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Manhattan (3-1)
#314 in KenPom
#314 in KenPom
This year’s stat highlights:
- #1 in KenPom’s Luck rating (which means their results most exceed expectations)
- 267th w/ a 45.8 2P% and 310th w/ a 26.3 3P%
- 274th in 3PA/FGA (32.2%), which is by far the lowest in Gallagher’s career. Usually his Hartford teams shot a ton of threes
- 280th in offensive rebounding
- 290th in turnovers caused
- 29th in opp. Avg. possession length (15.6 seconds)
- 51st in FT rate prevention
- 123rd in non steal/block TO causing rate
- 135th in steal rate
- 157th in defensive rebounding rates
- 340th! in A/FGM rate (62.7%!)
Season so far:
- 61-59 W over Bryant (#214 KP)
- 61-99 L to Kansas (heard they’re good)
- 79-67 W over Felician (D2)
- 67-63 W over CCSU (#321 KP)
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP:
Low-usage, two-way point guard - Jaden Winston 6’0 160 freshman
- 4.5p, 57.1 2P%, 1.8 3PA but no 3PM, about ½ FGAs from 3, 3.5 FTAs, 2.3a, 2.0 TO, 1.5s
Two-way, interior playmaker - Brett Rumpel 6’4 180 sophomore (St. Bonaventure transfer)
- 12.3p, 6.0r, 2.8a, 3.0 TO, 39.5 2P%, 0.8 3PA, 5.0 FTA, 80 FT%
Floor spacer - Perry Cowan 6’4 205 grad transfer from Brown
- 7.0p, 1.8 3PM, 36.8 3P%, 70% FGAs from 3, 2.5r, 1.5s
Physical power forward- Seydou Traore 6’7 215 freshman
- 15.5p, 10.5r, 2.0s, 1.0b, 68.4 2P%, 2.0 3PA, 12.5 3P%, 1.0 fouls
Classic back-to-basket big - Daniel Rouzan 6’8 235 sophomore (Weber State transfer)
- 9.3p, 4.0r, 46.9 3P%, 0 3PA, 0.3b
OFF-THE-BENCH PIECE THAT PLAYS ~STARTER’S MINUTES
Microwave off-the-bench shooter - Shaquil Bender 6’2 185 junior (JUCO transfer; Fullerton College)
- 9.3p, 1.8 3PM, 38.9 3P%, about ½ FGAs from 3, 1.8a, 1.3s
FUTURE STARTER THAT HAS SLOWLY WORKED BACK FROM INJURY
Three-level scoring, playmaking veteran guard - Briggs McClain 6’4 175 senior (Hartford transfer)
- 14.4p, 1.8a, 35.1 3PM, 83 FT% last season, just 6 mpg this year
BENCH DEPTH: 6-11 mpg
Talented, young big that is still getting used to D1 pace - Xinyi Li 6’9 235 freshman
- 2.3p, 1.8 3PA, 14.3 3P%, 2.5r
Floor Spacer - Rokas Jocys 6’5 200 freshman
- 4.3p, 1.3 3PM, almost all FGAs from 3, 1.3a
All-around solid low usage veteran forward - Logan Padgett 6’6 210 fifth-year returnee
- 6 mpg this year, 21.5 mpg last year, about ½ FGAs from 3, 0.9 off. Rebounds per game
WAIVER PENDING
- DeJuan Clayton 6’2 190 eighth-year grad transfer from Cal (9.2p, 2.9a, 37.7 3P%)
Picked last in the MAAC preseason rankings and with no preseason All-MAAC selections across their roster, Manhattan was certainly not expected to enter Friday’s game with a 3-1 record, especially considering that their projected top scorer, Briggs McClain has been slowly working his way back from injury and eighth-year transfer DeJuan Clayton has yet to receive a waiver to play.
What has happened, however, is new head coach John Gallagher, formerly the Hartford Hawks’ head coach for a dozen years, whose tenure was highlighted with a 2021 America East championship, has played the cards he’s got and has fully adjusted from what is typically expected of Gallagher coached teams.
Regularly ranking within the top-50 of three-point attempt to field-goal attempt ratio, Gallagher has fully adjusted his offensive philosophy to fit the guys he’s got: they don’t shoot a ton of threes (but will more once Briggs McClain is 100%) and play a north/south style that predicates on getting the ball into the paint.
Manhattan’s current roster has been the project of a blitzkrieg offseason, adding fourteen new players and returning just two Jaspers from the previous year.
Aside from floor-spacing Brown grad transfer Perry Cowan, the Jaspers’ starting lineup is entirely constructed of underclassmen. “We’re 3-1 because our freshmen are playing like juniors,” Gallagher says, “everyone is eager to keep learning.”
Clearly, the most impressive freshman of the bunch is Seydou Traore, a NYC-bred power forward who played high school ball at Our Savior Lutheran. At 6’7 215, he’s got a fearless motor and a frame that has overpowered opponents. Unfazed against Kansas, Traore scored 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting while grabbing 8 rebounds. Praised for his coachability and willingness to learn, when all is said and done, expect Traore to get All-MAAC honors as soon as this year.
In place of Briggs McClain, freshman Jaden Winston has earned a spot in the starting lineup after finishing up his high school career at DeMatha Catholic. The young guard has yet to hit a three-pointer and commits too many turnovers, but he is fearless and looks to penetrate for scoring and facilitating chances.
St. Bonaventure transfer Brett Rumpel is another young guard who has stepped up in place of McClain. Known for his creativity and aggressiveness inside the arc, Gallagher has praised Rumpel’s defense as the sophomore neutralized the effectiveness of each high-usage guard Manhattan has faced.
Weber State transfer Daniel Rouzan is a 6’8 235 sophomore who plays a classic, back-to-the-basket game, highlighted by his physicality generating offensive boards. Both Rouzan and Traore apiece average 1.8 offensive boards per game. Rouzan is backed up by 6’9 235 Chinese freshman Xinyi Li, a raw, but talented big who is still learning the game. Unlike Rouzan, Li is much more comfortable working on the perimeter.
Manhattan’s most productive bench weapon has been junior college transfer Shaquil Bender. The 6’2 185 Philly guard shot 47% from three in JUCO and has been a productive shooter and hounding defender so far for Manhattan.
Lithuanian freshman guard Rokas Jocys is another bench spacer with decent size, at 6’5, and Gallagher praised his passing ability. He’s another freshman who has gotten better every practice.
The X-Factor on Friday is Briggs McClain. The senior guard was Hartford’s leading scorer. He can shoot and is most known as a lethal cutter who can uncannily find open space amongst the weak points on defense. Still recovering from an offseason injury, expect McClain to play around 15 minutes on Friday, but he’ll eventually start and star for the Jaspers.
In order for the Jaspers to keep the game competitive, they are going to have to force Clingan to defend on the perimeter, so expect Gallagher to toy with smaller lineups, similar to the lineups that helped FDU beat Purdue: four guards and one big, or even lineups with possibly Traore at the 5, to allow five out settings to maximize space for Manhattan’s cutters. Lineups with Li instead of Rouzan will hinder their defense, but his willingness to shoot will maximize spacing.
When building Manhattan’s non-conference schedule, Gallagher was clear in his vision of scheduling both Kansas and UConn: “if you come [to Manhattan], you came here to play in games in March against teams like this,” says Gallagher.
Maybe this won’t be the season Manhattan makes the tournament, but playing in the Phog, and next the XL Center, Gallagher wanted his young roster to feel what it’s like to play with champions, with the hopes of mentally conditioning the Jaspers to be prepared and primed for the spotlight in March.
