NIC basketball Dorsey, Taimani lift Cardinal teams past Columbia Basin

| December 4, 2013 8:00 PM

COEUR d'ALENE - Will Dorsey scored a game-high 26 points and had five assists to lead the North Idaho College men's basketball team past visiting Columbia Basin College 100-86 in a nonconference game Tuesday night at Rolly Williams Court.

"We were struggling a little bit in the first half, but Will was big for us," NIC coach Jared Phay said. "He was able to get the ball inside and get a few buckets inside there."

Shikei Blake had 11 points and 10 rebounds for NIC (9-2), which faces the Spokane All-Stars in the opening round of the Bigfoot Classic on Friday at 2 p.m. at Spokane Community College.

"Shikei is playing really well right now," Phay said. "He's been a good addition and brings a little feistiness to us inside that I think we need."

Justin Smith scored 18 points for Columbia Basin of Pasco.

COLUMBIA BASIN

James Lopez 3-7 2-5 11, Steven Ponce 0-32 1-2 1, Justin Smith 6-17 1-2 18, Brandon Oswalt 3-5 0-0 7, Michael Acosta 0-0 1-3 1, Kyler DeWitt 3-8 0-0 9, Mitchell Zapien 2-6 6-8 10, Stephen Walter 6-11 3-5 17, Andrew Reddout 4-8 4-7 12. Totals 27-64 18-32 86.

NORTH IDAHO

Jason Wheelock 2-3 1-2 6, Braxton Tucker 4-9 0-0 8, Brad Wallace 3-9 2-2 10, Bryce Leavitt 6-8 4-5 17, Nathan Rathbun 0-2 1-2 1, Will Dorsey 10-13 2-7 26, Cole Kesler 0-5 0-0 0, Fuquan Niles -3 0-0 2, Tatafu Nuku 1-1 2-2 4, Jordon King 5-7 5-8 15, Shikei Blake 4-8 3-4 11, Ty Higbie 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 36-69 20-32 100.

Halftime - CBC 47-45. 3-point goals - CBC 14-31 (Lopez 3-5, Smith 5-11, Oswalt 1-3, DeWitt 3-7, Zapein 0-1, Walter 2-4), NIC 8-26 (Wheelock 1-2, Tucker 0-2, Wallace 2-8, Leavitt 1-3, Dorsey 4-6, Kesler 0-4, King 0-1). Rebounds - CBC 36 (DeWitt 5), NIC 40 (Blake 10). Assists - CBC 10 (Walter 3), NIC 14 (Dorsey 5). Team fouls - CBC 25, NIC 22. Fouled out - Lopez, Reddout.

* WOMEN

North Idaho 84

Columbia Basin 77

COEUR d'ALENE - Freshman Panisessi Taimani grabbed 15 rebounds and had 11 points as the Cardinals beat the Hawks of Pasco, Wash., in a nonconference game at Rolly Williams Court.

Renae Mokrzycki had 19 points and 13 rebounds for NIC, which grabbed 59 rebounds as a team, made 7 of 20 3-pointers and won its fourth game in five days.

Kara Staggs made four 3s and scored 17 points.

"We're shooting the 3-ball well," NIC women's basketball coach Chris Carlson said. "Kara has found her rythym. It was a good game, Columbia Basin will contend for the NWAACC championship this year, there's no doubt. They had us on the ropes. We had a 17-point lead, but they kept it close toward the end. I'd like to see us finish a bit better. To be challenged by a team that hadn't played in nine days was great and we had to respond. I was proud of the girls."

NIC (10-1), which has won seven straight games, hosts the North Idaho All-Stars on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Courtney Nelson scored 17 points for Columbia Basin of the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges.

COLUMBIA BASIN

Alicia Jones 0-1 2-4 2, Kelsey Yenney 1-3 2-2 5, Shannon Bland 3-8 2-4 8, Sydney Mercer 5-13 2-4 12, Lyndsay Oswalt 3-6 3-3 9, Sierra Higheagle 5-14 1-2 12, Lacie French 3-8 1-3 7, Brenda Bingham 1-3 1-1 3, Courtney Weber 1-2 0-0 2, Courtney Nelson 8-16 0-0 17. Totals 30-74 14-23 77.

NORTH IDAHO

Georgia Stirton 4-9 6-8 16, Katie King 0-0 0-0 0, Jansen Butler 1-7 0-0 3, Bailey Schroeder 6-18 2-3 14, Morgan Grier 0-1 0-0 0, Ryleigh Swagerty 0-1 0-0 0, Kara Staggs 6-9 1-2 17, Sabrina Earle 0-0 0-0 0, Renae Mokrzycki 9-15 1-1 19, Caitlyn Behymer 1-5 2-3 4, Maggie Kirscher 0-2 0-0 0, Panisessi Taimani 5-15 1-3 11. Totals 32-82 13-20 84.

Halftime - NIC 42-34. 3-point goals - CBC 3-11 (Yenney 1-2, Bland 0-1, Mercer 0-1, Higheagle 1-5, Nelson 1-2), NIC 7-20 (Stirton 2-3, Butler 1-3, Schroeder 0-4, Grier 0-1, Swagerty 0-1, Staggs 4-6, Mokrzycki 1-1, Behymer 2-3, Taimani 1-3). Rebounds - CBC 46 (Nelson 10), NIC 59 (Taimani 15). Assists - CBC 12 (Bland 3), NIC 12 (Stirton 4). Team fouls - CBC 19, NIC 20. Fouled out - Taimani.