MAAC Tournament Notebook

ALBANY, N.Y. – Friday gave an opportunity to see six games at the Times Union Center in Albany. The MAAC Tournament was on the bill and in the conference both the women’s and men’s championships are contested at the same site. The women’s quarterfinals were first and following a ninety-minute break the men’s two first round games followed. It ran from 9:30 a.m. through the stroke of midnight. If you are a fanatic you just can’t beat it.

The Women’s Quarterfinal scores:

Iona 59 Siena 43
Fairfield 70 Loyola 56
Marist 57 Canisius 38
Niagara 66 Manhattan 54

The Men’s First Round:

Manhattan 94 Loyola 79
Canisius 72 Marist 54

Notes

• Good officiating friend Joe Barrise was on the first game. Joe & crew enjoyed a nice tempo with the first foul not occurring until 8:05 had elapsed.
• I thought Iona coach Tony Bozzelli had a solid defensive game plan keeping Siena’s inside threat Serena Moore away from the basket or closely attended as much as possible. the saints’ main inside threat. Mission accomplished. Moore scored 14 points but was 3 of 11 from the field. For the Gaels, their outstanding forward Thazina Cook committed 5 of Iona’s 20 turnovers. All was forgiven as Cook in general had an outstanding game leading all with 19 points and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes.
• I never tire watching and admiring the play of Rachelle Fitz of Marist. The MAAC Player of the Year never forces a thing, is the consummate unselfish and fundamentally sound performer. Fitz , a 6-0 senior forward, had a solid 12-point, 8-board effort for the Red Foxes.
• I also never tire of watching the teamwork and defensive expertise of Marist. They are a group who simply does not care who gets the points or headlines. They simply want to win. Defensively they are outstanding, forcing you into poor shots and getting in the passing lanes for deflections that are turned into turnovers. Marist is a joy to watch… unless you are on the opposite sideline. Stephanie Geehan of Fairfield, the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, came up with sixteen rebounds (14 defensive) four blocks and four steals against Loyola. A 6-2 senior center, Geehan showed her prowess is not limited to the defensive end as she led the way with 22 points.
• It was a brief appearance but what a four minutes for Maggie Blair of Manhattan. The 5-10 freshman guard played the last four minutes and scored 10 points, second on the team to Michelle Pacheco’s 11. Blair was 3 of 4 from the field (2 of 2 from three) and hit both of her free throws. She entered the game without a point all season, having played in just five games. Something tells me coach John Olenowski will take a long look at Blair’s prospects next season.
• Niagara’s Kendra Faustin was selected Coach of the Year and it was an excellent choice. She came on board two years ago and has transformed Niagara from dormancy to respectability with a nice future for this program. The Purple Eagles were 9-9 in the conference and had a win over Marist this season. They knocked off fourth seed Manhattan 66-54 thanks to solid defense and a well-distributed attack with four players in double figures.
• Some observers were speculating if this is the year Marist women surrender their MAAC championship supremacy. Not likely, per Canisius coach Terry Zeh. “People are saying Marist might get beat (in the MAAC tournament) but they did go 15-3 (conference) and lost to nationally ranked Oklahoma in overtime,” Zeh noted after his team‘s quarterfinal setback to the Red Foxes. “They are a team whose big stars make plays and unheralded players step up”
• The Manhattan-Loyola game to tip off the men’s tournament was a high-energy, fast-paced, intense battle. Manhattan, which lost twice to the Greyhounds this season, prevailed 94-79. The Jaspers had a 19-point lead before Loyola came storming back in the second half. Loyola got it to a two possession game but never any closer.
• The game was a tale of two halves for the leading scorers. Rico Pickett, a junior guard from Manhattan with range and a quick trigger finger, had 23 points at the half and wound up with 33.  Shane Walker had two at intermission, but the 6-10 sophomore forward led Loyola’s charge the second half in scoring 24 of his team-high 26 points.
• Even with Pickett going for 33 points, Manhattan had good balance with four players in double figures. George Beamon, a 6-4 freshman, came off the bench for the Jaspers to contribute a crucial 13 points, 11 in the second half.
• Manhattan coach Barry Rohrssen said his team came to Albany “planning to play our best basketball. The MAAC tournament is a new season for us.” Rohrssen naturally was pleased, except for the defense, which allowed the Greyhounds to shoot 50 percent from the floor.
• Marist finished their long season at 1-29 with a first-round loss to Canisius. The lone win, ironically, came against Manhattan. The same problems the Red Foxes had all year showed up again. They hung around early and were only down 34-26 at the half, a margin was thanks to a Canisius trey at the buzzer. The second half mistakes of youth and an ineffective inside game spelled doom for coach Chucky Martin’s squad once again.
• The difference between veterans and youth: Marist committed 16 turnovers to Canisius’ 11. Frank Turner, the Griffs’ outstanding senior guard, had one turnover in 37 minutes.
• I spoke with Siena assistant Mitch Buonoguro, who was advance scouting. Buonoguro spoke about life as a 17-1 conference team favored to win here in Albany. “It’s not that easy,” he said. “Everyone is aiming for you and comes at you with your best shot.” Especially in the “survive and advance” setting of post season tournament play.