Warriors fall to NAIA’s No. 2-ranked Southern Oregon

December 2, 2005

BOX SCORE

SALEM, Ore. – The build up and hype about tonight’s conference opening match up between Corban’s men’s basketball team and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ (NAIA) No. 2-ranked Southern Oregon proved worthy until the final eight minutes when the visiting Red Raiders scored 11 unanswered points to gain control and win, 70-58, on Friday night.

Senior All-American Eric Fiegi (Medford, Ore.) led Corban with 20 points, but was held off the boards as he collected a mere 3 rebounds in 34 minutes of action.  The 6-foot-9 South Medford High School graduate shot 8-for-18 (44.4%) from the field, while blocking 2 shots.

Along with Fiegi (pictured right), seniors Chris Lynn (Kent, Wash.) and Joel Worcester (Eugene, Ore.) recorded 16 and 11 points respectively.  Junior Ben Sisler (Corvallis, Ore.) led Corban with 8 rebounds, while freshman Jason Braun (Dallas, Ore.) and four other Warriors grabbed 4 and 3 rebounds respectively.

Falling behind 49-39, the Warriors then used a pair of baskets and an assist from Worcester and a steal and hoop by Sisler to score eight straight in pulling within 2 (49-47) near the 13-minute mark of the second half.  Southern Oregon finished out the game on a 21-11 run for the 12-point victory.

Corban shot 24-for-58 (41.4%) from the floor, while Southern Oregon shot 24-for-60 (40.0%).  The visiting Red Raiders went to the free throw line 8 more times than the Warriors and made 10 more free throws.

All-American Shea Washington led Southern Oregon with a game-high 21 points, while Steve Farley and Jeff Williams chipped in with 13 and 12 points respectively.  Williams, a graduate of North Salem HS, pulled down a game-high 18 rebounds and finished a mere 2 assists shy of a triple-double with 8.

With the loss, Corban falls to 5-3, 0-1 in conference play.  Southern Oregon improves to 9-1, 1-0 in conference play.  The Warriors are next in action on Saturday, December 3rd, when they go head-to-head with the NAIA’s No. 4-ranked Hustlin’ Owls of Oregon Tech beginning at 7:30 p.m. inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.