SALEM, Ore. – With his first ever core collegiate recruiting class having graduated last spring term, Corban University Men's Basketball head coach Taylor Kelly has revitalized his team with an impressive group of newcomers to combine with his returning core that makes the Warriors a dark horse candidate within the stacked Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC). With three nationally ranked teams in this year's NAIA preseason poll, the CCC is as strong as ever and Coach Kelly is convinced his program is more than capable of causing some chaos among the top of the conference standings.
To view the 2024-25 QuickFacts for Corban men's basketball on the conference website, click HERE.
The 2023-24 season once again saw Coach Kelly and his Warriors exceed expectations, as they were predicted to finish seventh in the CCC preseason poll only to finish in a tie for fourth with Southern Oregon University. The Navy and Gold concluded last season at 17-11 overall and 14-8 in conference play, with their season ending in the 2024 CCC Tournament quarterfinals after qualifying for the postseason for the tenth-consecutive year.
The upcoming non-conference slate will be almost entirely on the road, with the Warriors' season opener being one of two exceptions. They'll both open their season and close their non-conference schedule at the C.E. Jeffers Center, the former of which takes place tomorrow evening, October 30th, at 7:30pm against crosstown rival NCAA DIII Willamette University.
A pair of NAIA tourneys and an NCAA DI exhibition will take up a majority of November for Corban men's basketball, as they'll travel to southern California to battle No. 10-ranked The Master's University and No. 6-ranked Arizona Christian University, followed by an exhibition with Boise State University early the following week. They'll end the three-week road trip in Eugene for the Dave Lipp Classic, where they'll have matchups Simpson University and RV Hope International University.
One final non-conference matchup on Tim Hills Court against Portland Bible College on the final day of November will provide the Navy and Gold with their last tune-up opportunity before the grueling CCC schedule kicks off to begin the month of December. Five-straight home games followed by five-straight road games will set the tone for the remainder of the Warriors' 2024-25 regular season schedule, where they hope to conclude with a victory over Walla Walla University on their senior night February 22nd and better their postseason seeding.
To view the entire 2024-25 Corban men's basketball schedule, click HERE.
The loss of four key seniors from the Warriors' daily starting lineup, including guards Taylor Anderson, Collin Warmouth, and Reece Van Lierop, along with an anticipated medical redshirt season for returning forward Jay Wilson, will be difficult for Coach Kelly to replace as he returns six student-athletes from last year.
Senior forward Devean Hinton looks to take center court in replace of Wilson after appearing in 27-of-28 games for the program in 2023-24, starting in five and brings his 6-6 frame to the paint along with senior forward Jared Franklin who appeared in all 28 contests last year. Finally, redshirt junior guard Nikola Milosevic will return as one of Coach Kelly's key players in offensive distribution among a crowded backcourt.
To view the program's up-to-date roster, click HERE.
Despite returners around the key, Coach Kelly brought in his largest recruiting class to date with ten newcomers ready to compete within one of the NAIA's toughest conferences, as nine transfers and one true freshman look to compete for immediate playing time within the four-time CCC tourney championship program.
Transfer brother guards Luc and Ben Krystkowiak, sons of former University of Utah head coach and 12-year NBA veteran Larry Krystkowiak, bolster the Corban lineup with their well-versed collegiate experience and All-Conference recognition from the NCAA DI ranks. Fellow transfer guards Spivey Word and Clyde Harris Jr. from Palomar College will combine forces with the Krystkowiaks, senior guard RJ Veliz, and junior guard Payton Meyers for one of the most stacked backcourts in the NAIA.
To read up more on the 2024-25 men's basketball recruiting class, click HERE.
With a lockdown defensive presence known throughout the west coast and plenty of mouths to feed in a productive offensive scheme, Coach Kelly and his program and Warrior Nation primed for yet another successful season from spiritual, academic, and athletic prowess perspectives.
Follow Corban Athletics:
Facebook l Twitter l Instagram l YouTube l Email
