New York, NY (December 28, 2003)- Manhattan recovered from double-digit deficits in both halves and did not take the lead until senior
Dave Holmes made both ends of a one-and-one with 2:31 to play, and the Jaspers held on for the 56-54 win over Holy Cross in the first round of the Dreyfus Holiday Festival. Manhattan advances to the Championship Game for the third straight year.
The Jaspers (5-2) came out cold in the first half, as the Crusaders used a 26-14 run to make the score 31-18 with 4:39 left in the first half. But Manhattan responded, scoring the final eight points of the first half and holding the Crusaders scoreless to climb within five, 31-26, at the break. The Jaspers shot just 29.2% from the floor (7-24), and were 0-4 from beyond the arc, but kept the game within reach with 12-17 free throws.
Manhattan carried the momentum in the early stages of the second half, scoring the first five point on a
Luis Flores three pointer and two
Jason Wingate free throws to tie the score at 31-31 with 19:08 to play. However, Holy Cross (4-5) responded once again, going on a 17-6 run over the next 9:22 to regain a double-digit lead, 48-37, with 9:46 left in the game. During that run, Flores picked up his third and fourth fouls and had to sit for the next three-plus minutes.
With the lead at 10, 50-40, with 9:18 play, senior
Dave Holmes took over the game, scoring 11 Manhattan's next 13 points, ending with a stretch of five straight points, a three-point play and a one-and-one to give the Jaspers their first lead of the game, 53-52, with 2:31 remaining. After a Nate Lufkin tip-in gave Holy Cross the lead back with 55.6 seconds remaining, Manhattan worked the ball for a good shot, and with 24.1 seconds remaining, Flores buried a jumper in the lane to give the Jaspers back the lead.
Mike Konovelchick rebounded and was fouled after a Crusader miss with 3.5 second remaining, and, after missing the second free throw, Holy Cross' full court heave fell short.
Holmes finished with a game-high 19 points and added eight rebounds, as he became just the 28th Jasper to reach the 1,000 point mark in his career.
Jason Wingate added 11 points and
Jason Benton chipped in with six points, a career-high four assists, and a game-high 10 rebounds. Flores scored nine, ending his stretch of consecutive games scoring in double-figures at 39, which was the second longest active streak in the nation. John Hurley (12 points), Greg Kinsey (11 points), and Jave Meade (10 points) led Holy Cross
The Jaspers will take on the Penn Quakers at approximately 9:00 p.m. on Monday, December 29, as Manhattan looks to become only the second team to win three straight Holiday Festival Championships.
