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Owen McWalters, Assistant Sports Editor

With the Manhattan University men’s basketball team coming off an impressive win against their conference rival Mount St. Mary’s, the Jaspers looked to keep their momentum going against another conference rival, the Iona Gaels, on Friday night. The stage was set for an intense game, but the Jaspers made it clear from the start that they were not going to let up.

From the opening whistle, Manhattan took control of the game. Will Sydnor set the tone on the first possession, making a smooth midrange jumper that gave the Jaspers an early lead. The confidence and energy carried through the entire first half, as Manhattan built a commanding 42-24 lead by halftime. The game never felt in doubt after that, as the Jaspers won by a final score of 76-55.

The crowd was electric. Despite the Jaspers leading throughout the game, the 6th Borough came out to show support for their fellow Jaspers. 

Masiah Gilyard had an incredible performance. Gilyard played 25 minutes and was the second leading scorer for the Jaspers. He finished with 15 points while shooting 7/10 from the field. He also ended the game with seven rebounds, one assist, and one steal. 

When asked about what it was like to play in front of a packed house, Gilyard reflected on the atmosphere. 

“Everyone that came helped us tremendously,” Gilyard said. “Playing in that environment is something unreal. Jasper Nation came out tonight and they show that they really support us.” 

Sydnor also had an outstanding performance. He played 30 minutes and was named the player of the game for Manhattan. Not only did he lead both teams in scoring with 23 points, Sydnor set the tone for the Jaspers on the defensive end as well. He finished the game with six rebounds, one assist and one steal. 

When asked about what was working for him offensively, Sydnor commented on his game-time strategies.

“Finishing at the rim, midrange pull-ups, catch and shoots, all of that,”  Sydnor said. “I work on everything all the time, so when we get to the game, it all comes natural.”

Manhattan outperformed Iona in nearly every statistical category. The Jaspers had a higher field goal percentage, a higher free throw percentage, more rebounds, more steals and fewer turnovers. 

When asked about what it was like to see his players rise to the occasion, head coach John Gallagher commented on the team’s performance.

“It was a great crowd,” Gallagher said. “If you look at the Fordham game here, we really showed up. If you look at this game, in these rivalry games, I feel comfortable. My old coaching partner, Mike Martin at Brown, used to have a great line. He used to say, ‘Are you gonna be on purpose or you gonna be off purpose?’ We were on purpose tonight.”

The Jaspers look to extend their winning streak against the Sacred Heart Pioneers on Sunday, Feb. 2.