Wherefore art thou, Jaspers? Manhattan women continue to search for identity after tough loss

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For a team still trying to find its identity, playing without your leader down the stretch can be tough. That was the case last Monday afternoon for the Manhattan Jaspers women’s basketball squad after they dropped a 62-57 decision to the Canisius Griffins. 

With 8:21 left in the game and Manhattan down, 52-42, star point guard Amani Tatum led a fast break that ended with her landing awkwardly on her ankle, sending her to the hardwood.

Tatum had to be helped off the floor and didn’t return. The Jaspers stayed competitive after her exit but were never able to fully get over the hump. 

“Amani is a fierce kid,” said Manhattan head coach Heather Vulin. “She’s our captain, our emotional leader, so that was really tough when she went down. Besides being one of our best offensive players she’s by far the best defensive player in the league. It was a huge loss to not have her out there at the end of the game.” 

Jaspers junior center Kayla Grimme echoed Vulin’s sentiments. 

“It’s really tough to see someone like that [Amani] go down,” said Grimme, who had 16 points and nine boards in the game. “She’s our court leader and runs the pack.” 

Tatum, who was last year’s MAAC defensive player of the year, hasn’t let up on that end of the floor. Through 13 games she has 42 steals. The next best on the team is Gabby Cajou with 16. 

Tatum’s absence in crunch time was glaring, but the inconsistent play of the Jaspers through this homestand is even more jarring. In its Dec. 28 matchup against the New Hampshire Wildcats, Manhattan was held to just 33 percent shooting from the field and 11 percent from 3-point range, and was handed a humbling 69-52 loss. 

The matchup prior to Sunday, however, came against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) foe Siena College, where we saw Manhattan’s potential when locked in. Tatum poured in 20 points and Grimme notched a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds in that win. Senior guard Maeve Parahus also got into the action off the bench, adding 12 points in the contest. 

But Vulin’s message to her team going forward is a simple one. 

“We have to find our identity,” said Vulin. “One thing that everyone talks about is that we play hard. They are always impressed with how hard our team plays. Now I want to see if we can play smart. Can we play with a sense of urgency and purpose? We need to add more to the table than just playing hard.” 

Both Vulin and Grimme alluded to the fact that their team struggles with motion offenses. Behind Canisius’ leading scorer Sarah Hinriksdottir, who tallied 20 points and 7 boards, the Griffins were able to spread the floor and shoot the lights out from beyond the arc at a 53 percent clip. 

Manhattan’s Nyasha Trizarry hit six treys of her own, scoring 18 for the game, and Manhattan was plus six on the board but basketball is a game of runs and each time the Jaspers seemed to be making their way back, Canisius had a response. 

The two teams were lackadaisical with their possessions. Manhattan turned the ball over 17 times, and Canisius had 18. But the Griffins, who were just 2-10 coming into the game, showed the offensive polish that turned out to be the difference maker. 

In the coming days, Manhattan will figure out the seriousness of Tatum’s injury. Her value to the team is just as important as the identity the club is searching for. But perspective is also equally important. 

“We technically have a pretty young team,” said Vulin, who is also in her first year. “We graduated five seniors that played a lot last year. We’re playing a lot better. Now our goal is to be a much better team by March for when the [MAAC] Tournament starts.” 

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