MEN’S BASKETBALL DROPS HEARTBREAKER TO ANNA MARIA, 55-54

BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore guard Hugh Daye (Worcester, Mass.) converted a jumper in the lane with 2.6 seconds remaining to propel the Anna Maria College men's basketball team past Emmanuel College, 55-54, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action Thursday evening at the Jean Yawkey Center. With the win, the AMCats improve to 13-7 overall and 11-2 in the GNAC while the loss drops the Saints to 4-16 and 4-9. Anna Maria has now captured 11 consecutive GNAC wins while Emmanuel has dropped three contests by a single point in the last week.

With 10 seconds remaining in the contest, Emmanuel College junior guard D.J. Fazio (Methuen, Mass.) converted a runner in the lane to lift the Saints ahead, 54-53. With one timeout remaining, the AMCats opted to inbound the ball immediately and transition offensively. The Saints appeared to tie the ball up with 0:04 left on the clock but the ball popped out in the paint, going directly to Gorman who calmly put in the go-ahead basket.

On the ensuing inbound, the AMCats deflected the ball out of bounds just before midcourt with 0:00.6 tenths of a second left on the game clock. Anna Maria used its final timeout to organize defensively as Emmanuel would have one last chance at a game-winner. Senior guard Michael Mailhot (Norwich, Conn.) inbounded the ball to senior forward Connor Morgan (Gloucester, R.I.) who was streaking away from the hoop. Morgan was able to catch, turn and get off a three point attempt from 35 feet away but the shot hit the back rim as time expired giving the visitors the 55-54 victory.

The game was very even from the opening tip and throughout the contest there were six ties and 16 lead changes. In the opening stanza, the AMCats jumped out to their largest lead of the night when senior forward Jose Pena (Lawrence, Mass.) drained a jumper to make it 15-6 with under 12 minutes to play.

Emmanuel would answer with a 10-0 run to take its first lead of the game at 16-15 following a jumper by freshman forward John Clay (Westport, Mass.) with 6:16 on the clock.  The AMCats would continue to trade hoops until the intermission as the visitors took a 26-25 lead into halftime.

Anna Maria opened the second half with two quick buckets from senior swingman Javior Bristol (Haverhill, Mass.) to build its lead to 30-25 but Emmanuel responded with a 6-0 run capped by a pair of free throws from Mailhot to regain the lead at 31-30.

It would stay a one-possession game until junior guard Joey Barillo (Dania Beach, Fla.) registered a three to give the AMCats a 42-38 cushion with just over eight minutes left in regulation.

A pair of free throws by Anna Maria senior forward Anthony Click (Springfield, Mass.) made it a five-point game (47-42) with 4:23 to play before the Saints when on a 7-2 run capped by a free throw by Clay to tie the game at 49-all with 2:29 left.

Following a jumper by Daye, EC senior forward Xavier Everson (Rochester, N.Y.) converted a pair of free throws in the double-bonus to pull Emmanuel on top, 52-51 with 1:47 on the clock.  Barillo would answer with a layup with 56 ticks on the clock to pull the visitors back on top at 53-52 setting the stage for the late game heroics.

Click finished the game with a double-double, scoring a team-best 14 points while collecting 11 rebounds. Also in double figures for the AMCats were Barillo (13) and Bristol (13).

For Emmanuel, Everson finished the night with a game-high 16 points while going a perfect 6-6 from the line. Clay added a game and career-high 13 rebounds in the losing effort.

The Saints return to action on Saturday afternoon when they head to Standish, Maine to take on Saint Joseph's College at 3:00 PM. Emmanuel will try to avenge a 61-60 loss to the Monks that took place in Boston on January 24. The AMCats are back on the court the same day when they host Norwich at 1:00 PM.