BLOCK PARTY: Rhamel Brown, in action against Iona on Jan. 6, broke Manhattan’s school record for blocks and leads the team with 12 points a game. (
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Steve Masiello wanted to believe, so he chose to believe.
The Manhattan coach was no different than his kids, optimistically awaiting his best player’s return, unaware senior George Beamon would only play four games then sit on the sideline with an ankle injury, a day-to-day tag stretching over weeks, until last month Beamon was ruled out for the season.
Without their leading scorer, the Jaspers’ offense struggled and the results predictably followed. They lost 11 of 14 games to fall from early-season MAAC favorite to forgotten. Losing Beamon meant losing the focal point of the offense, but Masiello said he didn’t want that to mean losing the rest of his team.
“I didn’t change anything. I didn’t want to put in a whole new offense and then you confuse the guys, make things harder,” Masiello said. “I struggled with it. We didn’t know what was going to happen and then the worst thing in the world happened to us — this is my fault — what I did was I held out hope. He would be one of the nation’s best scorers, but when we realized we weren’t getting George back, we had to change everything. I learned a good lesson as a head coach. I would’ve changed it right away and simplified things.”
After pulling off the biggest turnaround in the nation last season, winning 21 games in Masiello’s first campaign, Manhattan finally has found the magic that made the season seem so promising at its onset.
With the Jaspers’ go-to guy gone, eight different players have led the team in scoring and the Jaspers’ already smothering defense has held teams to 34.9 percent shooting in the past six games, winning four straight and five of six after last night’s 74-73 double overtime win over Iona at Draddy Gymnasium.
The Jaspers held the third-highest scoring team in the country to 58 points in regulation, with Rhamel Brown imposing his will and further establishing himself as the most-feared paint presence on both ends of the floor, putting up 21 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks. The big man from Brooklyn, who recently broke a 35-year school record for blocks, leads the conference with 3.1 blocks and 56.5 percent shooting from the field, while leading the team with 12 points and 7.2 rebounds a game.
“He’s going to be one of the greatest players to ever put on a Manhattan uniform,” Masiello said after the game, won on Emmy Andujar’s offensive putback with 3.8 seconds left.
How Brown stepped up in Beamon’s absence as a leader impresses the coach more than anything Brown has done in the post. It was never more evident to Masiello than how the junior stepped up at the start of the streak, in a timeout against St. Peter’s.
“I didn’t say one word the whole timeout, Rhamel Brown took it over and he ripped the guys … meanwhile, we’re up seven,” Masiello said. “He’s a different person, a different player. He has embraced the leadership role. He doesn’t want any of the limelight, any of the glory. All he cares about is his team.”
Brown was comfortable stepping up in that role, but becoming the focus of scouting reports wasn’t as easy.
“It was a big change for me, a tough adjustment at first,” Brown said. “With teams focusing on me, it has allowed my teammates to perform much better. I think I’ve done a good job filling that role, not being a scorer but an attention-grabber, a facilitator for my teammates.”
Sophomore Donovan Kates said he initially tried too hard to be Beamon, but the guard has eased into the role meant for him, defined by energy. After months of searching, the Jaspers are figuring things out just in time.
“It’s all about when you get hot and we think we’re getting hot at the right time right now,” Kates said.
GAMES OF THE WEEK
* Bryant at Wagner, Today, 4 p.m.
The Northeast Conference regular-season crown is still within reach for the Seahawks. Trailing the Bulldogs by 1 1/2 games, Wagner has won five of its past seven games behind a recent offensive explosion, keyed by Latif Rivers, who is averaging 19.4 points on 52.7 percent shooting.
* Niagara at Manhattan, Tomorrow, 2 p.m.
The Jaspers’ schedule is brutal the rest of the season, but they may face their biggest challenge in the first-place Purple Eagles, who are led by Antoine Mason. Manhattan is in the mix for a first-round bye in the conference tournament. A win here would do wonders.
* Iona at Fairfield, Monday, 7 p.m.
The Gaels snapped a three-game losing streak this week and are still in the race to win their second straight MAAC regular-season title. As the
No. 4 seed, the Stags knocked off top-seeded Iona in last year’s conference tournament, and Fairfield could be a dark horse once again.
howard.kussoy@nypost.com