NIC passes opening test at nationals
SALINAS, Kan. - The fifth-seeded North Idaho College women's basketball team came out like a big red machine in their NJCAA tournament opener on Wednesday morning, jumping out to a big lead and never challenged in a 78-48 win over 12th-seeded Georgia Perimeter at the Bicentennial Center.
"You get worked up and everything, get nervous and they just go," North Idaho College coach Chris Carlson said. "That's what we wanted to do, not just for the game, but for the entire tournament. It was a really good start."
Sophomore Camille Reynolds scored 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the floor as the Cardinals jumped out to a 42-16 halftime lead.
"Camille really came out firing today," Carlson said. "She was driving and scoring the ball. She really got it going for us."
Georgia Perimeter, which entered Wednesday's game on a 17-game win streak, shot 6 of 31 from the floor in the first half. They finished 18 of 72, with most their points coming late in the second half.
"Our defense was on early on," Carlson said. "We knew they wanted to penetrate each time down the floor, so we tried to take it away."
Kama Griffitts scored 16 points and had nine rebounds for NIC (29-3), which faces State Fair, Mo., (29-4) today in a quarterfinal matchup.
"We should match up well with them," Carlson said. "If we can do a few things right, we should be able to get into the final four."
State Fair defeated Chattanooga, which finished second in the previous two tournaments, 66-50 in other action Wednesday.
GEORGIA PERIMETER
Jamesha Willis 2-9 0-0 4, Nicole Wells 1-6 2-4 4, Kayla Carter 1-5 0-0 2, Jasmine Jones 2-6 0-0 4, Tyra Smith 2-11 1-2 8, Shekinah Alexander 2-4 0-0 6, Deanna Downer 0-1 0-0 0, Crystal Chaney 1-5 0-0 2, Ryvan Buchanan 2-7 2-3 6, Tiya Johnson 2-8 0-0 6, Brittany Logan 1-3 2-2 4, Ashley Robinson 1-7 0-0 2. Totals 18-72 7-11 48.
NORTH IDAHO
Kama Griffitts 6-10 2-2 16, Chantel Divilbiss 0-2 2-2 2, Camille Reynolds 8-11 0-0 18, Timena Shebala 2-3 0-0 6, Tugce Canitez 4-9 0-0 8, Amy Warbrick 0-3 1-2 1, Korina Baker 3-9 1-1 9, Kiki Edwards-Teasley 2-7 4-4 8, Julia Salmio 0-3 6-6 6, Amanda Carlton 1-4 2-2 4, Deanna Dotts 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 26-62 18-19 78.
Halftime - NIC 42-16. 3-point goals - GP 5-29 (Willis 0-2, Wells 0-4, Carter 0-1, Jones 0-2, Smith 1-5, Alexander 2-4, Downer 0-1, Buchanan 0-1, Johnson 2-6, Robinson 0-3). NIC 8-28 (Griffitts 2-6, Divilbiss 0-2, Reynolds 2-3, Shebala 2-3, Canitez 0-2, Warbrick 0-2, Baker 2-7, Salmio 0-1, Carlton 0-2). Rebounds - GP 44 (Logan 6). NIC 52 (Griffitts 9). Assists - GP 8 (Smith 5). NIC 8 (Griffitts 4). Team fouls - GP 16, NIC 12. Fouled out - none.