SALEM, Ore. – The Corban University men's basketball team opened the 2026-27 campaign with an impressive all-around performance on Thursday evening, defeating Simpson University 71-54 inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center. The victory marked the first win of the season for the Warriors in their first counting contest, who showcased a balanced attack and stifling defense in front of their home crowd.
"We opened our season with a very solid victory over Simpson tonight," began Warriors' head coach Wayne Mendezona as he opens his second year as the program leader. "I was extremely pleased with our overall defensive effort, rebounding, and the way our guys executed much of our game plan. CJ was arguably our most complete player, as he was outstanding on both ends of the floor and really impacted the game in multiple ways. TJ led us in scoring with 17 points, Lincoln was tremendous on the glass, pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds, Ethan contributed 11 points and 4 rebounds, while Landon provided an excellent spark off the bench. Our guys did a very good job of executing our defensive strategy, protecting the paint, and making Simpson work for their opportunities. We also showed good balance offensively, with four players scoring in double figures or within one point of it. There are certainly areas we need to improve, particularly our perimeter shooting and free throws, but overall, I thought this was a very encouraging performance. I was especially pleased with our Collective Mindset, defensive intensity, and willingness to compete together. It was a good first step, and we'll continue building from here."
After falling behind in the opening minutes, Corban (1-0) quickly seized control behind a strong effort from redshirt senior guard Clyde Harris Jr. and redshirt senior center TJ Zimmermann. The Warriors used a 13-5 run to build an advantage midway through the first half before closing the period on a 20-7 surge to take a 38-26 lead into the locker room.
Corban never allowed the Red Hawks (3-2) back within striking distance in the second half, pushing its advantage to as many as 21 points while dominating the interior on both ends of the floor. The Warriors outscored Simpson 46-26 in the paint, held the visitors to just 34.4 percent shooting from the field and 20.8 percent from beyond the arc, and won the battle on the glass by a 48-38 margin.
Zimmermann led all scorers with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting while adding five rebounds and two blocked shots in his first game of the season. Harris Jr. was dominant throughout the contest, finishing with 15 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting clip while contributing five rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. The veteran guard scored 10 points in the opening half and helped Corban establish its double-digit advantage.
Freshman guard Ethan Inocencio enjoyed an impressive collegiate debut with 11 points and four rebounds, while junior forward Lincoln Satterthwaite anchored the glass with nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds, falling one point shy of a double-double in his first appearance as a Warrior. Sophomore guard Landon Knox provided a spark off the bench with nine points, while senior guard Joe Gould filled the stat sheet with six points, five rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Sophomore guard Lucas Zook also connected on a three-pointer late in the contest for the Warriors.
For Simpson, Ameere Britton led the way with 12 points, while Yanis Aldeguer added 11 points, seven rebounds, and three steals. Sargent Jeffrey secured a team-high 11 boards, including six off the offensive glass.
Corban men's basketball will ride the high of their season-opener victory and return to action on Friday afternoon when they travel to face NCAA DII Western Oregon University in a counting matchup scheduled for 4pm in Monmouth at the PE Center.
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