Manhattan Hoops: It's Time for the Jaspers To Run

"I think I'd better run, run, run, run" -- Phoenix

Manhattan basketball fans have waited three years for head coach Barry "Slice" Rohrssen to think like Phoenix.

Year in and year out the Jaspers have a team built to run, yet Rohrssen consistently seems blind to the fact.

A psychologist would probably say Coach Slice has a short memory. Last year, he defeated superior teams like Binghamton and Rider by pushing the ball up the floor, but then had his Jaspers play a half-court offense against far inferior teams. As a result, the Jaspers either lost embarrassingly or narrowly won games that should have been blowouts.

Maybe Rohrssen didn't want to fatigue his center, Herve Banogle. Banogle, a bungling 6'8" rebounder, was the only starter last year who wouldn't have survived an uptempo offense.

Now, Banogle is gone. Laurence "Joli" Jolicoeur will likely fill the void. Whether or not Joli has built up his thin 6'9" frame, he will never be a force down low. He is a shooter and can run.

Joli will most likely be joined in the front court by Andrew Gabriel, a 6'6" power forward. As long as Gabriel does not put the ball on the floor, he will be a viable running big man for the Jaspers. All too often, his head drifts into the clouds and, as a result, he reacts too late to passes from his guards. Non-stop running might be able to hold his attention.

Darryl Crawford, who emerged as a scorer capable of carrying the Jaspers on his back last season, will start at either the two or three. Long, athletic, and quick, Crawford is at his best when he drives. But, he can also pull up from mid-range or deep. He is perfect for a running offense.

After choosing Manhattan over UConn and Florida, junior college transfer Rico Pickett will be the Jaspers' floor general. He flies down the court and, like Crawford, can score both in the lane and from deep. Pickett, who originally signed with Alabama as a freshman, was ranked No. 46 in the Recruiting Class of 2007.

The final starting spot will not be revealed until Nov. 14, when the Jaspers open their season against N.J.I.T. The candidates are seniors Antoine Pearson and Patrick Bouli and freshman George Beamon.

Rohrssen will likely choose against initially starting a freshman when seniors are available, so Beamon will probably start his college career on the bench.

Bouli would be incapable of running an uptempo offense, but he could contribute threes as a shooting guard.

Pearson is the best option of the three. He is lightning quick, has a crossover that makes defenders trip over themselves, and can score both in the lane and from farther out. With Pearson in the lineup, the Jasper bigs will have three strong options on outlet passes.

The Jasper bench will certainly not be the league's deepest, but it can be effective. Beamon and Bouli will spell the guards when they tire. Bouli will primarily offer defense while Beamon, a prolific high school scorer, will provide offense.

Brandon Adams will supply energy and hustle. He won't contribute much offensively, but he'll rebound and get to the line.

Kevin Laue, who has drawn lots of publicity after becoming the first one-handed Division I basketball player, will play solid defense and score on fast breaks.

After UCLA withdrew its scholarship offer, Mohamed Koita landed at Manhattan. The NCAA has not yet cleared Koita, an athletic guard, but the Jaspers will benefit immensely if Koita can play.

MAAC coaches, who picked Manhattan to finish eighth, have low expectations for Rohrssen and the Jaspers this year. However, the lack of expectations should only reduce pressure and motivate the team more.

If the Jaspers push the ball up the floor, they will exceed expectations and make MAAC coaches wish they could retract their votes.

If Rohrssen chooses against an uptempo offense, he'll be the one running.

Running out of Riverdale, away from a livid Manhattan fan base.