AMCATS See Light of DAYE, Score OT Win

Paxton, Mass. – Freshman Hugh Daye (Worcester, Mass.) hit a baseline jumper with :27 seconds left in overtime to lift the AMCATS to a 73-71 victory over visiting Rivier College in Great Northeast Athletic Conference men's basketball action on Tuesday night at The Fuller Activities Center. The AMCATS raise their record to 10-12 (8-7 GNAC) while Rivier drops to 4-16 (2-11 GNAC) on the 2012 season.

Senior Brad Peterson (North Kingstown, RI) netted a game high 21 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, blocked 5 shots and had 6 steals for the home team. Teammates Anthony Click (Springfield, Mass.) scored 18 point, while Hugh Daye and Corey Pryor each contributed 10 points in the win.

The Raiders were paced by Garon Whitney's team high 19 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists performance. Sophomores Tom Poitras (Bow, NH) and Jake Nelson (Nashua, NH) tallied 16 and 13 points respectfully.

The AMCATS came out of the blocks with a 9-2 advantage, guard Anthony Click picked up five of the teams 7 points. Rivier responded with a duplicate 9-2 run to tie the game at 11-all with 10:41 to play. Raiders' Mike Colby hit a 3-pointer at 6:54 to give Rivier their first lead of the game at 18-17, they would increase their lead to seven points, 26-19 with 2:12 left in the first half. Anna Maria outscored the Raiders 10-3 down the stretch including a Daye layup as time expired to knot the game at 29-29 going into the locker room.

After an Anthony Click dunk at 12:15 of the second half the AMCATS had once again built a seven point lead at 45-38. The Raiders chipped away at the score and after a Colby three pointer at 9:09 the game was 47-46.  Anna Maria  answered with a 7-0 run on 5 points from Corey Pryor (Northbridge, Mass.) and a lay-in by Brad Peterson to build a 54-46 lead with 6:12 to play.

 Scoring on 6 of the next eight offensive possessions, the Raiders cut the lead to 58-57 with 3:17 remaining in regulation. Down the stretch we went, Garon Whitney's layup at 2:34 gave the Raiders a 59-58 lead, but Anthony Click's 3-pointer just seconds later gave AMC the lead 61-59 with 2:22 to play.

Raider's Tom Poitras hit a layup in the paint to tie it at 61 with 1:52 to play, but a pair of Brad Peterson free throws at 1:03 once again gave AMC a 63-61 lead. Poitras hit his own pair of free throws with :35 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.

Senior guard Brian Troy (Westmoreland, NH) hit a jumper off the opening tip-off to give the Raiders a 65-63 lead but Hugh Daye had a defensive steal and a jumper for two to tie the game for the 11^th time. The Raiders built a 4 point advantage when Whitney hit from behind the arc with 1:44 to play. AMC's Click and Pryor then hit back-to-back three pointers to give AMC the lead 71-69 with just under a minute left in the first overtime.  The Raiders would tie it at 71-71 setting the stage for Daye's heroic shot.

Anna Maria returns to action on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Emerson for a noontime tilt.

Photo courtesy of Lynette Colome