Men’s Basketball Edged by Lasers on Senior Day, 77-74

Paxton, Mass. – Anna Maria College forward Quantez Franklin (West Yarmouth, Mass.) totaled a team-high 21 points and junior Hugh Daye (Worcester, Mass.) notched 15 points and dished out 7 assists, but Lasell University used a game-best 24-point effort from Brandon Ganesh (West Palm Beach, FL) to help lift the Lasers to a 77-74 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) victory over the AMCATS in men's basketball action on Saturday afternoon at the Fuller Activities Center.

With the loss, Anna Maria moves to 9-14 (7-9 GNAC) on the season, while Lasell improves to 13-9 (10-5 GNAC) overall.

Senior Joseph Barillo (Dania Beach, FL), who was honored in a pre-game ceremony for his contributions to AMCAT basketball, added 11 points. Freshman Trevon Farley (Lawrence, Mass.) contributed 12 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

Sophomore Clyde Niba (Atlanta, GA) netted a double-double, 19 points and 13 rebounds for Lasell.

In a game that saw neither team mount more than a 9-point lead, the two teams battled to a 33-33 deadlock when junior Angel Ortiz (East Lyme, Conn.) canned a jumper with 2:40 remaining in the first half. A layup and a natural three-point play by AMC's Kyle McKissick (Charlton, Mass.) would give Anna Maria a 38-33 advantage at halftime.

The second half continued the seesaw affair with seven lead changes. A Franklin jumper in the key pulled Anna Maria even with Lasell, for the 10^th time in the match, 68-68 with 5:28 to play. Lasell would go on a 5-0 run to pull ahead 73-68 with 4:25 remaining. However Anna Maria would respond with a pair of free-throws from Franklin and a jumper from the baseline from Barillo to pull within one, 73-72 with 2:44 showing on the scoreboard.  

Trailing 77-74 with eight seconds to play, Anna Maria would call timeout to setup one last play. Unfortunately the triple by Daye would rim out as time expired and the Lasers hung on for the victory.

Anna Maria returns to GNAC play on Tuesday evening when they travel to Saint Joseph's College (ME) for a 7:30 p.m. tilt.