Men’s Basketball Season Comes to an End in GNAC Quarterfinals
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mitchell (15-12,6-8 Great) | 37 | 48 | 85 |
|
Saint Joseph's (Me.) (22-4,13-1 Great) | 65 | 50 | 115 |
MSTANDISH, ME – The ninth-seeded Mitchell College men's basketball team saw their season come to an end in the Quarterfinal Round of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Basketball Championship Tournament on Tuesday night falling, 115-85, to top-seeded Saint Joseph's College (ME) at the Harold Alfond Center.
Senior Jaylyn Clardy (Pensacola, Fla.) finished with a team-high 32 points for the Mariners, adding seven rebounds, while fellow senior Robert Zirlis (Clinton, Conn.) netted 11 points. Senior Wilton Causey (Worcester Mass.) and junior Walker Baillargeon each chipped in nine points for Mitchell, who shot just 36.6% from the floor as a team, and 32.3% from downtown.
In their second year as a member of the conference, the Mitchell men's basketball program not only earned their first postseason berth, but also won their first GNAC Tournament game and made their first Quarterfinals appearance.
The Monks controlled wire-to-wire, opening the game on a 19-0 run before Clardy stopped the bleeding with a layup at the 15:43 mark. Holding a 65-37 edge at halftime, SJC was able to cruise through the remainder of the game, shooting at a 50.5% clip on the night.
Sophomore Remijo Wani led all scorers with 34 points on 14-21 shooting. Wani Donato added 17 points, and freshman Ismail Silvano recorded a triple-double, finishing with 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists,
With the win, the Monks advance to the Semifinal Round of the GNAC Men's Basketball Championship Tournament, and will host fourth-seeded Albertus Magnus College on Thursday, February 27, at a time yet to be determined. The Falcons earned a spot in the Semifinals by defeating fifth-seeded Norwich University, 72-57, on Tuesday.
SJC has now won 14 consecutive games against GNAC opponents, having not lost to a conference foe since Saturday, December 7. The Monks will be looking to claim their first conference title since 2009 after falling short in last year's title game to the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.).
The Mariners conclude their season with an overall record of 15-12.
