If Manhattan can’t stop Iona, who can?
Despite already having clinched their third MAAC regular season championship in the past four years, the Gaels were provided more than enough motivation against the rival Jaspers on Friday night in New Rochelle, completing an undefeated season at home and their first season-sweep of Manhattan in four years, following a 79-75 win at a sold-out Hynes Center.
Beating Manhattan for the second time in two weeks, Iona (24-6, 17-2) has won 11 straight games, and the Gaels snapped the Jaspers’ (15-13, 12-7) three-game win streak.
The local rivals, who have split the past two conference tournament title games — and have had six of their past eight meetings decided by four points or less — could meet again in the conference semifinals or championship game next week in Albany, but Manhattan coach Steve Masiello has no interest in seeing what everyone else wants to see.
“I’d be much happier not playing Iona again and seeing them go out early,” Masiello said. “I’m not into the sizzle factor. I’m into trying to win games. They’re a good team and I don’t like playing them.
“I think Iona does things that no one else in the country does and that’s why they’re so dangerous in a tournament, one game, no preparation.”
Manhattan held its only lead early, 5-4, then made the mistake of challenging college basketball’s version of Usain Bolt to a sprint, running up and down and falling behind, 18-9, with Iona’s Schadrac Casimir and A.J. English combining for 14 of the Gaels’ first 18 points. The Jaspers changed the course of the race, spreading the action sideways to force turnovers with smothering full-court pressure, but the Gaels still led 41-35 at halftime.
While Manhattan was thin up front without Jermaine Lawrence (violation of team rules), Iona was boosted by the return of junior swingman Isaiah Williams, who missed the previous 12 games with a foot injury and finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
“I thought he gave us a lot more than we expected out of him tonight,” Iona coach Tim Cluess said. “He’s nowhere near what he is, but he made big plays.”
Manhattan struggled shooting early in the second half, going the first four minutes without a point to give Iona its biggest lead, 48-35, as English broke out of a recent shooting slump, scoring a game-high 26 points, marking his highest output since Jan. 16.
The Jaspers battled back in typical fashion, slicing multiple double-digit leads, down to as little as four in the final minutes. Emmy Andujar put up 17 points, 10 rebounds five assists and three steals and Ashton Pankey scored 15 of his 20 points in the final 4:14, but the suspense was never too scary for Iona, which kept the lead from ever shrinking to one possession.
One more meeting between the rivals still could come, the only game that would ultimately matter — a championship likely at stake.
“I feel like we’re going to see Iona again and hopefully third time’s the charm,” Pankey said. “I would love to play them again. I think everyone would like to see that matchup again. … If we end up seeing them again, I feel like we’ll be ready, so I’m looking forward to that.”