PURCHASE, N.Y. – Thirteen different Valiants got on the scoresheet and four players reached double figures as the Manhattanville College men's basketball team blew by Elmira College, 86-64, in the final home game of 2017 on Saturday afternoon at Kennedy Gymnasium.
 
The offense was out in full force for Manhattanville (4-3), as the home team shot a sizzling 50.8 percent (33 of 65) from the field on the day. Sophomore JoJo Cobbs (Elmsford, N.Y./Briarcliff) led all scorers with 15 points, followed by senior Alex Tuci (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) with the game's only double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman Sean Smith (Yonkers, N.Y./Sacred Heart) also had an excellent day, netting 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including a pair of highlight-reel dunks.
 
The game was a track meet for the first 10 minutes or so, as both teams ran up and down the court for easy buckets. After Henry Cuffee scored back-to-back baskets to give Elmira a 16-14 lead, Manhattanville took control of the game with a 23-4 run over the next 9:14, finished off by a 14-0 spurt that saw the Valiants hold Elmira to 0-for-12 shooting from the field over a seven-minute span.
 
Manhattanville went into halftime with a 44-26 lead, led by senior Dom Arena (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) with 12 points in 14 minutes of action. The Valiants shot 18-of-36 from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
 
The Valiant lead remained steady for the first six minutes of the second half before Manhattanville closed the door with a 15-2 run, capped off by a highlight-reel reverse alley-oop from Smith to give the Valiants their largest lead of the game at 69-42. The Soaring Eagles could not get closer than 20 the rest of the way, as the Valiant bench helped to seal the win, led by sophomore Cory Madden (Woodside, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy Memorial) with seven points, freshman Matt Williams (Bronx, N.Y./Our Savior Lutheran) with four points and seven rebounds, and junior Thomas Hickey (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Fordham Prep) with six points on 3-of-3 shooting.
 
After a break for finals, Manhattanville will return to the court on December 21, when the Valiants take on Hartwick College in the opening round of the Juniata Holiday Tournament beginning at 5 p.m.