Men’s Basketball Scores Another Overtime Thriller, Down Norwich 72-70

NORTHFIELD, Vt.—For the second time in as many games the Anna Maria men's basketball team scored an overtime victory in thrilling fashion as senior Anthony Click hit a layup with two seconds remaining to lead the Anna Maria College AMCATS to a 72-70 overtime road win against the Cadets of Norwich University on Thursday evening in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action.

With the loss, the Cadets fall to 3-9 overall and 0-5 in GNAC action, while the win boosts the AMCATS, riding a 4-game GNAC win streak, to 6-7 overall and 4-2 in league play.

Norwich trailed through most of the first period and took their first lead of the game with 10:18 remaining in the half. The Cadets would control the advantage until the 4:47 mark, when a three-point basket by Anna Maria's Joey Barillo gave the AMCATS control of the lead.  Anna Maria would lead by one, 26-25, at halftime.

The AMCATS controlled play for most of the second period and led by as many as 13 points with just under nine minutes left in regulation. Norwich would begin a 9-0 run at the 8:24 mark beginning with a pair of free-throws by Gary Gladden (Boynton Beach, Fla.). A deep three-point basket by Tom McDonald (Groton, Mass.) would cut the AMCATS' lead to three at 45-42.

The two teams would trade layups until McDonald connected on his third three-pointer of the evening to tie the score at 47-47.  Anna Maria would reclaim the lead for two minutes, until a made jumper by Josh Cabrera (Providence, R.I.) gave the Cadets the 54-53 edge with 1:44 to play.  The Cadets would control the lead for the next minute and a half, until Anna Maria's Hugh Daye hit a three-pointer with seven seconds on the clock to force overtime.

Norwich did not relinquish the lead until Click's buzzer-beater.  The Cadets never led by more than three in overtime, and the game saw the score knot three times in the five-minute span.

The AMCATS were led by the double-double performance of 17 points and 13 rebounds by Javier Bristol.  Click added 19 points and a game-high six assists for Anna Maria, and Brad Peterson chipped in with 14 points and nine rebounds.  

Leading the offensive efforts for Norwich was McDonald, who shot 8-13 from the floor, including 4-7 from three point range, and 5-6 from the free-throw line to total 25 points.  Cabrera chipped in with 19 points on 6-10 shooting (2-4 from three point range) from the floor and 4-4 shooting from behind the arc. Nickolai Havoutis (Coral Springs, Fla.) added nine points, and Evan Tullar (Chelsea, Vt.) chipped in with eight.

The Cadets will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to Mt. Ida College for a 3:00 p.m. GNAC matchup.  Anna Maria will be back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 15 when it hosts Rivier at 7:30 p.m.