Bronx Insider: NIDC Brings the Polar Express to Bronx!

 

For Immediate Release:

January 19, 2023

Recently, the newly opened event space, Morris Park Performing Arts Center at Jacobi (Jacobi Hospital’s Bldg. 4 auditorium) hosted an amazing event for its community and partners.

NIDC excitedly co-sponsored a viewing of the Polar Express with Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez in partnership with the Morris Park Community Association.

Conductors invited our families aboard the Polar Express experience with a hot cup of chocolate, their preferred toppings and cookies provided by NIDC's very own elves and chefs.  

The event took place on Saturday, December 17, 2022.

NIDC thanks Santa for carving time from his busy schedule, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez and the Morris Park Association for their partnership. Keep an eye on our website (www.nidcny.org) for more NIDC events.

“It was great to gather as a community during the holiday season to enjoy the movie and warmed hot cocoa. It was the first time in a long time that the season felt so festive.  We were so happy to see families enjoy themselves.  We even had a great turnout with elected officials.  It makes me look forward to the other NIDC events to come in 2023!" - Toni Faiella-Salas, Director for Elementary Programs at NIDC.

NIDC’s mission is to prepare youth for a successful future and help build thriving communities. Their youth development services include after school programs for students in grades K - 12, summer camp, nightly teen center, and support for Out-of-School Youth. They also support the community through benefits access support, financial literacy programming, landlord/tenant mediation, eviction prevention, vaccine education, mental health awareness, support community groups, and other community development activities and resources..

For additional information and for upcoming events please contact: Amy Shebar, Associate Executive Director, via hello@nidcny.org. Upcoming community events can be found at http://nidcny.org/  

Bronx Insider: Sports Desk: Manhattan Men's Basketball Earns Comeback Win in OT at Canisius.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jaspers Earn Comeback Win in OT at Canisius.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Manhattan forced overtime after trailing by eight with less than seven minutes to go and held Canisius to three points in the extra period to collect an 81-74 road win on Sunday.

The Jaspers split the season series with the Golden Griffins with the win and stopped a three-game losing streak.

“It was a great team road win,” said interim head coach RaShawn Stores. “We were able to overcome some adversity and recent tough losses. Our togetherness was a big reason we won today.”

Ant Nelson had a game-high 22 points. Nelson surpassed 1,000 career points over his time at Manhattan and Seton Hall.  

Xzavier Long put Canisius up eight with 6:49 to play after converting an old-fashioned three-point play. Manhattan (7-13, 5-6 MAAC) then outscored Canisius (5-15, 3-8) 15-7 to tie the game at 71 and force overtime. Nick Brennen had five points in the run, including a three-point play with 43 seconds left that tied the score at 71.

The Jaspers’ defense limited the Golden Griffins to 2-7 shooting over the final 6:49. Both makes were 3-pointers. Jordan Henderson hit the second of the two, which gave the home side a 71-68 lead with 68 seconds to play.

In the overtime period, Manhattan scored the first seven points to build a 78-71 advantage. Nelson had five of the seven. Brennen sealed the game with an off-balance, beat-the-shot-clock 3-pointer with 30 seconds to play.

The Jaspers went 4-6 from the field in overtime compared to Golden Griffins’ 1-9 shooting.

Nelson’s 22 came on 8-19 shooting, including 5-6 from the charity stripe. Josh Roberts, Samir Stewart, and Nick Brennen had 16 points each. Roberts added seven rebounds, and Nelson and Stewart added five assists each.

Jordan Henderson tallied 22 points to lead Canisius. Long finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

The Jaspers return to action on Friday at home against Siena for a 7 p.m. tip inside Draddy Gymnasium.

For the latest on the Manhattan College men's basketball program, follow the Jaspers on Twitter
@JaspersMBB and Instagram @Jaspers.MBB. 

Bronx Insider: Sports Desk: Manhattan Men's Basketball Edged by Niagara.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jaspers Edged by Niagara on the Road.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Manhattan started its weekend in Western New York with a 68-62 loss at Niagara on Friday night. The Jaspers had a chance to tie the game inside the final minute.

The Jaspers used a 7-0 spurt over 2:25 to get within one, 63-62, with 47 seconds left. At the end of the run, Nick Brennen went to the free throw line with a chance to tie the game but hit 1-of-2 free throws. Josh Roberts started the run with a layup with 2:56 remaining.

After a Purple Eagle timeout, Lance Erving gave the home side a four-point lead after connecting on a 3-pointer with 18 seconds to play. Erving’s triple was the only field goal hit by the Purple Eagles over the final three minutes.

Manhattan (6-13, 4-6 MAAC) chipped away at a 12-point halftime deficit. The Jaspers started the second half 7-11 from the field and tied the game with 8:49 to play after an Ant Nelson layup. Roberts then got the Jaspers within one, 41-40. After four straight Niagara (11-9, 5-5) points, Raziel Hayun brought the Jaspers back to within two after hitting a 3-pointer.

After Roberts tied the score at 47, the Purple Eagles scored 13 of the next 18 points to build a 60-52 lead with 4:44 left.

Nelson finished with 16 points to lead the Jaspers. The guard added seven assists. Roberts had 14 on 7-12 shooting for Manhattan.

Noah Thomasson, the leading scorer in the MAAC, finished with a game-high 19 points. Joe Kasperzyk added 10 points.

Manhattan returns to court on Sunday at Canisius. The tip is scheduled for 1 p.m. on ESPN3 between the Golden Griffins and Jaspers.

For the latest on the Manhattan College men's basketball program, follow the Jaspers on Twitter
@JaspersMBB and Instagram @Jaspers.MBB.

Bronx Insider: Sports Desk: Manhattan Edged by Rider Sunday Afternoon.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jaspers Edged by Broncs on Sunday Afternoon.

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – Manhattan had a pair of chances to take the lead inside the final 90 seconds but came up empty on both opportunities in a 67-65 loss at Rider on Sunday afternoon.

“We didn’t defend at a high enough level today to win,” said interim head coach RaShawn Stores. “We can’t allow a team to shoot 48-percent and outrebound us by 15 and expect to win on the road in this league. We have to be committed to defending at a high level and gang rebound for 40 minutes. We will be better at that.”

After Dwight Murray Jr. gave Rider (9-9, 6-3 MAAC) a 66-65 lead with 72 seconds to play, Samir Stewart got free down the lane with 55 seconds to play but could not convert the layup.

The Manhattan (6-12, 4-5) defense forced a shot-clock violation on the next Broncs’ possession to get another opportunity to tie or take the lead. It was Stewart who got the open look, a 3-pointer from the far wing, but it was off the mark too.

Nehemiah Benson made one-of-two free throws after the Jaspers fouled him with two seconds left to make it 67-65. Manhattan went the length of the court but could not get a shot up on its final possession.

Ant Nelson gave the Jaspers a 65-64 lead when he hit all three free throws after getting fouled on a 3-point attempt. After a Rider possession, Murray’s go-ahead layup came after he picked off a Jasper pass.

The second half saw 11 lead changes and nine ties. Neither team led by more than five, and both teams led for at least six minutes of clock time. For the game, there were 17 lead changes, and Manhattan enjoyed the largest, six, early in the first half.

Josh Roberts led all scorers with 18 points on 7-7 shooting. Stewart and Marques Watson finished with 12 points for the Jaspers. Nelson tallied a career-high 11 assists and added nine points and four rebounds.

Mervin James led the Broncs’ offense with 16 points. Murray Jr. finished with eight points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Only Quinnipiac has shot better than Rider’s 48-percent against the Jaspers in league play this season.

Manhattan hits the road this week for both games. The Jaspers visit Western New York to face Niagara on Friday and Canisius on Sunday.

For the latest on the Manhattan College men's basketball program, follow the Jaspers on Twitter @JaspersMBB and Instagram @Jaspers.MBB.

 

Bronx Insider: Sports Desk: Manhattan Men's Basketball Falls in OT against Iona.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jaspers Battle Back Against Iona Before Falling in OT.

RIVERDALE – In front of a sold-out Draddy Gymnasium, Manhattan rallied to force overtime before falling to Iona, 84-76, on Friday night.

 
The Jaspers battled back from 15 down in the second half to force overtime in front of a raucous crowd.  

“Great atmosphere tonight. I want to thank the 6th Borough, the administration, and everyone for coming out. The alumni and student sections were awesome,” said interim head coach RaShawn Stores. “I am so proud of this team and to see the support tonight; that is what it is all about.”

  
The first half of the game favored Iona (13-6, 6-2 MAAC). The Gaels led by as many as 11 over the opening 20 minutes. In the second half, the Jaspers were able to match what the Gales were scoring to keep their lead from growing and chip away at the lead. The basket that changed the course of the second half was a 3-pointer by Nick Brennen, assisted by Samir Stewart. The triple from Brennen made it 49-39.  

After a pair of Iona free throws, James Jewell bookended a 9-0 run spanning three minutes. Jewell’s layup at the end of the run made it a three-point game, 51-48. Josh Roberts brought the crowd to a fever pitch with a dunk during the stretch.

 
Over the last three minutes, the Jaspers (6-11, 4-4) and the Gales went toe to toe. Stewart followed a Marques Watson layup with a deep 3-pointer to bring the Jaspers to within two, 63-61, with 3:03 left. Stewart made it a personal 5-0 run with two free throws to level the game at 63.

 
Iona took the lead twice inside the final 100 seconds, and each time the Jaspers responded. Roberts put home a layup to knot it at 65 with 61 seconds left. After an Osborn Shema triple, Stewart got a pass from Brennen and forced overtime when he connected from deep with 20 seconds remaining.

 
In overtime, Watson gave Manhattan its first lead since it was 3-2 on a layup on the first possession. Iona responded with a 13-2 over 3:45 to build separation. The Gaels’ lead grew to as many as nine.

 
The top scorers of the game tonight included Stewart with 18 points, nine of those coming from 3-pointers. Behind Stewart was Brennen with 12 points on three 3-pointers. Three other Jaspers were in double figures; James Jewell, Ant Nelson, and Marques Watson each had 10. Nelson added seven rebounds and seven assists. Defensively, Roberts led the team with a game-high 14 rebounds. In addition to his defensive contributions, Roberts amassed 9 points, one point away from back-to-back double-doubles.

Iona also had five players score in double figures. Walter Clayton Jr. led the way with a game-high 21 points and added six assists.

 
The Jaspers play again this Sunday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m. in Lawrenceville, N.J., against Rider on ESPN+.

 
For the latest on the Manhattan College men's basketball program, follow the Jaspers on Twitter @JaspersMBB and Instagram @Jaspers.MBB.

Bronx Insider: Sports Desk: Manhattan Men's Basketball Earns Comeback Win at Mount St. Mary's.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jaspers Earn Comeback Win at Mount St. Mary's.

EMMITSBURG, Md. – Manhattan trailed by eight with 8:44 left before outscoring Mount St. Mary’s 22-9 over the remainder of the game to pick up a 62-57 road win on Friday night.

Manhattan (6-10, 4-3 MAAC) held Mount St. Mary’s (6-11, 2-4) to one field goal, a 3-pointer with five seconds left, over the final 7:41, and only four field goals over the last 10 minutes.  

“We stayed together,” said interim head coach RaShawn Stores tonight on what he saw from his team in the second half. “I am so proud of this group for believing in one another. That is all you can ask for.”

Josh Roberts gave the Jaspers the lead for good with 92 seconds left on an offensive rebound put-back after Ant Nelson missed a driving layup down the right side of the lane.

Marques Watson started a 10-3 run with an up-and-under layup to tie the game at 54 with 2:22 to play. Roberts’ put-back followed before Nelson scored the final six points for Manhattan.

Logan Padgett scored 12 of his 14 points after halftime. Padgett scored the first four of the second half for the Jaspers. Padgett then tied the game at 52 with a corner 3-pointer from in front of the Jasper bench.

Nelson finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals. The fifth-year guard has reached 20 points in five of his last seven games. Roberts tallied his second double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds. The Alabama native added two steals and two blocks. Padgett’s 14 points were a new career-high for the forward.

Stores added, “Ant and Josh are continuing to lead us. They have played big games, know what it is about, and are an inspiration to their teammates. We kept believing in Logan and told him to keep his head up after a slow start.”

“We had to get gritty. That was my message to the guys,” said Nelson after the comeback win. “I was able to pick apart the defense tonight and find my teammates, but I have to do a better job of taking care of the ball.”

Mount St. Mary’s was led by George Tinsley with 18 points. The Mountaineers were held to 30-percent shooting in the second by the Jasper defense. The Jaspers forced 17 turnovers and converted those into 21 points.

The Jaspers return to action on Friday, Jan. 20, when Iona visits Draddy Gymnasium. The Jaspers and Gaels are scheduled to tip at 7 p.m.

For the latest on the Manhattan College men's basketball program, follow the Jaspers on Twitter @JaspersMBB and Instagram @Jaspers.MBB.

Bronx Insider: Sports Desk: Manhattan Men's Basketball Collects Home Win Over Niagara.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jaspers Collect Home Win vs Niagara Sunday.

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Manhattan split its weekend at home with a 64-59 win over Niagara on Sunday afternoon.

Ant Nelson had a game-high 24 points to lead Manhattan (5-10, 3-3 MAAC). The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Jaspers.

After the game, interim head coach RaShawn Stores said, “This group has been through a lot this year. Today they showed their toughness and a next-man-up mentality. We believe in each other, no matter who is on the court.”

Despite only hitting one 3-point on the day, the Jaspers shot 50-percent from the floor and limited the Purple Eagles to 37-percent. To make up for only hitting the one triple, the Jaspers hit 23 free throws. The Jaspers attempted 30 free throws compared to Niagara’s (9-6, 4-2) 17.

In the second half, the Jaspers lived in the paint. Ten of the Jaspers’ 11 made field goals in the second half came from there. The lone shot from outside the lane was a 3-pointer from Raziel Hayun with 8:51 to play in the game.

Ant Nelson said, “It was time to put our hard hats on.”

Nelson scored 12 of his second-half 15 from inside the lane. The other three came from the free-throw line.

In a game that saw neither team lead by more than six, the Jaspers tried to create some separation with an 8-0 run over 3:17 of the second half to build a 49-43 lead. Niagara responded with six in a row to level the score once again.

Noah Thomasson went to the line and made a pair of free throws with 3:29 remaining to give the Purple Eagles a 57-56 lead. From then on, the Jaspers outscored the Purple Eagles 8-2 to collect the win. Over that span, Manhattan limited Niagara to 1-5 shooting and did not send them to the free throw line.

Thomasson, the leading scorer in the MAAC, finished with 23 points for Niagara.

Nick Brennen tallied 13 points, including nine free throws. Josh Roberts recorded 11 points, seven rebounds, and season-best four rejections. Nelson added five rebounds, four assists, and two steals to his 24 points.

Nelson added, “We are trying to get a consistent effort from the whole team going forward.”

Next for the Jaspers is a trip to Emmitsburg, Md., to face Mount St. Mary’s on Friday at 7 p.m.

For the latest on the Manhattan College men's basketball program, follow the Jaspers on Twitter @JaspersMBB and Instagram @Jaspers.MBB.

Bronx Insider: Sports Desk: Manhattan Men's Basketball's Comeback Attempt Falls Short Against Canisius.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jaspers' Comeback Attempt Falls Short Against Canisius.

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Manhattan’s comeback attempt came up short in a 64-57 loss to Canisius on Friday night.

Manhattan (4-10, 2-3 MAAC) trailed by as many as 12 in the first half before coming back to take the lead multiple times in the second half. Canisius (3-11, 1-4) then outscored Manhattan 14-6 over the final four minutes to pick up the win.

The Jaspers trimmed a 12-point halftime deficit to one with a 17-6 stretch over the opening 5:40 of the second half. Ant Nelson and Josh Roberts supplied five apiece in the stretch that saw Manhattan draw within one, 38-37, with 14:20 to play.

Back-to-back buckets from Roberts and Samir Stewart gave Manhattan a 43-42 lead just past halfway. It was the Jaspers’ first lead since 15-14. Manhattan would retake the lead after Raziel Hayun made three free throws, and Nick Brennen hit a 3-pointer to make it 49-46 with 7:22 to play.

After Brennen’s triple, Canisius went on a 14-4 run to create separation. Jamir Moultrie scored seven in the decisive stretch. Stewart hit a 3-pointer to cut it 60-56 Canisius with 67 seconds to play. That would be as close as the Jaspers would get over the final minute.

TJ Gadsden had a game-high 16 points to lead the Golden Griffins. Moultrie finished with nine, and Xzavier Long added 13.

Roberts recorded his second double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Nelson and Stewart finished 13 points for the Jaspers. Nelson added five assists and two steals.

Manhattan returns to action on Sunday, Jan. 8, at 2 p.m. inside Draddy against Niagara. The game can be watched on ESPN3. Tickets for Sunday’s contest can be purchased here.

For the latest on the Manhattan College men's basketball program, follow the Jaspers on Twitter @JaspersMBB and Instagram @Jaspers.MBB.

Bronx Insider: Sports Desk: Manhattan Men's Basketball Suffers Home Loss to Quinnipiac.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Manhattan Suffers Home Loss to Quinnipiac; Nick Brennen Nets Career-High.

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Manhattan shot over 42-percent from the floor and 3-point range, but it was not enough in an 84-65 loss to Quinnipiac on Sunday inside Draddy Gymnasium.

Quinnipiac (10-5, 1-3 MAAC) hit 13 3-pointers and shot over 50-percent from the field in the win.

“Baker Dunleavy and Quinnipiac came ready to play. We started on a run but became stagnate after they made a run,” said interim head coach RaShawn Stores afterward. “We weren’t playing as hard as we could have. We must learn you have to bring it every night. There are no games off in conference play.”

After trailing by 10 at the half, Manhattan (4-9, 2-2) cut the deficit to five with a quick 7-2 spurt over the first 90 seconds of the second half. Nick Brennen, Ant Nelson, and Samir Stewart scored the Jaspers to make it 45-40 Quinnipiac.

The Bobcats then slowly restored the lead to double digits. With the score 56-44, Quinnipiac used an 18-7 run over five minutes to take a 71-51 lead with 10:07 to play. Manhattan did score the next eight points to get back to within 12 after Josh Roberts hit a step-back jumper.

Quinnipiac thwarted the run with Matt Balanc jumper, which started an 11-1 run that spanned 2:56 and led to the Bobcats’ largest lead of the game, 22, at 82-60, with 3:59 to play.

In the first half, the Jaspers did battle back from being down 13 to get within five, 38-33, with 95 seconds remaining after an 8-0 run. Quinnipiac scored the final five points of the half, including a Balanc 3-pointer to restore the double-digit lead.

Nelson and Balanc finished with 20 points to lead their respective teams. Brennen finished with a career-high 18 points for Manhattan. Four other Bobcats were in double figures with Balanc.

The Jaspers will welcome Canisius to Draddy Gymnasium on Friday, Jan. 8, for their next game. Tip-off between the Jaspers and Golden Griffins is scheduled for 7 p.m.