PHOTO CREDIT: Brian Berthiaume '24

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Sophomore forward Wani Donato (Portland, Maine) scored 15 points and blocked seven shots to help Saint Joseph's College (7-8, 3-1 GNAC) clip Johnson & Wales University (3-10, 1-3 GNAC), 72-67, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's basketball action on Wednesday night. Neither team attained a double-digit lead in the GNAC battle.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The hard-fought conference contest featured 11 lead changes – including eight in the final 12 minutes – as the Monks did not secure the advantage for good until junior guard Julian Llopiz (Boston, Mass.) made a jump shot to lift his team to a 59-58 edge with 6:29 remaining.

The teams essentially swapped scores during the following five minutes before sophomore guard John Paul Frazier (York, Maine) drilled a deep three-pointer with 1:28 left – and only four seconds on the shot clock – to extend the SJC lead to 68-64.

The Wildcats countered with a baseline three from Jaylen King 20 seconds later, but the Monks sealed the win with a Wani Donato layup and a pair of Frazier freebies on consecutive trips down the floor.

Johnson & Wales led by eight points (36-28) when Josh Zangerle hit a three-pointer with 4:52 before the break, but Saint Joseph's mounted a 16-2 run in the closing minutes of the first half to claim a team-high six-point (44-38) lead going into intermission.

NOTEWORTHY:

Wani Donato's seven blocks in tonight's victory is the most by an SJC player since Joe Dwyer swatted eight shots versus Maine Maritime Academy on December 6th, 1989.

STATS OF THE GAME:

The Monks posted a 32-18 lead in points in the paint and made 12-of-15 shots from the charity stripe in the victory…The Wildcats went 6-for-11 from the FT line.

LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:

• Wani Donato tallied 15 points, five rebounds, seven blocks, and three assists
• Frazier paced the Royal Blue with 18 points and pulled down six boards with three steals and a pair of assists
• Llopiz added 15 points with four rebounds and two steals
• Freshman guard Remijo Wani (Portland, Maine) tallied 10 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and three steals
• Grad Ashtyn Abbott (Farmingdale, Maine) contributed 10 points, three rebounds, two assists, and a pair of blocks

LEADERS – JOHNSON & WALES:

• Aireus Raspberry scored 18 points with five rebounds, four assists, and two steals
• Zangerle netted 15 with six boards and three assists
• Jonah Phang was 5-for-5 from the floor with 10 points and 11 rebounds

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:

Saint Joseph's is now 15-16 in the history of the series with Johnson & Wales University and has defeated the Wildcats in three-consecutive meetings.

NEXT!

Saint Joseph's will host reigning GNAC Champion Albertus Magnus College on Saturday at 3:00 PM.

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