Young Nets 33 in Opener Against AMCATS

PAXTON, Mass. – The Newbury College men's basketball team opened the 2010-2011 season with a tough loss to Anna Maria College Tuesday evening, 80-74. AMCATS sophomore Anthony Click (Springfield, Mass.) scored a team-high 22 points shooting 8-of-12 from the floor.

Click led the AMCATS, adding six rebounds and two blocks to go along with his team-high 22 points on the night. Junior Brad Peterson (North Kingstown, R.I.) also had a strong game, posting 16 points and eight rebounds, while senior Chris Pinsonault (Marlboro, Mass.) chipped in with 12 points, five rebounds, and three steals in the win.

The Nighthawks were paced by sophomore Timothy Young (Brockton, Mass.) who drained 71% from the outside, registering a game-high 33 points. Freshman Peterson Bernard (Boston, Mass.) had a solid showing in his first collegiate game, scoring 16 points and grabbing seven rebounds, while freshman Kwame Thompson (Brockton, Mass.) added 11 points on the night.

The Nighthawks came out of the gate firing, building a 22-15 lead through the game's opening 10 minutes of play but the AMCATS answered with a small 7-0 run of their own. Getting lay-ups from Click, Pinsonault, and sophomore Jeremy Ross (Holden, Mass.) Anna Maria knotted up the contest at 22.

Late in the half with four minutes remaining, Newbury held a 30-29 advantage as Anna Maria started to make their move. The AMCATS closed out the first with an 11-2 run to take an eight point, 40-32, lead into the locker room.

When play resumed in the second, Anna Maria came out roaring, outscoring the Nighthawks 16-4 in the first five and half minutes to build a 20-point lead.

Refusing to go away, the Nighthawks began methodically chipping away at the AMC lead. A jumper by Thompson cut the lead to 15 with just under 10 minutes, a layup by Bernard sliced it down to a nine-point lead with just over five minutes remaining, and after a three by Young and two free throws from Thompson, the AMC advantage was down to four with under three minutes to play.

The AMCATS remained up by four points with under two minutes on the clock when senior John Rowley, Jr. (Hartford, Conn.) stole the ball and raced for the layup at the other end to bring Newbury within two at 73-71.

That's as close as the Nighthawks ever got to tying the score, as the AMCATS hit five-of-six clutch free throws down the stretch to nail down the 80-74 victory.

Both teams return to action on Friday, with Newbury playing in the Brandeis Invitational and Anna Maria traveling to take part in the Middletown Tip-Off Tournament.

- Story provided by: Stephen Readey, Sports Information Director - Anna Maria College

- Game photo by: Samantha Yanofsky