Saints Men’s Basketball Bests Bowdoin, 81-60, in Home Opener

BOSTON – The Emmanuel men's basketball team came out on top over Bowdoin College, 81-60, in their first home game of the 2023 campaign. The Saints first win of the season came in an impressive all-around effort. Emmanuel advanced to 1-1 on the season, while the Bowdoin Polar Bears fell to 0-2. 

The first half was evenly matched until the Saints started to pull away a bit. Emmanuel entered the second half with a 12-point lead, up 39-27. Despite efforts from Bowdoin overall, the Saints were able to maintain the lead the rest of the way and earn a victory on the day. Emmanuel shot 48.4% from the field compared to Bowdoin's 32.2%. 

The Saints' win came with some standout performances. Senior guard Ryan Grijalva (Stratham, N.H.) led the way for Emmanuel. He finished the game with 20 points, just shy of his career-best 21 points. He shot 7-for-14 from the field, including 1-for-4 from beyond the arc. Grijalva also added three rebounds, three steals and two assists for the Saints.  

Fellow senior guard Donte Pope (Middletown, Conn.) also had himself a day for Emmanuel. He stuffed the stat sheet, recording 19 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Sophomore center Jacob Williams (Chittenden, Vt.) made his presence known on the boards. He tallied eight rebounds, five offensive and three defensive, on the day for the Saints. He also netted a basket on a well-executed pick and roll between himself and sophomore guard Zaire Baines (Queens, N.Y.) in the second half. Baines added 12 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals for the Saints.  

Junior guardAfamdi Achufusi (Washington, D.C.) led the way for the Polar Bears, finishing the game with 11 points, five rebounds and two assists. Fellow junior guard James McGowan (Westwood, Mass.) also performed well for Bowdoin. He added nine points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. 

The Saints continue non-conference play at home against Fitchburg State University at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 14. The Polar Bears return to conference play to face Bates College on the road at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 15.  

**Release courtesy Emmanuel Athletics Intern Juliana Cimino