry Rohrssen said.
Unfortunately a spark off Fairfield's bench would close the nine-point deficit, erasing the Jaspers lead. An unanticipated performance from Greg Nero off the bench led the Stags in a comeback, and they never relinquished the lead.
"They came back with more intensity. They countered our energy," Crawford said.
Nero did not play in Fairfield's last five games of the regular season due to injury. Coming off the bench, he tallied eight of the first 12 points scored in the half. He finished with 11 points, all of which came in the second half.
MC always remained within reach of the win, as they fought for their spot in the following semi-final round. Bouli sank his third three-pointer of the game gaining momentum in the Jaspers' last effort.
Chris Smith made his way to the basket, scoring a difficult lay-up through Fairfield's defense making it 59-56. But Fairfield continued to connect and won 68-61. Fairfield lost to Siena on Sunday 80-65 in the semis.
Crawford put up 21 points for the game-high. He finished the season leading the Jaspers in scoring averaging 14.4 points per game. Smith added 14 points in the Jaspers effort. This season Smith led the team in rebounds with 5.7 per game.
The Jaspers finished the season with an overall record of 16-14 and were 9-9 in MAAC play. This marked the Jaspers first winning season in the last three years.
"Hats off to Coach Rohrssen and his team. We were just very fortunate to have the ball bounce our way tonight," Fairfield Head Coach Ed Cooley said.
Less than two minutes into the first half, the Stags posted the first points on the board. Exchanging baskets with Fairfield Unversity, junior guard Darryl Crawford connected with teammate Andrew Gabriel resulting in a dunk for the Jaspers.
MC picked up momentum taking the lead on a 5-0 run and at 13:33 the score was 9-4 in favor of the Jaspers.
For the next several minutes, the Stags were playing catch up. Fairfield's Allen Herbie managed to post nine of their next 15 points. With less than seven minutes to go in the half the score was tied at 18.
The remainder of the half was tight with both teams fighting hard. Patrick Bouli and Devon Austin hit back-to-back threes for the Jaspers making the team short just one point at the half, 25-24.
Austin returned to play in the MAAC's after being out for the end of the regular season due to back surgery. Austin scored five points off the bench in his last game as a Jasper. Throughout his four years in Riverdale, he totaled 1,177 points, finishing 19th on the all-time scoring list.
Hopeful Jasper fans came alive when the Jaspers opened the second half with a surge of intensity.
"At the half we went over a few things and wanted to get out of the gate real well, which we did," Head Coach Barry Rohrssen said.
Unfortunately a spark off Fairfield's bench would close the nine-point deficit, erasing the Jaspers lead. An unanticipated performance from Greg Nero off the bench led the Stags in a comeback, and they never relinquished the lead.
"They came back with more intensity. They countered our energy," Crawford said.
Nero did not play in Fairfield's last five games of the regular season due to injury. Coming off the bench, he tallied eight of the first 12 points scored in the half. He finished with 11 points, all of which came in the second half.
MC always remained within reach of the win, as they fought for their spot in the following semi-final round. Bouli sank his third three-pointer of the game gaining momentum in the Jaspers' last effort.
Chris Smith made his way to the basket, scoring a difficult lay-up through Fairfield's defense making it 59-56. But Fairfield continued to connect and won 68-61. Fairfield lost to Siena on Sunday 80-65 in the semis.
Crawford put up 21 points for the game-high. He finished the season leading the Jaspers in scoring averaging 14.4 points per game. Smith added 14 points in the Jaspers effort. This season Smith led the team in rebounds with 5.7 per game.
The Jaspers finished the season with an overall record of 16-14 and were 9-9 in MAAC play. This marked the Jaspers first winning season in the last three years.
"Hats off to Coach Rohrssen and his team. We were just very fortunate to have the ball bounce our way tonight," Fairfield Head Coach Ed Cooley said.