GLENDALE, Ariz. – Kicking off the 2025-26 regular season on the road against the No. 2-ranked program across the country is quite possibly the most difficult way to start not just a new season, but a coaching tenure, as the Corban University Men's Basketball team began the new year and era under first-year head coach Wayne Mendezona and fought tooth and nail before eventually falling 87-75 to the aforementioned Firestorm of Arizona Christian University.
"I thought our guys played extremely hard and showed tremendous courage in the face of a hostile environment," Mendezona explained following his first counting contest as the Corban program leader. "Our lapses we experienced today are normal playing against a team of this caliber, especially in our first game of the season, but I think there were many good signs that we can build on. I'm so very pleased with our overall performance, and I know we're going to only get better with each result."
The Warriors (0-1), who are participating in the 2025 Fultz Memorial Classic hosted by the Firestorm (4-1) that also features fellow Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) member Oregon Tech), found early success against ACU's persistent defensive presence and high-flying offensive attack, eventually ending the first half on a pair of and-one conversions from redshirt senior guard Anjay Cortez and senior guard Payton Meyers to cut the Warriors' deficit in half at 42-36.
While Arizona Christian was able to dominate the scoring off costly Corban turnovers and saw a 38-8 advantage in points scored off the bench, the Navy and Gold dominated play in the paint with a 44-28 scoring margin, while also ending the contest on a 10-0 scoring run over the final three minutes of regulation. Despite accepting the loss in their appearance of the year, the new-look Warriors showed plenty of promise against one of the top ranked teams in the NAIA.
Cortez and Meyers led Corban offensively with 19 and 17 points, respectively, while Cortez hauled in five rebounds and picked off a game-high five steals that led to transition baskets for the Navy and Gold. Redshirt junior center Tj Zimmerman pictured in 13 points, while senior guard Benett Bos added 10 points and six boards.
The Firestorm needed the 22-point outburst from guard Sabien Cain off the bench to withstand the Warriors' comeback bid, with guard Ese Onakpoma pitching in 18 points and nine rebounds. The final two student-athletes in double-figure scoring for either squad were represented by forward Mike DeHorney's 13 points and guard Shaud Bradley's ten.
Tomorrow afternoon, the Warriors are back in action within the confines of the ACU Events Center at 2pm MT/1pm PT, as they'll meet with No. 9-ranked The Master's University (3-2) for the first of two-straight contests scheduled with the Mustangs.
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