BOSTON, MA – Junior forward Nicholas Jobin (Westbrook, Maine) made a pair of free throws with 1:07 remaining in regulation to lift Saint Joseph's (11-6, 7-4 GNAC) past Emmanuel College (4-13, 4-6 GNAC), 61-60, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's basketball contest on Thursday evening.
Emmanuel led for the good majority of the game - which featured 11 lead changes and nine tie scores - and the Saints went up by as many as 11 points late in the first half. Saint Joseph's trailed for the first 15 minutes of the second half, before the visitors made their move late in the game.
Jobin seems to be developing a knack for late-game heroics, as he has put the Monks ahead to stay with points late in conference contests twice in the last two weeks. The junior standout hit a jumpshot with 1.9 seconds left to propel Saint Joseph's to a 56-55 victory over Rivier University on Saturday, January 12th.
The contest was played closely in the early going, with the two clubs trading baskets at either end. Senior guard Xavier Everson (Rochester, N.Y.) found classmate Michael Mailhot (Norwich, Conn.) open on the break and he buried a triple to put the Saints up, 18-16 at the nine-minute mark in the first half.
Saint Joseph's point guard Jerome Diggs (Centreville, Va.) and Emmanuel swingman Michael Connor Morgan (Gloucester, R.I.) traded threes at each end to set the score at 22-21, Emmanuel. Junior guard D.J. Fazio (Methuen, Mass.) found freshman center Donavon DuMay (Coweta, Okla.) for jumpers on consecutive possessions to put Emmanuel up 26-23 with five minutes to go in the half.
The Saints were able to put together an 8-0 run over the next minute and a half minute, sparked by the lights-out shooting of Morgan. The senior tri-captain drained a trio of three-pointers in less than 90 seconds, giving the hosts a 34-23 advantage with 3:28 left on the clock. This would be the Saints' largest lead of the night.
The Monks, who were playing without starting forward Steve Simonds (Steep Falls, Maine), then went on a 6-0 run of their own, capped with a jumper from junior guard Matthew Medeiros (Westport, Mass.), which brought the spread to 34-29 with two and a half minutes to go. Morgan's fourth three of the half and another triple from Medeiros made it a 37-34 game. Fazio knocked down a jumper in the paint just prior to the halftime buzzer and the Saints took a 39-34 lead into the break.
Morgan and Medeiros each led their respective clubs with 12 points apiece at halftime. The Monks led the Saints on the glass in the first half, 18-13.
Emmanuel continued to the hold the momentum until mid-way through the second frame. A foul shot by Theo Robinson (Springfield, Mass.) gave the Saints a 49-40 lead, but the Monks then went on an 8-0 run, ending with a lay-up by Diggs at 8:54, which brought the score to 49-48. The hosts were able to hold onto a narrow lead over the next four minutes. It was at 4:41 when
Medeiros drilled a three from the right wing and gave the edge back to the Monks at 58-56.
A lay-up by Robinson tied things back up at 58-all with 3:21 to go. Just one final field goal was scored over the final three and a half minutes. Everson sunk a jumper at 2:11 and the Saints led again by two at 60-58. However, three free throws down the stretch were all the Monks would need in order to pull out the come-from-behind win.
Medeiros and Jobin led the way for the Monks, each scoring game-highs of 20 points apiece. Jobin shot 7-9 from the floor and 6-7 from the line, while hauling in a team-high 7 boards in the win.
The senior tri-captains led the Saints, with a double-double effort from Everson, who netted 18 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Morgan finished with his 12 first-half points, while Mailhot hit for 12 points off 5 for 10 shooting. Robinson chipped in with 9 points and 8 boards, while Fazio dished out a game-high 5 assists for Emmanuel.
The Saints will travel to Nashua, N.H. on Saturday afternoon to take on the Raiders of Rivier College in a 12:00 PM start. The Monks will host Lasell College on Saturday in a 3:00 PM start.
COURTESY OF EMMANUEL COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION
Saint Joseph's College, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, celebrates its Centennial year in 2012 with a theme of "Realize the Promise" – honoring our commitment to educating well-rounded graduates who combine career focus with classic liberal arts studies. A Private, Catholic, primarily residential, coeducational liberal arts institution, Saint Joseph's welcomes students of all ages and all faiths. The campus, located 18 miles northwest of Portland and just two hours from Boston, encompasses 350 acres along the shore of beautiful Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Enrollment ranges between 1,000 and 1,100 students annually. Saint Joseph's offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, nursing and business fields in a value-centered environment.
