2011 Manhattan Cup Championship - Canisius 57, St. Joe's 53
When Canisius headed into the locker room down 14 points to the Marauders at halftime of the Manhattan Cup Championship on Wednesday night, the team's body language said it all. They didn't look like a team that was shell shocked, frustrated, or in any way defeated. Instead the Crusaders jogged to the locker room with the look of a team that believed in each other and believed that they could come roaring back and win the Cup. And that's exactly what they did.
Led by a 13 point, 22 rebound performance by tournament MVP Gordon Lyons, the Crusaders stole the momentum from their rivals in the second half with an outstanding display of heart, determination, and team basketball. The Crusaders trailed by as many as 17 points in the game, but never put their heads down, and seemed to try even harder as the deficit grew.
Early in the third quarter with St. Joe's leading 37-23, Aaron Nevins got the Canisius run started. After scoring a basket, Nevins drew a charge on Marauder leader Connor Rehbaum, which got the Crusader bench up on their feet. A score from Lyons followed the charge, and after a defensive stop, junior Matt Hart began to heat up. Hart would score the next nine points for Canisius, including a 3-pointer so deep, it was announced "from the parking lot". Having cut the lead all the way down to six points, sophomore guard Aaron White buried a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter. With just eight minutes left in the Monsignor Martin high school basketball season, the sold out Koessler Center was rocking.
Rehbaum opened the scoring in the fourth for St. Joe's, before Richard Walsh sank a trey to bring the Crusaders within two points. The Marauders were able to extend the lead back up to six, when White struck again from downtown to make it 48-45 with 4:50 remaining. A shot from Walsh and a free throw from White pulled Canisius within one point. Then with just 2:28 remaining in the game, White zipped a beautiful pass inside to Lyons, who gave the Crusaders the lead, their first all game.
In the final two minutes, Canisius made three plays that were critical to sealing the win. First, there was Nevins with a highlight reel block of a layup attempt from Steve Moser to prevent St. Joe's from reclaiming the lead. Next was Walsh grabbing an offensive rebound with just 34 seconds remaining, and Canisius up by one. Finally, there was Adam Weir, who rebounded a free throw miss and got the ball to Nevins who connected on a pair from the stripe with 14 seconds left, to put the decisive distance between the teams.
Hart scored a game-high 14 points for the Crusaders, while Rehbaum's career ended with a team-leading 12 point effort. Canisius will play St. Mary's of Long Island in the CHSAA state semifinal, Saturday at noon, in the Koessler Center.
It was a tough way for St. Joe's to end its season. After nearly running the table in league play, the Marauders lose at home to Canisius, forcing them to share the MMAA title. Then an emotional senior night ends with a huge victory over Niagara Falls. Riding high on the momentum of the regular season finale, St. Joe's handles Timon-St. Jude without Reggie Agbeko and then come flying out of the gate in the title game. But Agbeko's injury limits his production, Rehbaum has to play with a busted nose for three quarters, and the Marauders hopes of finishing on top are dashed as Canisius pulls together for an incredible finish.
All season long in the Monsignor Martin, there's been Canisius & St. Joe's and then everyone else. A fitting end with the two meeting one last time, along with a well earned and most deserving championship for Canisius.
-centercourt
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