Women’s Basketball Falls in AMCAT Classic Tip-Off Championship

Paxton, Mass. – The Pine Manor College women's basketball team captured the inaugural AMCAT Classic Tip-Off Tournament defeating host Anna Maria College 83-62 on Sunday afternoon at Fuller Activities Center.

With the loss the AMCATS dip to 1-1 and Pine Manor improves to 2-0 on the season.

The Gators were led by All-Tournament MVP Ari DeJesus (Providence, Mass.) and All-Tournament team selection Jayva Johnson (West Haven, Conn.). DeJesus poured in a match-high 23 points, notched 18 rebounds, had 7 assists and 3 steals while Johnson had 20 points, 9 rebounds and three steals.

Senior Taylor Walker (Winchendon, Mass.) and junior Trafficia Warburton (Worcester, Mass.) were both named to the All-Tournament team for Anna Maria. Walker posted her second double-double in as many days. The forward delivered 23 points, pulled down 15 rebounds, had two steals and three assists and Warburton contributed 9 points with 7 rebounds and two steals on the afternoon.

Anna Maria also got a solid game out of freshman Samantha Turcotte (Little Compton, RI) with 9 points and two assists off the bench. Freshman Deja Taitt (Jamaica, NY) added 8 points and 4 rebounds.

Pine Manor led from start to finish. Trailing 13-4, Anna Maria strung together five straight points, including baskets from Warburton and Walker and a free-throw by Christina Gauvin (Dudley, Mass.) to cut the lead to 13-9 with 12 minutes to play. PMC would respond with a 5-point run of their own on a 3-pointer by Chaniyah Swan and a jumper by Natasia Franklin to build a 25-12 advantage.  Pine Manor would head into halftime ahead 37-29.

The AMCATS hung tough in the second half and trimmed its deficit to 10 points 50-40 after a Turcotte shot from behind the arc halfway through the second stanza.  But the Gators held AMC at bay over the final ten minutes of the contest to win the championship.

Anna Maria returns to action on Tuesday evening when the host the Vikings of Salem State University at 7:00 pm, while Pine Manor will host Mitchell College on the same night.