LEWISTON, Idaho – In quite possibly the highest offensive output contest of the 2024-25 season for the Corban University Men's Basketball program and their opponent, as both teams combined for 168 points and over 60% field goal shooting for entirety of regulation, it was the host Warriors of (RV) Lewis-Clark State College who ended the Navy and Gold's year in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Tournament quarterfinal stage via an 88-75 final from northwestern Idaho earlier this evening.
Despite a season-long commitment to defense, Corban (15-14, 13-9) was able to stay in this contest with their efforts on the offensive half of the court, as LC State (23-6, 17-5) forced the Navy and Gold into hitting shots in order to just keep within striking distance after a nearly 70% evening for the host Warriors. Lewis-Clark missed only twenty field goals for the entire 40 minutes played while committing just five fouls defensively.
Trailing by 12 points at halftime, the visiting Warriors held multiple runs to pull within two possessions and with 2:56 remaining, a pair of free throws by senior guard Luc Krystkowiak cut the deficit to six points at 75-69 for the first time since early in the first half. However, a three-pointer for Lewis-Clark State on the ensuing possessions reignited the LC State offense and within a minute of cutting their deficit to a pair of possessions, Corban men's basketball trailed by double-digits once again despite playing great defense and forcing late shot clock possessions by the hometown Warriors.
In the final game of his collegiate career, Krystkowiak dropped a game-high 25 points with a trio of three-pointers and a 10-for-14 field goal outing for quite possibly the best single game performance for the Salt Lake City native of his Corban career. Junior guard Spivey Word and senior guard Drayton Caoile each scored 12 points apiece, while sophomore guard Ben Krystkowiak added eight points in his final game suited up alongside his older brother.
LC State star forward Alton Hamilton had his way on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court against the Navy and Gold, dropping 16 points on 8-for-9 shooting along with 12 rebounds for a double-double performance. Guards MaCarhy Morris and John Lustig pitched in 23 and 18 points from their starting positions, respectively, while guard Gorden Boykins scored 13 points off the bench in a 26-minute outing.
Corban men's basketball will graduate nine senior student-athletes this upcoming spring with eight rostered players set to return in the fall of 2025 and giving Coach Kelly and his staff plenty of recruiting leeway heading into his sixth season as the head coach of the Navy and Gold. An eleventh-straight season ends in the postseason for Corban men's basketball and will provide the program with plenty of room for growth as they look to extend their postseason streak into next school year.
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