Grasso Leads Men’s Basketball Over JWU

PAXTON, MA : The Anna Maria College men's basketball team won 93-78 over visiting Johnson & Wales University on Saturday afternoon in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action at the Fuller Center in Paxton.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Saturday, December 4, 2021
• Score: Anna Maria 93, Johnson & Wales 78
• Records: Wildcats of Johnson & Wales 1-3, 1-1 GNAC | AMCATS of Anna Maria 4-3, 1-0 GNAC

THE GAME WAS DECIDED WHEN:

• The AMCATS led from four seconds into the game, and led by as much as 25 at one point in a dominant first half. The Wildcats chipped away at the deficit for much of the second half, using a 15-2 run to pull within seven off a three-pointer from first year guard Josh Zangerle (Wappingers Falls, NY) with 9:51 to go. As they have all season, Anna Maria turned to team captain Ralph Grasso, Jr. (Marlborough, MA) for an answer, and the senior guard buried a dagger to give the AMCATS some much needed breathing room. Another three from Grasso with 3:11 left put the game away for good.

HIGHLIGHTERS:

• Grasso, the reigning GNAC Player of the Week, finished with 27 points on the day, burying six three-pointers and tallying two steals.
• Anna Maria rookie forward Gabe Armstead (Dallas, GA) had the second best game of his young career, scoring 25 points, pulling down nine rebounds and blocking three shots as he continued to establish himself as one of the best big men in the conference.
• Anna Maria senior guard Kennedy Minix-Rogers (Smyrna, GA) was a playmaker on both sides of the ball, scoring eight points, dishing out eight assists, and stifling the Wildcats with four steals.
• Anna Maria sophomore guard Jakai Alexandre (Fitchburg, MA) chipped in with eight points, four rebounds and three assists.
• Collectively, the AMCATS shot 48.5 percent from the floor and 40.9 percent from behind the arc. The Anna Maria bench outscored their counterparts 17-0.
• Zangerle led the Wildcats with 26 points and 12 rebounds, leading the Johnson & Wales rally.
• Johnson & Wales freshman forward Tim Deng (Portland, ME) pulled down a game-high 15 boards to go along with six points.
• J&W senior guard Justin Bullock (Spring Valley, NY) finished with 19 points.
• 23 Wildcats offensive rebounds led to a 21-6 edge in second-chance points.

UP NEXT:

Anna Maria will be back on the court on Wednesday when they travel to Albertus Magnus College for a 7:30 p.m. game.

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