Box Score PURCHASE, N.Y. – Six different players scored in double figures for visiting Misericordia, led by 17 off the bench from Cael Evans, as the Cougars held off a late rally from Manhattanville in handing the Valiants an 82-75 defeat in a tense Freedom Conference men's basketball matchup on Saturday afternoon at Kennedy Gymnasium.
 
The Cougars (4-2, 2-0 Freedom) spread the wealth in remaining unbeaten in conference play, led by Evans with his 17 points and seven rebounds as well as Steve Ware, who had a good overall game with 16 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals. Travis Buckner and Matt Greene added 11 points apiece, while Justin Grotevant and Joe Busacca had 10 each.
 
Freshman guard Anthony Maestre (Bronx, N.Y./Mount St. Michael Academy) was the Valiants' best option offensively, going for 25 points and adding four assists, four rebounds and three steals. Juniors Jack Bramswig (Pleasantville, N.Y./Pleasantville) and Colin Campbell (Miami, Fla./LaSalle) had 13 points apiece, and freshman Zach Basso (Harlem, N.Y./All Hallows) added a season-high eight off the bench for Manhattanville (4-2, 1-1 Freedom).
 
Due in large part to their multitude of options, Misericordia shot the ball very well on the afternoon, finishing at 61.5 percent (32 of 52) from the field to go with 54.5 percent (6 of 11) shooting from beyond the arc. Manhattanville finished the game at a 45.6 percent (26 for 57) clip from the field and also shot well from long range, hitting 9 of 19 shots (47.4 percent).
 
After the two teams felt each other out over the first few minutes, Misericordia started to take control of the first half thanks to a 10-2 run that put the visitors up 10 at 24-14. The lead grew to as many as 14 (33-19) with 6:53 left, but Manhattanville stormed back with 15 straight points to regain the lead, as a Bramswig layup with 1:32 remaining made it a 34-33 score in favor of the home team. Graduate student Craig Augustine (Citrus, Fla./Citrus) had a team-best four points during the run, while Campbell, Maestre and freshman Andrew Winter (Queens, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) all had three each.
 
Greene scored the final five points of the frame for the Cougars to give MU a 38-24 edge at the break. Both teams finished over 50 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, with Misericordia shooting 16 of 29 from the field and Manhattanville hitting 13 of 25 shots.
 
The Cougars continued the run they started at the end of the first half in the early stages of the second, scoring seven straight points to open up an 11-point edge. The visitors' lead ballooned all the way to 18 points with 10:18 to go, as a Ware layup made it a 59-41 game.
 
A 13-2 run over the next five minutes cut into the Valiant deficit and brought the team back into the game, but the margin was subsequently increased right back to 13 thanks to six straight Cougar points, including four free throws by Ware.
 
And yet, Manhattanville had one last burst in it. After sophomore Wills Flynn (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian) sunk a free throw to make it a nine-point game with 2:14 left, a Cougar turnover was followed by a technical foul on head coach Trevor Woodruff, allowing Campbell to follow two Maestre free throws with a jumper that made it a 72-67 game. Flynn then forced a turnover off the ensuing inbounds play, leading to a layup by Maestre that suddenly made it a 72-69 score with 1:33 remaining.
 
With the Kennedy Gym faithful making noise for the first time all day, Buckner responded with a huge three-pointer for Misericordia, giving his team a six-point cushion as the game entered the final minute. A Maestre layup and a Bramswig jumper got it back to a one-possession game with 42 seconds left, but the Valiants lost track of Grotevant on the ensuing inbounds play and he went in for an uncontested dunk that put the Cougars up five (78-73) with 37 seconds remaining.
 
Two free throws each by Busacca and Buckner, as well as a pair of Valiant turnovers, sealed the win for the Misericordia.
 
Manhattanville (4-2, 1-1 Freedom) will play its next seven games against non-conference competition, beginning this weekend with the AJ Buchanan Classic. Friday's first day features Gordon and Lynchburg at 6 p.m. followed by Manhattanville and Berkeley (N.Y.) at 8 p.m., with the Valiants' game video streamed live on GoValiants.TV.