MEN’S BASKETBALL FALLS TO ANNA MARIA

THE BASICS

Score: Anna Maria College, 79; Emmanuel College, 75

Records: Anna Maria College AMCats (5-15, 2-9 GNAC), Emmanuel College Saints (2-17, 1-9 GNAC)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Andy Yosinoff Court

Date: Thursday, February 1, 2018

THE LEAD: Mike Rapoza (Charlton, Mass) recorded a double-double with 22 points and 21 rebounds to push the Anna Maria AMCats by the Saints, 79-75, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference men's basketball action Thursday evening on the Andy Yosinoff Court.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The AMCats opened the game knocking down its first five shots from the field to take an early 11-4 lead less than two minutes into the action fueled by two three pointers by senior guard Liam Pickett (Oxford, Mass.).
• Anna Maria led by as many as nine early on before Emmanuel rallied to pull within a possession on a layup from junior forward Isaiah Ruffen (Haverhill, Mass.) to pull the hosts to a basket down 20-18 with 12:39 to play in the half.
• With 2:26 to play in the half, Pickett connected on his fourth triple of the game to bump the visitor's lead to 38-31.
• The Saints full court press helped them close the half on a 9-2 spurt to even the score at 40-40 heading into the break.
• AMC opened the second stanza on an 8-3 run to pull ahead 48-43 after a made jumper by senior Kenneth Graham (West Haven, Conn.) but Emmanuel responded with a 6-0 spurt to pull ahead 49-48 on a layup by freshman Zachary Crisafulli (Easthampton, Mass.).
• The game remained a one possession game until Emmanuel put together a 7-0 flurry with just under seven minutes to play to pull ahead 68-62 after another Crisafulli bucket.
• The AMCats chipped away before regaining the lead at 73-72 on a reverse layup by Pickett with 1:30 left in regulation.
• EC sophomore guard Emmett Riddick (Middletown, Conn.) connected on a three from the top of the key with 1:02 on the clock to put Emmanuel on top temporarily, 75-73 but the AMCats answered with a three by Bobby Perette (Marshfield, Mass.) to take the lead for good, scoring the final six points of the game for the 79-75 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Anna Maria sophomore Mike Rapoza (Charlton, Mass.) was a dominant force on both sides of the court with a double-double of 22 points and 21 rebounds.
• Pickett matched Rapoza with a  game-high 22 points and finished with five made threes.
• Riddick paced the Saints with 19 points off the bench in just 19 minutes of action while Crisafulli and junior guard Joe Tamburro (South Windsor, Conn.) each scored 10 points.
• AMC senior guard Chris Contento (Marshfield, Mass.) dished out 11 assists in the win.

UP NEXT

• Emmanuel returns to action this Saturday afternoon as the Saint travel to Standish, Maine to take on Saint Joseph's College at 1:00 PM.
• The AMCats are idle until Tuesday, February 6 when they head back to the city to face Suffolk University at 7:00PM