SALEM, Ore. (Interstat) — In a Cascade Collegiate Conference men’s basketball clash between two teams sharing the Warriors nickname, the visiting Lewis-Clark State Warriors from Idaho edged the homestanding Corban Warriors 71-68 on Saturday at C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.

The game was a tightly contested affair defined by the high-scoring duel between Lewis-Clark State’s Dylan Skaife and Corban’s TJ Zimmermann. Skaife, rebounding from a string of quiet offensive performances, erupted for a game-high 29 points to lead his team to the narrow road victory. Zimmermann matched him nearly shot for shot, pouring in 31 points for Corban in a losing effort.

Lewis-Clark State, which improved to 11-4 overall, built a five-point lead after a high-octane first quarter, taking a 36-31 advantage. The second quarter proved even more competitive, with Corban outscoring the visitors 37-35, but the early deficit proved insurmountable. The Idaho Warriors maintained their composure and the lead throughout the final period to secure the win, dropping Corban to 6-9 on the season.

The most critical phase of the game came in the final minute, as Corban mounted a desperate comeback attempt. Trailing by three with under 10 seconds remaining, Corban forced a turnover by Lewis-Clark State’s Trevor Manning. Following a timeout with six seconds on the clock, Corban had a chance to tie, but Landon Knox’s potential game-tying 3-point attempt as time expired missed the mark, sealing the outcome.

Beyond the starring roles of Skaife and Zimmermann, both teams received key secondary contributions. For Lewis-Clark State, Brandon Suber added 11 points and Grayson Hunt chipped in nine points and eight rebounds. Josh Salguero provided a significant defensive presence with three blocked shots. For Corban, Joe Gould supported Zimmermann with 15 points, while Anjay Cortez added 13.

The contest defied the pregame statistical projections from Interstat’s ELO system, which gave Lewis-Clark State a 73.7 percent probability to win. The much closer final margin underscored the competitive nature of the conference matchup on Corban’s home floor.

Lewis-Clark State will look to build on the win when it returns home to host Northwest on Friday, Jan. 16. Corban aims to regroup on the road at Eastern Oregon, also on Friday, Jan. 16.