PURCHASE, N.Y. – Junior JoJo Cobbs (Elmsford, N.Y./Briarcliff) scored 18 of his game-high 22 points in the second half, as the Manhattanville College men's basketball team rallied from a 12-point first half deficit for an 82-73 victory over the Oglethorpe University Stormy Petrels Saturday, Nov. 17, in the championship game of the sixth annual AJ Buchanan Classis at Kennedy Gymnasium.

The Valiants have now won the annual season-opening event each of the last two seasons after falling in three of the tournament's first four championship games from 2012 to 2015.

Sophomore Sean Smith, Jr. (Yonkers, N.Y./Sacred Heart) complimented Cobbs' 22 with 19 points of his own for Manhattanville (3-0), while sophomore Mike Granda (Monroe Township, N.J./St. Joseph) reached double figures for the second time in as many days with 11 points, and freshman Connor Yetman (Sydney, Australia/The Scots College (H.S.)) added eight points and 11 boards, his second double-digit rebound effort in as many days. Tom Inungu and Will Perry combined for 36 points and 15 rebounds for Oglethorpe (2-1).

The Stormy Petrels took a 13-3 lead in the first 3:43 of the game, then maintained at least a five-point cushion until the Valiants closed to within four, 22-18, at the 10:46 mark. Oglethorpe responded with eight straight points and 17 of the next 26, opening a 39-27 lead with 3:03 to play in the half. Manhattanville responded with a half-ending 11-0 run, bookended by three-pointers from Granda, cutting its halftime deficit to one at 39-38.

Oglethorpe scored the first four points of the second half and opened a 49-40 lead at the 16:46 mark, but Cobbs responded with a solo 8-0 run, including back-to-back three-pointers, in a 1:03 span, bringing the Valiants within one again. The Stormy Petrels answered with four straight points, re-opening a five-point cushion, but the Valiants responded with seven straight points of their own, capped by a Yetman lay-up, and grabbed their first lead of the game, 55-53, at the 11:37 mark.

Seven lead changes followed over the next 3:33 before back-to-back three-pointers from junior Cory Madden (Woodside, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy Memorial) gave the Valiants a 67-62 lead with 7:34 to play. Manhattanville never trailed again, maintaining at least a two-possession lead over the final 3:15, as Smith had seven of the team's final 15 points.

Smith was named the Classic's Most Valuable Player, while Cobbs was also named to the All-Tournament Team. Oglethorpe's Perry, who averaged 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds over the weekend, joined Smith and Cobbs on the All-Tourney team, as did Anthony Mitchell from the Sage College Gators who averaged 13 points and 5.5 rebounds for the tournament and Kevan Meiner from the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) Bears, who averaged 19 points and 11 boards in two losing efforts.

The Valiants are back in action on Tuesday night, Nov. 20, on the road at 8:00 p.m. against the Mount St. Mary College Knights, a future Skyline Conference opponent.