The Front Row with JASON ELLIOTT March 23, 2011
From the moment they stepped off the plane in Kansas a little over a week ago, the North Idaho College women's basketball team had been playing at a level higher than the competition in the northwest.
And after the final horn sounded at the Bicentennial Center in Salina, Kan., on Saturday night, it was a level that nobody in the NJCAA could match.
AFTER DEFEATING Trinity Valley Community College 90-81 to win their first women's NJCAA championship, the Cardinals could finally relax after climbing to the top of the nation.
That climb didn't come without its share of ups and downs, even at the NJCAA tournament.
NIC defeated previously unbeaten Pensacola 90-75 in the semifinals on Friday, despite having 30 turnovers in the game.
"To have 30 turnovers and still win by 15 points, I can't wait to buy a bunch of steaks, have the girls over and watch the game film on that one," NIC coach Chris Carlson said one night later.
Carlson, who was also named the national coach of the year following a 32-3 finish this year, will graduate 9 of 11 players.
"I told them a month ago I was already missing them," Carlson said. "It's a great group and I'm going to miss watching them practice. It's a close group and they have bonded. Everyone has grown up and has done everything they've needed to do to become a great team. We'll need to build that chemistry again, but to win a national title with this group - it's a great group."
A COUPLE of weeks ago, while at practice just before the team left for Kansas, I could sense something special was on the horizon.
For a group of players that were about to compete in a national tournament, they were composed at practice - some dancing, others laughing, but none of them seemed like the pressure was too much to handle.
Just before practice was about to begin, forward Tugce Canitez was shooting from the half-court line to practice in case the team needed a last-second shot. While her two attempts came up short, sophomore Kiki Edwards-Teasley hit one as the two continued to shoot until someone made it.
They didn’t need a buzzer beater in the tournament — but had they, it’s no question that they’d be confident in whoever took that shot.
WHEN THE regular season begins again in the fall, with a lot of new faces on the roster — nine of the 11 players are sophomores — having to follow a national championship will be a tough thing to do.
But somehow, the team will rebuild and make a run at a fourth straight Region 18 championship and a chance to defend its national title.
First things first — they’ll need to find a way to beat the alumni team in November.
Because that team will be pretty good.
Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via e-mail at jelliott@cdapress.com.