Early 2nd Half Charge Allows Saints to Take Down JWU 73-58
BOSTON – Emmanuel College Men’s Basketball (4-5, 1-1 GNAC) took advantage of an early second half run to defeat the visiting Johnson & Wales Wildcats (3-4, 1-1 GNAC) Saturday afternoon on Andy Yosinoff Court.
BOSTON – Emmanuel College Men's Basketball (4-5, 1-1 GNAC) took advantage of an early second half run to defeat the visiting Johnson & Wales Wildcats (3-4, 1-1 GNAC) Saturday afternoon on Andy Yosinoff Court.
The Wildcats got off to a hot start, opening up an eight-point lead through nine minutes. The home team worked to close the deficit and a Bryant Ciccio (Attleboro, Mass.) three pointer leveled the score at 21 with just under six minutes to play in the first half. Emmanuel outscored the visitors 14-8 in the final five minutes of the half capped off by a deep three from Ryan Grijalva (Stratham, N.H.) as the buzzer sounded to extend the lead to 35-29.
An 18-2 run in the opening six and a half minutes of the second half allowed the Saints to open up a 20-point advantage on the Wildcats. Threes from Ismani Cepeda (Roslindale, Mass.) and Cameron Snowden (Franklin Park, N.J.) to go along with six points from Donte Pope (Middletown, Conn.) all contributed to Emmanuel's big run. The Wildcats never came within less than 12 of the Saints throughout the remainder of the contest as the home team to secure a 73-58 victory for their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference win of the season.
Pope finished as the game's leading scorer and rebounder with a double-double of 24 points and 14 rebounds in the win. Grijalva chipped in 16 points for the Saints. The Wildcats were led by Aireus Raspberry (Cranston, R.I.) with 18 point and Sean Duke (Providence, R.I.) with 15 points in the loss.
Up, next Johnson & Wales returns home to face Connecticut College in a non-conference matchup on Monday (12/11) at 7:00 P.M. Emmanuel will be visited by Springfield College on Tuesday (12/12) at 7 P.M. in a non-conference contest.
