BRONX, N.Y. – Back in action for the first time in 19 days and for the final time in 2022, the Manhattanville College men's basketball team knocked off Lehman by a final of 73-62 on Thursday evening. The non-conference contest will officially end the first half of the season with a 9-3 record for the Valiants, entering the new year on a five-game winning streak.

Manhattanville received a pair of double-doubles to help secure the win coming from Tommy Lotito (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) and Jackson Leech (Chicago, Ill./Von Steuben). Lotito, the Valiants' leader in scoring for the year, led the way with a 20 point performance. It was the senior's third straight game putting up 20 or more points, bringing his season average to 17.8 points per contest. Lotito also recorded his first double-double of the year with a season-high 10 rebounds. Leech, meanwhile, had a team-high 11 boards as he continues to lead the team with 6.5 rebounds per game. Alongside his 19 point outing, Leech secured his second double-double of the year.

Jake Dunn (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) rounded out the top scorers for the contest with 12 points. The Valiants would narrowly win the rebound battle 48-44 with Ryan Giordano (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) also getting involved for the road team with six boards. The senior center added a season-high three blocks as part of his performance. Lotito, meanwhile, would also finish as the game's leader in assists with four and steals with three.

Shooting 45 percent over the first half, the Valiants built up a 10 point lead at the halftime buzzer. Manhattanville scored the opening seven points of the contest as Leech and Giordano connected on layups before Matt Bielenda (Wethersfield, Conn./Xavier) buried a shot from beyond the arc across the opening two minutes. Lehman would get on the board for the first time with a Will Feldman three pointer three minutes into the half.

The Valiant lead held around six points for most of the half. Manhattanville would finally push the lead up to double digits with 5:45 to play as Leech converted an and-1 on a layup, putting the Valiants ahead 26-16. While Lehman responded with a Juan Fernandez three, Lotito fired a deep ball of his own on the following possession to reestablish the 10 point advantage. Manhattanville's lead climbed as high as 11 following an Xavier Kistoo-Miles (Spring Valley, N.Y./Spring Valley) three with 4:33 remaining in the half, but Lehman went on a 10-2 run to cut the lead down to three with 1:23 to go. The Valiants pieced together a 7-0 run over the final 55 seconds, capped off by Kistoo-Miles beating the buzzer on a three pointer to make the score 41-31 in favor of the Valiants at the half.

Manhattanville outscored the Lightning 32-31 in the second half, protecting the lead for the rest of the way home. However, things did not necessarily come easy despite the final result. Lehman opened the half on an 8-1 run over the opening four minutes that cut Manhattanville's lead down to three. Kistoo-Miles would reestablish some breathing room for the Valiants with their first field goal of the half with a three pointer, but Lehman continued to find offensive success, cutting the lead down to a single point, 47-46, with 12:31 to go.

That would be as close as the Lightning would pull as Manhattanville responded to their opponents breathing down their necks with an 8-0 run. The lead never dipped below four points over the final 10:33. The Valiants pulled back up by double figures with 2:31 to go following a Lotito layup, while Leech put away the game with emphasis, accounting for Manhattanville's final basket with a dunk with 32 seconds remaining. Lehman struck last with a dunk of their own but it was too little, too late as Manhattanville collected their fifth-straight win, 73-62.

Up Next
The Valiants will next be on the court in 2023, ringing in the new year on Tuesday at home for a Skyline clash with Mount Saint Mary at 7 p.m.

VALIANTS on SOCIAL MEDIA For the latest on Manhattanville Athletics, follow the Valiants via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.  #WeAreValiant #GoValiants