PORTLAND, Ore. – It took an extra period for the first time in the 2024-25 season along with a massive comeback late in the second half, yet the Corban University Men's Basketball team emerged victorious tonight on Jim Skagen Court to complete the season sweep of the Multnomah Lions who nearly pulled off the upset victory in the two programs' final regular season meeting in Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) history. With each program securing double-digit leads at least once throughout tonight's conference matchup, it was the Warriors who were able to dig deep when it mattered most to overcome the potential road loss and push their winning streak to a third game.
"That was one of the grittier wins we have had in a long time," Corban head coach Taylor Kelly detailed following his team's first overtime contest of year. "We were not playing well defensively for most of the game, but we settled down to storm back with a much more focused effort with three minutes to play to force overtime. Jared had some massive free throws and guys stepped up and stuck their own free throws down the stretch to win the game. I can't express how good it felt to come out of that game with a win. Love these guys and look forward to seeing how we execute tomorrow."
Needing a win to stay in third place overall within the CCC standings, the Warriors (12-7, 10-3) traded baskets back-and-forth with the Lions (11-7, 7-6) until baskets on four of five possessions while holding the Lions to just two field goals opened up a six-point lead for Corban. The Navy and Gold lead would climb to as many as 12 points with 7:50 remaining in the first half, yet Multnomah kept pace and cut the lead to a single possession with 36 seconds remaining to trail just 42-39 at halftime.
The Warriors opened up the second half with the same momentum they began the contest, as junior guard Spivey Word scored the team's first eight points out of the locker room to nearly reach double-digit advantage on the scoreboard once again. Once again, the Lions kept chipping away at their deficit and thanks to a 13-0 run, eventually took just their second lead of the evening to force Coach Kelly into a timeout to regroup his program.
Over the next ten minutes of regulation, the Warriors and Lions traded blows and neither team could stretch away with more than a two possession lead, yet from 7:46 to 4:41 on the game clock, Multnomah couldn't miss from the field while Corban fell uncharacteristically quiet on their own offensive end to trail by a game-worst 11 points and desperately needing some defensive to quiet the Lion faithful.
Possession-by-possession, Coach Kelly and the Warriors forced Multnomah turnovers and arrant shot attempts to provide themselves with any possible chance to revive their conference victory hopes and found what they needed to force and overtime period via the heroics of four senior leaders. Guard Luc Krystkowiak sank a pair of free throws to begin the 11-1 run over the final four minutes of the second half, followed by a massive three-pointer by guard RJ Veliz that set guard and hometown favorite Drayton Caoile up for a pair of free throws to cut the lead to just three points.
On the subsequent possession, Veliz hit a jumper in the paint to pull within a single point, and after the Lions split a pair from the free throw line for their first points in over three minutes of game time, forward Jared Franklin would be fouled and sent to the free throw line for some of the biggest attempts of his career.
With 40 seconds remaining, Franklin splashed both shots from the charity stripe to officially bring the Warriors back from the dead and force an overtime period following a Multnomah turnover on the following possession. From 83-73 to 84-all in less than four minutes to wrap up regulation had the Navy and Gold holding all of the momentum.
Caoile stayed in to start the overtime period in front of his hometown fans and converted on a midrange jumper and deep three-pointer to start the overtime scoring, yet the Lions roared right back with some massive offense following a four-point play by forward Keilan Torkornoo. Each squad traded free throws over the next several possessions in a contest that featured 50 total team fouls, yet Corban had an opportunity to create some distance fall out of their hands after their three-point lead was erased by yet another timely three-ball by Multnomah, who hit 12 shots from deep on the night.
Another clutch jumper from Franklin had the Warriors back in front and following a split of free throws attempts from Caoile who was fouled and shot a pair after a technical foul was assessed to the Lions, the Navy and Gold were able to make it a two-possession game with 19 seconds remaining thanks to another two points out of Veliz.
Despite a three-point heave from Multnomah with time dwindling that cashed in, Veliz hit his fifth and sixth opportune free throws of the matchup to clinch to come-from-behind victory in Corban's final appearance in Lytle Gym. An atypical 18 turnovers out of the Warriors was recovered by an offense that shot over 50% overall and 37.5% from deep, all while converting on 27-of-34 free throw attempts.
Word completed tonight's contest as one of five Corban student-athletes to score in double figures, cashing in one nearly 50% of his attempts to score 25 points with a quartet of three-pointers. Veliz and Caoile both hit new season and Warrior-best scoring marks with 20 and 16 points, respectively, while junior guard Payton Meyers provided a spark off the bench with 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting. Krystkowiak secured baskets on four of his six attempts to finish with 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Lions' guard Kadeem Nelson clocked in for a complete game to drop an all-around performance of 29 points, six rebounds, and six assists, yet six turnovers kept Nelson grounded and forced to look for the open man which created turmoil for Corban over their second half scoring drought. Forward Noah McCord hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds, Torkornoo scored 16 points, and guard Noah Madsen and Braedon Edison tallied 18 and 10 points, respectively.
Tomorrow night, the Navy and Gold are back in the Rose City for a 5pm CCC matchup at Warner Pacific University (9-9, 4-9) looking to cap off their second-straight unbeaten weekend and yet another season sweep.
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