POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – The magical 2016-17 Corban University men's basketball season came to an end in the First Round of the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Championship on Thursday afternoon, as the Warriors came up short of pulling off an upset of No. 1-seeded and defending national champion, Indiana Wesleyan University, falling to the Wildcats, 100-87.
"I am very proud of the fight our guys showed today against the defending national champions," said Corban head coach Austin Johnson. "We battled all game and had some great opportunities, but at the end of the day struggled to hit shots which was the difference. Regardless, this group put their stamp on this program and will always be remembered for their unselfishness."
Corban was one of five Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) teams competing at the NAIA Men's Basketball National Tournament, a new CCC record for teams at the tournament.
The Warriors began the first half well, and Caleb Herzberg nailed a three-pointer inside of the first three minutes to give the Warriors the early advantage. That long-range effort extended Corban's NAIA-leading streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer made to 999-straight games.
Corban and IWU went back and forth for the remainder of the first half, and after a three-point play from Toby Roth, the Warriors held a 36-31 lead over the Wildcats with five minutes remaining before halftime. IWU then closed the half on a 17-6 run, however, taking a six-point lead into the locker rooms.
In the second stanza, Corban's AJ Monterossi nailed a jumper just after a minute of action to make it a one-point ballgame, but then Indian Wesleyan used a 22-3 offensive burst to take a commanding 72-52 advantage.
Resilient still, Corban fought back and with 5:14 left in regulation, Chris Martin drained a deep three-pointer, cutting the deficit to single digits at 84-75. That was as close as the Navy and Gold would get, however, as the top-seeded Wildcats pulled away and made their shots from the charity stripe down the stretch, securing the 13-point first-round triumph.
"Basketball is all about relationships and memories," said Coach Johnson. "This group of guys has been the most special group in all my career as a player and coach. They have given me and the Corban community so many amazing moments this past year. I'm so thankful for these guys and how much they care about each other. They are tremendous ambassadors for both God and Corban, and I'm lucky to coach them."
Sophomore Joel Johnson led the way offensively for Corban with 21 points on a 9-for-14 shooting effort to go with seven rebounds. Martin provided 17 points off the bench for the Warriors, while Jake Love chipped in 13 points for the Navy and Gold. Additionally, Monterossi finished with 12 points and a team-best three assists, while Herzberg tallied 10 points and five boards in his final game as a Warrior.
As a team, the Warriors shot 44.9% overall from the field while going just 26.3% from beyond the arc. Indiana Wesleyan finished shooting 56.1% from the floor and 40.0% from deep.
Corban finishes the 2016-17 campaign with an 18-16 overall record and a magical run through the CCC Tournament that will remain in the memories of many for years to come.
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