BOX SCORE

SALEM, Ore. – Despite a team-leading 17 points on 8-for-15 shooting from the field by senior Ben Potloff (Keizer, Ore.), Corban's men's basketball team fell to the NAIA's No. 9-ranked Knights of Warner Pacific, 87-61, Friday night inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.

With tonight's result, Corban falls to 6-11 overall and 1-5 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. Meanwhile, Warner Pacific extends its winning streak to eight games and improves to 13-3 overall and a conference-leading 5-1 in league competition.

Potloff was aided scoring-wise by junior Nash Keene (Aumsville, Ore.), who tallied 10 points on 3-for-8 shooting from the field to go along with fellow junior Bryan Martin's (Salem, Ore.) nine-point, four-rebound, three-assist performance. On the boards, junior Deonte Johnson (Modesto, Calif.) led the Warriors with a team-leading seven rebounds.

In the opening half, Corban scored the first five points and led by one point (9-8) following a Martin lay-in with 15:15 showing on the clock. Unfortunately that would be the last time that the host Warriors would hold the lead, as Warner Pacific used a half-closing 43-19 run en route to grabbing a 23-point advantage (51-28) at intermission thanks to a Marcel Smith three-pointer for the final points of the opening twenty minutes.

The second half was more of an even game, as Corban would pull to within 17 points (60-43) after a pair of Keene free throws with just under 14 minutes left in the game. After sitting the Knights' starters for the remainder of the game, Warner Pacific's reserves would push its lead to as much as 27 points (87-60) thanks to a Stephen Harris three-pointer with just over one minute remaining. The visiting Knights would have to settle for a 26-point victory (87-61), as freshman Jordan Graneto (Keizer, Ore.) would register the game's final point via a free throw with 4.5 seconds left in the game.

Warner Pacific had five players in double figures led by Reggie Guyton's 18 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field that included a 4-for-7 performance from three-point range. Four other Knights – Webster Moreland, Harris, Kaylone Riley, and Jake Glisson – added 16, 14, 10, and 10 points respectively, while Glisson pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to go along with Riley's game-high five blocks.

As a team, Corban shot 21-for-54 (38.9%) from the field to go along with a 3-for-14 (21.4%) showing from three-point range and a 16-for-26 (61.5%) performance at the free throw line. On the other hand, Warner Pacific was 33-for-69 (47.8%) from the field that included a 20-for-39 (51.3%) performance in the first half en route to securing its large halftime advantage. The visiting Knights were also 10-for-24 (41.7%) from long distance and 11-for-20 (55.0%) at the charity stripe.

Corban will return to the hardwood tomorrow night – Saturday, January 9th – when its hosts the Cavaliers of Concordia beginning at approximately 7:30 p.m. inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.