Johnson & Wales Men’s Basketball Knocks Off Rivier, 88-66

Providence, R.I. – The Johnson & Wales University men's basketball team posted an 88-66 victory against Rivier in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference contest at the Harborside Recreation Center on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats had five players in double figures in the win.

Johnson & Wales junior Lamonte Thomas (Providence, R.I.) scored a team-best 16 points and added two rebounds and three assists while junior James Folk (Salem, N.H.) notched 15 points and three boards. Senior Louis Ferreras (Providence, R.I.) tallied 13 points, five rebounds and four assists while senior Darren Faust (Queens, N.Y.) and junior Calvin Jones (Providence, R.I.) each had 12 points in the victory.

Rivier was paced by senior Don Poitras (Bow, N.H.) with a game-high 24 points and five rebounds.

Johnson & Wales controlled the action early and led by as many as 21 points in the first half on a three point play by Ferreras, taking a 34-13 lead with 9:34 left on the clock. Rivier responded and chipped away at the lead, climbing to within eight points when a layup by senior Nick Bean (East Longmeadow, Mass.) made the score 45-37 with 1:38 on the clock. JWU closed the half on a 7-0 run and took the 52-37 lead into the locker room at halftime.

It was all Johnson & Wales in the second half as the Wildcats took their largest lead of the game on a layup by freshman Orrett Rubie (Hartford, Conn.), giving the squad the 78-56 advantage with just under six minutes remaining in the contest. The Wildcats would then cruise to the 88-66 victory

With the win Johnson & Wales is now 4-4 overall and 2-1 in the GNAC while Rivier falls to 4-2, 0-1 in league play.