PURCHASE, N.Y. – It was a Senior Night to remember for the Manhattanville College men's basketball team, as the Valiants hung on in an overtime thriller against Mount Saint Mary, 71-70. The win is the Valiants' seventh straight, as the team improves to 14-7 overall and 11-3 in Skyline play, continuing to sit atop the conference's North Division.

Prior to tip-off, the Valiants honored eight graduating players who played their final regular season home game inside Kennedy Gymnasium on Tuesday. Connor Yetman (Sydney, Australia/The Scots College (H.S.)), chris Maestre, Jake Dunn (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell), Petey Galgano (New Rochelle, N.Y./Wilbraham & Monson Academy (Mass.)), Matt Bielenda (Wethersfield, Conn./Xavier), Chris Brown (Miami, Fla./Coral Gables Senior), Mike Granda (Monroe Township, N.J./St. Joseph), and Wesley Kra (Queens, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy Memorial) were all honored pregame for their contributions to the Crimson and White.

As for the game itself, it may have been Senior Night, but it was junior Ryan Giordano (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) that put together a career-best night to help secure the win. Giordano had a career-high 17 points on an 8-of-12 night from the floor while also collecting five rebounds. The forward was especially big in the overtime period, accounting for five of the team's 10 points in the final deciding frame.

Galgano and Granda did their part to secure the dub on their day, as the senior tandem both put up 13. Granda also led the team with three three pointers in the contest.

The Valiants held a narrow advantage in the battle of the boards, 45-41. All 11 Valiants that stepped on the court ended the night with a rebound. Tommy Lotito (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) matched Giordano's five to lead the team, while Galgano, Dunn, and Maestre each had four.

It was a back-and-forth affair where neither team was able to find the putaway run in the contest. The largest lead on either side never eclipsed 10, as momentum shifted up and down the court. The Knights struck first with a 9-2 run to open up the contest over the first four and a half, but the Valiants quickly chopped the lead down to one over the ensuing minute and a half. It would take until the 9:55 mark for the home team to secure their first lead as Maestre sank a pair of free throws to cap off a 6-0 run, putting the Vals up 14-12. The teams would trade the lead four more times before the half came to a close, but the Valiants scored the final eight points of the last 3:44 to head into the break, 30-24.

The Knights came out firing, scoring 11 straight to open up the half to go up 35-30. Mount Saint Mary's lead would slowly climb up to nine with 7:51 to play, the largest lead of the night for either team at 50-41. The Valiants would play catchup until 2:20 to play, as Giordano's layup knotted the score up at 57-57. Both teams scored four points to close out the half, as Galgano hit a layup with 24 seconds left to put the Valiants up. The Knights had one last response, as Connor Cyran hit a response layup to send the game to overtime.

A 6-0 run in the middle of overtime proved to be the difference in the game, as Giordano hit a layup and a free throw and Granda sank a three to put the Valiants up 69-63 with a minute left. The Knights pulled to within one off a Cyran three with eight seconds to go, and while the Knights had a look on a buzzer beater attempt, Chris Yearwood's shot was off line and the Valiants secured the W.

Up Next
After tonight's thriller, the two team will try to top it on Thursday when they meet again in Newburgh at 7 p.m.

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