STANDISH, Maine – Senior forward Wani Donato (Portland, Maine) poured in 27 points and hit the go-ahead free throw in overtime as Saint Joseph's College (3-6) edged previously undefeated Colby College (6-1), 82–81, in a non-conference men's basketball thriller on Mike McDevitt Court at the Harold Alfond Center on Saturday. The Monks erased a 17-point first-half deficit and outscored the Mules 48–35 after halftime to complete the comeback.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Colby came out on fire, shooting 64.3% (18-28) from the floor and 45.5% (5-11) from three in the opening half. A 13-2 run over a four-minute stretch midway through the period pushed the Mules to a game-high 17-point lead (29-12) with 9:25 before the break. Junior center Dan Civello (South Weymouth, Mass.) and senior guard Max Poulton (Wellesley, Mass.) combined for 20 first-half points as Colby carried a 46–34 advantage into intermission.
The Monks trailed by 16 (58-42) with 12:32 remaining in regulation before answering with a decisive 16-4 surge. Over a five-minute span, five different SJC players scored to trim the deficit to 62-58 with eight minutes left. Colby maintained a single-digit lead until freshman guard Yusuf Dakane (Lewiston, Maine) calmly knocked down two free throws to give Saint Joseph's its first lead since the opening minutes, 68-67, with 1:40 to play.
After senior guard John Paul Frazier (York, Maine) buried a clutch three-pointer for a 72–70 edge, Colby responded twice in the final minute, including a Civello layup that offset a Donato bucket and knotted the game at 74–74 with 16 seconds remaining to force overtime.
In the extra session, the teams continued to trade blows. Another Frazier three from the wing briefly put SJC back on top, but a Civello jumper gave Colby an 81–79 lead with 2:24 left. Freshman guard Davis Mann (Falmouth, Maine) sliced to the rim to tie it at 81–81, and after a defensive stop, Donato drew contact and sank the second of two free throws with 46 seconds on the clock for an 82–81 advantage. Saint Joseph's got one final stop when Colby's potential game-winning three in the closing seconds missed the mark, sealing the comeback victory.
STATS OF THE GAME:
The Monks forced 22 turnovers and recorded 15 steals, converting those miscues into 20 points, and outscored Colby 40–28 in the second half and 8–7 in overtime after trailing by 12 at the break. SJC was excellent at the line, finishing 24-of-28 (85.7%) compared to Colby's 12-of-17 (70.6%), and despite shooting just 32.4% from the field, the Monks stayed in it with 10 made three-pointers and a 19–18 edge in second-chance points.
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Wani Donato – 27 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals, 7-9 FT
- John Paul Frazier – 16 points, 4 rebounds, three 3-pointers
- Davis Mann – 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 8-8 FT
- Yusuf Dakane – 6 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals
- Lukas Bouchard (Fr., York, Maine) – 5 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, key block and OT assist
LEADERS – COLBY:
- Dan Civello – 27 points, 9 rebounds
- Marcos Montiel (Jr., Somerville, Mass.) – 13 points, 4 assists
- Sam Hinman (Jr., Needham, Mass.) – 13 points, 3 three-pointers
- Max Poulton – 10 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the win, Saint Joseph's improves to 5-10 all-time against Colby College and defeats the Mules for the first time since the 2007-08 campaign, an 85–83 victory on January 3, 2008, in Waterville.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's closes out the 2025 calendar year on Tuesday with a non-conference matchup at Endicott College. Tip-off is set for 7:00 PM.
