Norfolk Reporter

Men's Basketball Drops Defensive Struggle at Emmanuel, 54-49

 The Dean College men's basketball team struggled at the offensive end of the court in Thursday's 54-49 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) road loss at Emmanuel. 

Dean (8-4, 3-2 GNAC) wraps up the week on Saturday with a 2 p.m. game at Elms. Emmanuel (8-4, 4-0 GNAC) plays at Norwich on Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Bulldogs shot 25.3% for the game for their lowest point total of the season. Emmanuel shot just 28.8% but made three more three pointers and six more free throws to earn the home victory. 

Junior AJ Weston (Kansas City, Mo.) led all players with 20 points and was the lone Bulldog in double figures. Junior Malik Spearman (St. Paul, Minn.) scored eight points and grabbed a game best 15 rebounds. Junior Jayden Madise (Palmdale, Calif.) also scored eight points to go with 10 rebounds and four steals. 

Emmanuel's Zaire Baines led three Saints in double figures with 13 points. Ken Jean-Francois posted a double-double of 12 points and 15 rebounds. Ryan Grijalva registered 10 points and seven rebounds. 

The Saints led 31-18 at the half and pushed the lead 15 early in the second frame. Dean then went on a 15-4 run, capped by three Weston free throws, to make the score 39-35 with 12:52 left to play. With less than five minutes to go, a pair of Madise free throws pulled Dean within a point at 46-45. The teams traded a pair of jumpers before a Baines long ball, with 1:58 to play, proved to be the difference maker for Emmanuel. Each team made some free throws down the stretch to account for the 54-49 final. 

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