All it takes to save anything from total disaster is a good ending.
The Manhattan basketball team's Thursday began with its team bus breaking down in rush hour traffic, forcing the Jaspers to pile into roughly a dozen Blue Bird cabs for their trip to face runaway MAAC favorite Iona. The bad vibes continued from there as the Gaels dominated their visitors for the first 32 minutes of the game and led by 17 with just eight to play.
But a furious rally left the Jaspers tied and possessing the ball with just over a second to play. That's when freshman Emmy Andjuar got the ball and this happened...
Not only did the victory poke holes in the notion that Iona would run away with the MAAC title without being challenged, it established Manhattan as a surprising, but legitimate contender in the league race. Under first-year head coach Steve Masiello, the Jaspers (11-7, 4-2) have already won five more games than they did all of last season.