Army West Point Athletics
Army West Point
3-3,0-0Patriot
Manhattan
3-2,0-0MAAC
Men's Basketball Falls to Manhattan in a Heartbreaker
November 22, 2024 | Men's Basketball
Army led for most of the game, but a last-second basket sealed the victory for the home team. The Black Knights showcased an efficient offensive performance, shooting 49.2% from the field, including an impressive 52.6% from beyond the arc.
Jalen Rucker paced Army with 20 points, connecting on four three-pointers and adding key assists. AJ Allenspach provided a dominant presence inside, recording a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds, including crucial putbacks that kept Army in the lead during critical stretches. Josh Scovens added 15 points, five assists, and led defensively with four blocks.
How It HappenedArmy came out aggressive in the opening moments, with AJ Allenspach securing the tip and setting the tone by finishing a layup off a Jalen Rucker assist to tie the score at 2-2. Rucker followed up by attacking the paint and setting up Scovens for another layup, giving Army an early 4-2 lead. Manhattan responded and traded the lead with Army until the score was tied at 8-8. Army scored four unanswered points off Rucker's free throws and an Allenspach layup to take the lead.
Midway through the half, Scovens drained a three-pointer from the top of the key, capping a short run and giving Army a 15-10 advantage. Manhattan chipped away at the lead, but timely rebounding from Allenspach and defensive stops kept Army in control. In the closing minutes, Rucker nailed a three-pointer in transition to make it 38-36. However, Manhattan converted a three-pointer just before halftime, sending Army into the locker room down 39-38.
The Black Knights started the second half with renewed energy. Allenspach reclaimed the lead for Army with a quick putback, making it 40-39. The Jaspers responded and kept themselves within reach. Moments later, Rucker found his rhythm from deep, hitting consecutive three-pointers to push the Black Knights ahead 46-44 with 17:14 remaining.
Army continued to execute well offensively. Scovens attacked the paint, drawing a foul and hitting both free throws to extend the lead to 48-44. The Jaspers responded with a three-pointer to pull within one, but a few possessions later, Ryan Curry connected on a three-pointer, Jorn Everson made a layup, and Scovens followed with a dunk to push Army's lead to 55-49 with 13:39 left on the clock.
At the midway point of the half, Jacen Holloway delivered five points on back-to-back possessions, and Allenspach converted a layup on the following play, giving Army its largest lead of the game at 71-62 with 6:30 to play. However, Manhattan refused to back down, capitalizing on Army turnovers and missed free throws to mount a late comeback. The hosts went on an 8-0 run to trim the lead to 71-69 with five minutes remaining.
Army responded and held firm to their lead until the final minute. With a 78-76 advantage, a costly turnover allowed Manhattan to cut the deficit to one with 20 seconds left. After a timeout, a travel call on Curry with 14 seconds remaining gave Manhattan the ball. The Jaspers missed their shot, but a bad inbound pass from Army resulted in another turnover. Manhattan capitalized, executing a turnaround jumper in transition with 0.3 seconds remaining to secure the 80-79 victory.
Next UpArmy will take on Maritime back at home on Tuesday, November 26, at 7:00 PM.
%20(1).png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
