Saturday. Manhattan Cup championship. Canisius vs. St. Joe's.
 
Canisius ensured a third edition of this season's basketball rivalry by delivering an excellent winning performance over Bishop Timon-St. Jude, 65-53, Wednesday night in the Manhattan Cup semifinals at Canisius University.
 
The Cruaaders (21-4), the No. 2 large school in Western New York, will return to the Canisius University's Koessler Athletic Center at 6 p.m. Saturday to play No. 1 St. Joe's (21-3).
 
These excellent photos are by outstanding CHS Digital Media photographer Noah Morlock '25 (@morlockprod).
 
Tickets are $8 presale via chsaany.org/tickets.
 
The game will be broadcast on @WNYAthletics.
 
Coach Kyle Husband '96 and the Crusaders never trailed against No. 4 large school Timon as they advanced to their fourth straight Manhattan Cup title game and 14th in 17 seasons.
 
Patrick Cullinan '25 had three three-pointers among his 21 points while Nick Purdie '25 had 14 as eight Crusaders contributed to the scoring. Also scoring were Jack Cullinan '27 (nine), Jahyden Clark '25 (eight), Johnny Esposito '25 (five), Sam Atkinson '25 (four), Patrick Enright '25 (three) and Ondre Foster '26 (one).
 
Canisius and St. Joe's split their regular season matchups in the Monsignor Martin Athletic Association, each winning at home. Canisius won 51-49 on Jan. 18 at Bernard J. Kennedy Field House; St. Joe's won the teams' regular season finale on Feb. 14, 55-48, in Hogan Gymnasium.
 
This is the eighth time that the rivals have met in the Manhattan Cup championship game and the first time since 2020, when Canisius won, 63-54. Canisius is 4-3 all-time against St. Joe's in the Manhattan Cup final. 
 
Previous Canisius-St. Joe's meetings in Manhattan Cup championship:
 
2020 Canisius 63, St. Joe's 54. MVP: Dewayne Vass.
2011 Canisius 57, St. Joe's 53. MVP: Gordon Lyons.
2006 St. Joe's 67, Canisius 53. MVP: Devon Dawson.
2005 Canisius 58, St. Joe's 47. MVP: Nick Kney.
1996 Canisius 56, St. Joe's 54. MVP: Tommy Keenan.
1982 St. Joe's 65, Canisius 45. MVP: Eric Mose.
1949 St. Joe's 44, Canisius 37 (second year of Manhattan Cup; MVP started in 1958).
 
St. Joe's has won 21 Manhattan Cups, the last in 2021; Canisius has won 19, the last in 2022.
  
See the rest of the Crusaders' top-flight schedule, roster with head shots and bios, photo galleries and much more at the unparalleled canisiussports.com
 
Families interested in CHS Basketball and the excellence only found in a Jesuit education at Canisius – ranked as the Buffalo area's "Best Catholic School" by Business First – can learn more by arranging an on-campus experience via canisiushigh.org/visit
 
This place is special. Let us show you why.
 
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