AMCATS no Match for Wildcats

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Saturday evening the AMCATS went on the road to take on Johnson & Wales in their 10^th GNAC contest of the season and second meeting with the Wildcats. From start to finish the Wildcats had the edge on Anna Maria, winning the game and sweeping the season series, 81-51.

Sophomore forward Mike Rapoza (Charlton, Mass) led the way for the 'Cats, scoring 13 points and grabbing a game-high 13 boards for his 15^th double-double of the season. The second leading scorer for the AMCATS, junior forward Joseph Kwiatkowski (Hudson, N.H.) had nine points off the bench and added five rebounds. With eight points on the day was senior forward Kenneth Graham (West Haven, Conn) who also added four boards. Freshman guard duo Ralph Grasso, Jr. (Marlborough, Mass) and Adam Phillips (Brookfield, Mass) added six points each for the AMCATS. Phillips was four-for-four from the free throw line.

For the Wildcats, six players reached double digits. The leading scorer for JWU and the game was freshman forward Nate Patenaude (Smithfield, R.I.) who scored 15. Freshman guard Donovian Maxfield (York, Penn) came off the bench to score 13 for the home team on three-of-five shooting from the field and going four-for-four from the charity stripe. Leading the Wildcats in rebounding with eight, junior guard Brian Hogan-Gary (Staten Island, N.Y.) also added 12 points to the Wildcats tally. A pair of junior forwards Matt Madoian (North Kingstown, R.I.) and Randall Ferdinand (Pembroke Pines, Fla) scored 11 and 10 respectively in the win.

In the first seven minutes of the game the Wildcats went on a 15-2 run over the AMCATS. Anna Maria wouldn't get their third and fourth points until the 12:52 mark of the first half. Though the scoring at that point slowed for Johnson & Wales and the AMCATS scoring increased as they got back within nine at the 9:48 mark, this game would never get much closer. The Wildcats were able to keep the AMCATS under 20 points in the first half as they went to the locker room up 22, 39-17.

The second half began and the Wildcats refused to let off the gas pedal. Though the AMCATS scoring became more consistent and they seemed to be able to keep pace with JWU in the first few minutes that pace quickly diminished and the hosts got out to a 30-point lead with just over three minutes to play. From there the Wildcats kept up the momentum and finished the game with that 30-point lead, 81-51.

The AMCATS will be back in action on Tuesday night at 5:30pm on their home floor to take on Suffolk University.