Joel Johnson recorded a triple-double en route to leading the Corban men's basketball team to a 12-point win over No. 20 Oregon Tech. (Photo Credit: Luke Dusenbury)
SALEM, Ore. – The Corban University men's basketball team earned a big Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) victory over the No. 20-ranked Oregon Tech Owls on Friday night, 82-70. The Warriors' balanced team effort was helped in large part by an incredible individual effort from Joel Johnson, who finished with his first career triple-double (28 points, 14 rebounds, 11 blocks).
"Tonight was a big time Cascade Conference matchup," said Corban head coach Austin Johnson. "We didn't necessarily have our best stuff in terms of shooting or rebounding, but we definitely were at our toughest."
The lead exchanged hands multiple times early in the first frame, with both teams coming out of the gates strong. The Warriors rode a late run to pull ahead at the end of the half, highlighted by a pair of highlight-reel slams from Johnson.
The Warriors would maintain the lead for the remainder of the contest, continuing their hot shooting in the second half to seal the victory.
Johnson's presence was inescapable on both sides of the ball, with his 28 points, 14 boards, and 11 blocks all serving as team-bests. The junior center was 11-for-12 from the field en route to the triple-double.
Click here to watch Johnson's post-game interview.
"Joel Johnson was a monster on both sides of the ball," said coach Johnson. "I honestly haven't seen an individual performance like that from a post player in my coaching career."
In addition, Caleb Dozier tallied 12 points on eight rebounds for the Warriors, with Jett Sobotta notching 13 of his own.
As a team, Corban shot 52.5% from the field, while finishing 29.4% from downtown.
"Damien [Fulp] and Jett [Sobotta] were big in the areas we needed them to be," said coach Johnson. "Also, a big thanks to our incredible crowd tonight, as they created an unbelievable atmosphere."
For the Owls, Mitchell Fink led the way with a team-best 21 points to go alongside three assists. Tyler Hieb also finished with a double-digit scoring effort, tacking on an additional 14 on the evening.
As a team, Oregon Tech (14-6, 7-3 CCC) shot 32% from the field, going 5-20 from beyond-the-arc.
"We'll enjoy this, but we need to be ready to roll tomorrow against another big-time opponent," said coach Johnson. "I'm excited to see how our guys will respond."
Next up, Corban (12-6, 6-4 CCC) will host No. 23 Southern Oregon University in another crucial conference match-up, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.