SALEM, Ore. – The (RV) Corban University men's basketball team trailed for all of two minutes in Saturday afternoon's matchup with Camosun College, taking a 7-6 lead with 18:02 left in the first half and remaining in control for the rest of the contest. In the end, the Warriors walked away with a 90-70 triumph over the Chargers, wrapping up a perfect 2-0 weekend at home.
"In the first 20 minutes, we played hard and we played together on both ends of the floor," said head coach Mitch Freeman. "We were able to spread minutes and go deep into our bench. We must learn to stay consistent and play 40 minutes together!"
The Navy and Gold dominated the first half of play, taking a daunting 30-point lead (52-22) into the locker room.
The Chargers answered back with a strong second half of play, outscoring the Warriors 48-38 in the second stanza, though it wouldn't be enough to erase Corban's advantage.
The Warriors shot 48.5% from the field in triumph, sinking 7-of-23 three-pointers.
Elijah Welch turned in a premier performance for the Navy and Gold, going 6-of-10 from the field and finishing with a team-high 16 points.
In the Warrior back court, AJ Hodges showcased his ability to get to the rim on multiple occasions, ending the night with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Down low, Isiah Quintero added 13 points with eight rebounds.
Mauricio Smith finished the night just one board shy of a double-double, registering 10 points and nine rebounds for Freeman and company.
Camosun (0-2) was led by Shaquille Maharaj, who notched a double-double (18 points, 10 rebounds) in the losing effort.
"We now have a week off, with our alumni game next Saturday," added Freeman, looking at the squad's upcoming schedule. "This will give us time to watch film and break down how we can improve."
Corban (2-1) will enjoy a week off from official competition, returning to court on November 8-9 for the Northwest Tournament. The Warriors will compete against Salish Kootenai College at 3 p.m. on November 8 before tackling Northwest Indian College at 1 p.m. on the day after.