Photo of Daniel Rouzan (left) and Rokas Jocys (right).
EMMANOUEL SOFFILAS/THE QUADRANGLE
By Emmanouel Sofillas, Staff Writer
Manhattan College’s men’s basketball team claimed their first victory in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) game of the season, defeating the Mount Saint Mary’s Mountaineers in an extremely close game.
From the tip-off, it was clear that this game was destined to be a fierce competition. The first half saw the Jaspers dominating the Mountaineers with a 14-point lead, with the halftime score standing at 43-29, leaving fans eager to see how the second half would unfold.
As both teams returned to the court, the momentum that the Jaspers had built in the first half began to go down. Just five minutes into the second half, the game’s dynamics shifted, with the score tightening as both teams fought for the lead.
The scoreboard saw oscillations as each side fought for dominance. However, at the end of the half, the scoreboard remained deadlocked, and regulation time concluded with a tie of 69-69 forcing the game into overtime.
The score remained close, however, as the clock went down with five seconds left, the score was 74-72, with the Mountaineers in the lead. The Jaspers had possession of the ball and the seconds dwindled in overtime.
In a heart-stopping moment, Rokas Jocys found himself with the ball in the corner and launched the game-winning 3-pointer shot that sealed a victory for the Jaspers. The crowd erupted in euphoria as players and fans alike celebrated the crazy finish.
Jaspers forward Daniel Rouzan delivered a phenomenal performance, showcasing excellent skill with the most points on the team with 18 points and coming in strong in overtime. Averaging 10.3 points per game since the start of the season.
“I feel like I played solid,” Rouzan said. “I made the right rebounds, and when I went to attack when I needed to, the coach told me they were going to look for me and had to make sure I made the right play. I’m looking for my teammates and if not, I have to go to work.”
Jasper head coach John Gallagher maintained a high level of energy throughout the game, with his coaching resonating throughout the entire gym. As he coached the team into overtime, he shared the mindset the team embraced heading into the extra minutes.
“The team that’s the most excited wins over time,” Gallagher said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time so I tried to get them excited, I thought they were. I really credit the players because they could have folded and they could have been not so excited especially
down to what I call timeout.”
Jocys shared what was going on through his head when he drilled the game-winning shot with five seconds on the clock.
“That was all coach, he put his trust in me and I just did my job,” Jocys said.
As the Japers celebrate their well-earned victory, the team and its fans eagerly anticipate the challenges and successes that the remainder of the NCAA season will bring, with an upcoming game with Marist.