PURCHASE, N.Y. – A busy weekend of Manhattanville College athletics is highlighted by the return of men's basketball to Kennedy Gymnasium for the 2022 A.J. Buchanan Classic. The two-day tournament enters its ninth iteration and will see four teams taking to the court for a four game slate. The first round gets underway on Friday with games at 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. ahead of Saturday's consolation and championship matches.

The A.J. Buchanan Classic made its return last season following a year away with the cancelation of the 2020 season as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The two-day basketball tournament is held in honor of AJ Buchanan (1997-2012), who became a part of the Manhattanville College Men's Basketball program in 2010. Through a partnership with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, an organization that connects children battling brain tumors with college athletic teams, AJ was able to become a member of the Valiant family. AJ was seen at Valiants men's basketball games from 2010 to 2012, sitting on the bench alongside the Manhattanville coaching staff and players and serving as an inspiration to everyone that had the privilege of meeting him. After joining the team in the spring of 2010, AJ was named the team's Most Valuable Contributor for the impact his presence alone had on Manhattanville.

The 2021 tournament saw Trinity College edge out the Valiants in the consolation match, while Kean University defeated Brooklyn College in the championship game.

This year's slate features tournament mainstays Manhattanville and Trinity while welcoming William Paterson University and Gwynedd Mercy University into the fold. Trinity and Gwynedd Mercy get things started on Friday at 6:00 p.m. before the Valiants take to the court against William Paterson at 8:00 p.m.

The Valiants are 3-1 to begin the season following Tuesday night's 77-70 win over York College. Tommy Lotito (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) and Jackson Leech (Chicago, Ill./Von Steuben) are averaging double digits per game offensively through the first four games of the year with 16.3 and 13.3 PPG, respectively. On the glass, the Valiants are collecting 36.3 rebounds per game, led by 5.8 per contest by Jake Dunn (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell). Manhattanville is looking for its first A.J. Buchanan Classic Championship since 2018.

The host Valiants square off with William Paterson in the opening round. The Pioneers enter the tournament 2-0 on the season, notching season-opening wins over CCNY and Brooklyn. Adryan Lopez made his season debut for William Paterson against Brooklyn with a team-leading 17 points, while Tyreek Montgomery, Michael Gilmore, Neftali Valentin and Shawn Summers Jr. all averaged double figures offensively through the first two games. Montgomery and Gilmore will enter the tourney as the Pioneers' leading rebounders with 7.5 boards each. The all-time series between the Valiants and Pioneers is tied 6-6, with Manhattanville winning the last three meetings dating back to 2010. The last time Manhattanville and William Paterson played was in 2017, a 62-60 Valiant win here in Purchase.

The other first round game will feature Trinity taking on Gwnyedd Mercy. The Bantams of Trinity College are competing in their third-consecutive A.J. Buchanan Classic, having won the tournament in 2019. Trinity notched a 74-55 win in their season-opener on Saturday against Nichols College. The trio of Ben Callahan-Gold, Charles Redd and Will Dorion all started in the win and reached double figure point totals, while Gilbert Otoo dominated the boards with 10 rebounds.

The Bantams will meet the Griffins, as Gwynedd Mercy enters the weekend 0-2. The Griffins fell to Arcadia on Tuesday night, 64-71. Despite the pair of losses to open up the year, Gwynedd Mercy has received stellar offensive output from Manny Clark. The junior is averaging 22.0 points per contest while being tied for the team lead in rebounds with JoHann Vinson (5.5 RPG). Friday will mark the first-ever meeting between Trinity and Gwynedd Mercy in men's basketball.

Tickets to the A.J. Buchanan Classic will be sold in the lobby of Kennedy Gymnasium prior to tip-off of both games. General admission is $5, while tickets for visiting students with a valid college ID are $3. Admission for Manhattanville students, faculty and staff is free with a valid Manhattanville College ID.

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