CALDWELL, Idaho – A longstanding Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) record that both began against the Corban University Men's Basketball team was finally snapped by the same Warrior program earlier tonight in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center, as the Navy and Gold entered as true road underdogs and absolutely stunned the No. 2-ranked College of Idaho Yotes on their home court by holding their potent offense to a season-low 56 points in a 59-56 road upset for the Warriors. Dating back to the 2021-22 season, the Yotes had not lost a single conference contest, including back-to-back 22-0 CCC slates in 2022-23 and 2023-24, beginning with an overtime home win against Corban and finally coming to an end at 57-straight conference games by the Warriors in Caldwell earlier tonight.
"We knew we had to come in with a gritty mindset and control the game straight from the opening tip, and our guys did just that," Corban head coach Taylor Kelly explained following his program's massive victory to kick off the 2025 calendar year. "We out rebounded them and held them to below 40% shooting, which is a testament to our group's mental toughness. These guys work extremely hard, love each other, and they are starting to figure out what it means to play winning basketball. This was a big day for Corban men's basketball, and I'm excited to keep building and getting better."
In a battle between the CCC's top two defensive programs by scoring defense, with the Yotes (10-2, 5-1) allowing just 62.5 points per game compared to just over 67 per game by the Warriors (8-5, 5-1), the defensive MasterClass was on display early and often in C of I's lowest scoring first half of the season thus far. While Corban converted on over half of their field goal attempts for 28 points, College of Idaho made the most of their 15 team rebounds and were successful running their offense at times (six assists) yet struggled mightily with the Warriors' defensive scheme throughout the first 20 minutes of action.
The Navy and Gold were commanding the pace of play throughout almost the entire first half, yet a late rally by the Yotes allowed them to inch ahead 29-28 at the halftime horn. Corban forced six C of I turnovers during the opening half yet coughed up seven of their own to trail at the midway point. A six-point Warrior lead at 15-9 represented the largest lead of the contest thus far, with Corban junior guard Spivey Word demolishing the CCC's highest ranked defense with 13 of the Warriors 28 points as he and the visiting team looked to keep the momentum alive entering the second period of play within a hostile road environment.
An 8-0 run to open the second half by the Yotes immediately put the Warriors in danger of blowing an incredible first half of basketball for themselves yet answered with their own 7-0 run to calm the nerves and keep within striking distance at 37-35. Corban and C of I traded baskets back and forth for the next ten minutes of in-game time, with the Yotes never extending their lead to above four points before the Navy and Gold went on a huge run that was sparked by a dunk thrown down by junior guard Payton Meyers, followed by a jumper from senior forward Devean Hinton to knot the game at 49-49 to represent the last tie of the game.
After the Yotes missed another three-pointer on their own offensive end, Hinton secured a massive offensive rebound after a Corban missed three-ball, which he dished to senior guard Drayton Caolie for a second chance opportunity from beyond the arc, which he drained with ease to give the Warriors the lead for the final time. Two possessions later, Hinton hit the biggest three-pointer of his career, as the 6'6 Houston, Texas native shot his first longball of the season and only the fourth of his Corban career as he was on the receiving end of a drive-and-dish scenario from senior guard RJ Veliz, where he was left wide open in the corner to give his team a six-point lead with under four minutes to play.
Despite not being able to add to their lead over the next minute and a half of play, the Navy and Gold also held the Yotes without a point scored until a foul with 2:25 on the clock, where C of I split a pair at the line to trail by five. On the very next possession, senior guard Luc Krystkowiak drove to the hoop and scooped in a layup to push the Warriors' lead to seven points and time not on the Yotes' sideline after having successfully bled the game clock over their last four possessions.
College of Idaho would eventually pull to within a single point after getting six-straight from guard and reigning CCC Player of the Year Samaje Morgan, yet with only 39 seconds remaining, the Warriors just needed to either score on their next possession or earn a hard-fought offensive rebound to possibly ice the game from the free throw line.
Enter Veliz and his senior leadership when it mattered most, as the Western Oregon University transfer snagged his first offensive rebound of the contest and only the third for Corban all night long, eventually getting fouled with 3.3 seconds remaining and was sent to the free throw line for an incredibly meaningful 1-and-1 opportunity. Veliz stepped to the line following a C of I timeout and despite the ruckus Caldwell crowd filling the gymnasium with meaningless racket, hit both of his attempts to provide Corban with a three-point lead.
A full court desperation heave by the Yotes was intercepted by Krystkowiak, allowing time to expire and send the Warriors' bench into a frenzy across C of I's home court. The road win propels Corban men's basketball to the top of the CCC standings alongside No. 15-ranked Lewis-Clark State College, who is scheduled to host the Battle of the Warriors next Saturday in Lewiston.
As a team, the Warriors shot 49% from the field against a C of I program that holds opposing squads to under 40% on average thus far this season, while Corban allowed the Yotes to score on just 39% of their own attempts, along with 27% from three-point territory, to represent season-low marks in just about every offensive category for The College of Idaho. A 30-28 rebounding advantage by the Navy and Gold was also a massive key to victory, as they were able to establish their presence in the paint early despite 30 personal fouls called in total of tonight's CCC contest.
Corban's leading scorer this season and constant threat from deep, junior guard Spivey Word, was electric tonight both offensively and defensively after dropping both a game-high 23 points and swiping three steals. Krystkowiak was the only other student-athlete in double-figuring scoring tonight with 12 points, four rebounds, and a blocked shot, while sophomore guard Ben Krystkowiak added seven points, four rebounds, and three steals as well.
The Yotes had three different scorers with nine points but not a single student-athlete was able to crack double-figures against the Warriors' sturdy defensive presence, as Morgan was joined by guards Drew Wyman and Dougie Peoples as the team leaders in scoring, with Wyman and guard Johnny Radford each snagging four boards. Morgan tied Word and Ben Krystkowiak with three steals defensively.
Tomorrow evening, Corban men's basketball will continue their trek back to the Willamette Valley with a head-to-head bout against Eastern Oregon University (8-4, 3-3), which will take place at 5pm directly following the women's contest.
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