PURCHASE, N.Y. – Despite playing catchup for almost 29 consecutive minutes of game time, a strong finish over the final three and a half minutes of the contest led the Manhattanville College men's basketball team to a 71-64 win on Saturday afternoon over St. Joseph's (Long Island). The victory is Manhattanville's first of the 2022 half of the season and improves the team's record to 5-6 overall and 2-2 in the Skyline.
Tommy Lotito (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) led the way with a new career high of 20 points. The junior was especially efficient at the charity stripe, shooting 11-of-12 on free throw attempts. Lotito also hit his lone three point attempt of the afternoonwhile pulling down a team-leading eight rebounds.
Jake Dunn (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) and
Petey Galgano (New Rochelle, N.Y./Wilbraham & Monson Academy (Mass.)) joined Lotito in double figures, scoring 17 and 11 respectively.
All ten Valiants that saw game action on Saturday ended the game with a rebound as the team combined for 37 boards. Galgano was just behind Lotito's mark on the day with seven boards while
Ryan Giordano (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) pulled down four. Galgano and
Chris Maestre (Bronx, N.Y./Mount Saint Michael Academy) each had two rebounds off the offensive glass. Meanwhile defensively, it was a block party for
Chris Brown (Miami, Fla./Coral Gables Senior) who stuffed five shots for a second straight contest.
After a touch-and-go opening four minutes that saw the Valiants take an 8-6 lead off a Dunn three, both offenses struggled to get anything going over an ensuing scoreless three minutes. Timothy Hirdt ended the drought with a layup for the Golden Eagles to tie the game back up.
Ryan Giordano (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) would put the home team back ahead, but an Alec Tabada three swung momentum back on the side of the visitors. The Golden Eagles went on a 12-0 run that put them ahead the remainder of the half. Refusing to let this one get away from them, Manhattanville hung tight and ended the half with five straight points capped off by Lotito's only three pointer of the day to head into the half trailing 30-29.
After watching their lead almost evaporate, St. Joseph's came out in the second with six unanswered points to regain some breathing room. The Valiants would play catchup for most of the way as the Golden Eagles lead climbed to as high as 12 with 11:40 remaining in regulation. Facing their biggest deficit of the day, Manhattanville responded with a 10-0 run to pull back within a single possession. Still, St. Joseph's held their ground and continued to lead into the final five minutes, up 60-56. A Maestre three and a jumper from Lotito with 3:33 left in the contest finally put the Valiants back in front. While the Golden Eagles would tie it back up with a Gordon Shouler free throw, Lotito sank both of his free throws in his next trip to the line to put Manhattanville back in front for good. The Valiants outscored St. Joseph's 10-3 over the final 2:16 to close out the victory.
Up Next
The homestand rolls on this Tuesday as Manhattanville hosts Old Westbury at 7:30 p.m.
