Already without sophomore center Tarik Watson and senior guard Elijah Lewis for the season, Marist men’s basketball suffered another blow on Friday when redshirt sophomore center Jason Schofield went down with a knee injury. Before Schofield’s injury, Marist head coach John Dunne preached the idea that “everybody” needed to step up.
Without three key players, that is exactly what the Red Foxes did on Sunday.
Marist survived against Sacred Heart to earn a thrilling 65-63 win in front of a raucous home crowd and clinch a first-round bye in next month’s MAAC Tournament. Following his 30-point performance on Friday, sophomore guard Justin Menard poured in 22 more, including a game-winning 3-pointer with 17 seconds remaining.
“I was actually missing that shot all day, I probably missed like four of them,” Menard said. “But I was telling my teammates it felt so good…I work on that shot every day, so I just trusted in my work.”
In addition to Menard’s heroics, freshman forward Myles Parker set career-highs with five made 3-pointers and three assists, while junior guard Jadin Collins-Roberts matched his career-high with 11 rebounds, a testament to Dunne’s message that the entire team needs to contribute in the absence of several key players.
“You can’t feel sorry for yourself,” Dunne said of the team’s injuries. “When you put positive spirit into the game, you get rewarded for it. [If] you drop your head, sometimes good things just won’t happen.”
Menard scored Marist’s first five points by way of a pair from the free throw line and a straightaway triple, but the Red Foxes’ offense went ice cold for nearly five minutes shortly thereafter; following a bucket from graduate student guard Rhyjon Blackwell with 16:18 remaining in the first half, Marist did not score until senior forward Jaden Daughtry converted with 11:24 remaining.
Meanwhile, Sacred Heart went on a 9-0 run that saw them build a 16-7 lead before Daughtry’s score. Sophomore guard Nyle Ralph-Beyer made a wing 3-pointer and senior guard Dashon Gittens fought through multiple Marist defenders to secure an offensive rebound and a couple of free throws as part of the run.
The Red Foxes opened the game 3-for-15 from the field in what appeared to be a glimpse into the offensive struggles that plagued them prior to their victory on Friday against Manhattan. The Pioneers’ lead grew to 10 and forced a Dunne timeout following a 3-pointer by Jaden Slaughter with 10:19 left in the first.
Then, Marist’s offense found its footing.
The Red Foxes went on a 16-1 run to take the lead following the timeout highlighted by 3-pointers from sophomore forward Parby Kabamba, Collins-Roberts and Parker. After Parker’s triple tied the game, Collins-Roberts nailed a pull-up mid-range jumper to go ahead 22-20.
“Winning takes everything, from big things to small things,” said Collins-Roberts, who has established a knack for contributing in under-the-radar ways. “Somebody [has to] do it, so that’s going to be me every time.”
Despite a Sacred Heart 3-point play — which Dunne heavily disputed with the referee — Marist continued to light it up from deep. Kabamba and Parker each made another 3-pointer to go ahead 28-23 before the Pioneers rallied to end the half on a 13-5 run and with a 36-33 lead.
Sacred Heart slowly extended its lead back to 10 over the opening minutes of the second half behind a 3-point play by Gittens and Ralph-Beyer’s third 3-pointer. Once again, Marist clawed back; Parker made his third triple and Menard converted a mid-range jumper to slice the lead to five.
Following another make for Ralph-Beyer, freshman center Jordan Gabriel, forced into more action due to Schofield’s injury, drew a charge on the defensive end before converting a lay-up on the ensuing possession. Then, Parker drilled his fourth 3-pointer from the left wing to bring Marist back within two before Collins-Roberts knotted the game at 49.
“At the end of the day, they recruited me here to make shots,” Parker said. “That’s what I work on at the end of practice, so I’m very confident in my shot.”
Just as seemed to happen repeatedly throughout the game, the Pioneers went back on another run; Hill scored four of six Pioneer points en route on a 6-0 Sacred Heart run and another Dunne timeout.
Once again, the Red Foxes responded.
Parker made his fifth triple to trim the lead to two and, a couple of possessions later, passed up another triple to rifle the ball across the court to an open Menard for a lead-grabbing triple; a 10-0 run saw Marist gain a 59-56 advantage with 3:59 to go.
The Pioneers went back in front on a convincing slam through contact by Hill, but Kabamba responded again with a 3-pointer to take a two-point lead before Ralph-Beyer made his fourth triple with 30.1 seconds remaining to give Sacred Heart a one-point lead.
With the ball and the clock winding down, the Red Foxes turned to their growing offensive leader; Menard rose over his defender with 17 seconds remaining and drilled a clutch triple to go ahead 65-63.
“I trust a lot of guys, but I did want the ball in his hands on that possession,” Dunne said. “The crazy thing is, I was unhappy with him coming out of the timeout…my man is mentally tough and has a short memory.”
With a first-round bye clinched, Marist will wrap up the regular season next Sunday at home against Saint Peter’s. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
Edited by Ben Leeds
Graphic by Quinn DiFiore
Photo by Jaylen Rizzo
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