AUSTIN, Texas – Concordia Texas men's basketball head coach Stan Bonewitz reached a historic milestone as the Tornados opened the 2026-27 campaign with a commanding 109-87 victory over Whitworth University on Saturday evening inside the Deb & Don Christian Fieldhouse.
The victory marked Bonewitz's 300th career win at the helm of the Tornados, adding another accomplishment to his 23-year tenure leading the program. Concordia (1-0) defeated a Whitworth squad that captured the Northwest Conference championship and earned a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament last season.
Junior guard Anariss Brandon led the Tornados with 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting, adding three assists and two blocks. Senior forward Percy Green followed with 23 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks while shooting an efficient 11-of-18 from the field.
Making his Concordia debut, Travon Williams delivered an impressive performance with 12 points, a team-high nine rebounds and six blocks. Darone Leakes and Terrion Benson added 10 points apiece, while Aaron San Miguel orchestrated the offense with a game-high nine assists.
The Tornados showcased the same high-powered offensive attack that ranked third nationally in scoring last season, shooting 55.1 percent from the field while recording 28 assists on 43 made baskets. Concordia also forced 34 turnovers, converting them into 44 points, and finished with 21 steals and 11 blocks.
Whitworth jumped out to an early 10-4 advantage before Concordia responded with a 15-0 run to take a 19-10 lead with 11:41 remaining in the opening half.
The Tornados' defensive pressure fueled the momentum swing as Jonah Johnson knocked down a three-pointer to give Concordia its first lead. Lamont Stokes followed with consecutive baskets before Benson added two free throws to cap the run.
Concordia continued to apply pressure, extending its advantage to 16 points following a Brandon dunk with just over eight minutes remaining in the half.
Whitworth battled back, cutting the deficit to four points late in the period. However, the Tornados closed the half with a strong defensive effort, highlighted by a Green dunk in the final 30 seconds, to take a 49-42 lead into the locker room.
The Pirates trimmed Concordia's advantage to five points early in the second half, but the Tornados quickly regained control behind their transition offense and aggressive defensive play.
San Miguel connected on a three-pointer with 16:27 remaining to extend the lead to 62-50, while Green continued to dominate inside as Concordia maintained its double-digit advantage.
The Tornados began pulling away midway through the second half as Johnson buried another three-pointer to push the lead to 78-64 with 11:07 remaining.
Brandon and Green continued to lead the offensive charge, combining for several key baskets down the stretch. Green's layup with 4:22 remaining pushed Concordia's lead to 98-81 before Brandon's putback brought the Tornados to the century mark.
Concordia eventually stretched its advantage to as many as 27 points before securing the 22-point victory.
The Tornados outscored Whitworth 60-45 in the second half while shooting 59 percent from the field during the final 20 minutes.
Concordia dominated the interior, finishing with a 72-28 advantage in points in the paint and a 43-15 edge in fast-break points. The Tornados also received 33 points from their bench, including nine from Johnson, who connected on three shots from beyond the arc.
Concordia Texas will next host McMurry this Thursday. Concordia Texas will host a tailgate at 5pm with tip off is scheduled for 6pm.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the CTX men's basketball program, follow us on social media @ctxathletics and visit athletics.concordia.edu.
