Cardinal men get defensive, whip Chukers
* MEN'S BASKETBALL
COEUR d'ALENE - On their home court for the final time in nonconference play, the North Idaho College men's basketball team got really defensive on Friday night.
NIC held visiting Treasure Valley to 27.4 percent shooting from the field in a 73-51 win against the Chukers at Rolly Williams Court, improving to 14-3 before Thursday's conference home opener against Snow College at 7:30 p.m.
"I really just thought defensively we were really active and controlled the boards," NIC coach Jared Phay said. "We held them to a low percentage and forced them into some really bad shots."
Bryce Leavitt had 13 rebounds and 10 points, Shikei Blake 13 points and 10 rebounds and Will Dorsey 20 points for NIC.
"Shikei was really big for us off the bench tonight," Phay said. "A few weeks ago, we thought we were losing him for a while (due to broken wrist suffered against Utah State-Eastern on Dec. 12), but had a really good effort with 13 points and 10 rebounds. I was pleased because you never know how you're going to play after having a week off."
Christopher Willis scored 10 points for Treasure Valley, which had beaten NIC 70-69 earlier this year in Ontario, Ore.
"It was definitely a gutsy win for us," Phay said.
TREASURE VALLEY
De'Sean Mattox 2-13 1-4 6, Christopher Willis 4-16 0-1 10, Brendan Guzman 3-8 0-0 8, John Fletcher 3-16 2-3 8, Thadius Galves 2-8 2-3 7, Stevi McCloyn 0-2 0-0 0, Skyler Burgess 3-5 0-0 6, Drew McKie 3-5 0-0 6. Totals 20-73 5-11 51.
NORTH IDAHO
Jason Wheelock 0-0 0-0 0, Braxton Tucker 6-8 0-0 12, Brad Wallace 2-5 0-0 6, Bryce Leavitt 3-7 3-4 10, Will Dorsey 6-12 6-7 20, Cole Kesler 1-5 3-3 5, Fuquan Niles 2-3 0-0 4, Tatafu Nuku 0-1 0-0 0, Jordon King 1-5 1-2 3, Shikei Blake 5-9 3-4 13, Ty Higbie 0-1 0-1 0. Totals 26-56 16-21 73.
Halftime - NIC 32-28. 3-point goals - TVCC 6-34 (Mattox 1-7, Willis 2-6, Guzman 2-6, Fletcher 0-7, McCloyn 0-1, McKie 0-1), NIC 5-15 (Wallace 2-4, Leavitt 1-2, Dorsey 2-4, Kesler 0-4, King 0-1). Rebounds - TVCC 38 (Willis 12), NIC 52 (Leavitt 13). Assists - TVCC 9 (Burgess 3), NIC 9 (Leavitt 4). Team fouls - TVCC 17, NIC 17. Fouled out - none.
* WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
North Idaho 72
Tacoma 45
CENTRALIA, Wash. - Former Lake City High standout Jansen Butler made 4 of 5 from beyond the 3-point line, finishing with 12 points to lead the Cardinals past the Titans in the opening round of the Lower Columbia College Holiday Classic.
Katie King, who played at Post Falls High, added 11 points on 3 of 8 from beyond the 3-point line for NIC (13-2), which faces the winner of Yakima Valley and Centralia in tonight's second semifinal at 7 p.m.
"We just shot the ball really well for it being a six-day layoff," NIC assistant coach Cal DeHaas said. "Definitely once we shook the rust off, we looked pretty good. It was a pretty clean game, but just shot the ball well, especially in the first half and rebounded well too."
NIC outrebounded Tacoma 44-35 and made 11 of 31 3-point field goals on the game.
TACOMA
Alexus Grant 2-10 6-12 11, Latasha Lofton 0-3 0-0 0, Carsen Stanley 2-7 0-0 6, Tyanna Barton 3-7 4-7 10, Amanda Friemuth 0-0 0-0 0, Jordan Stewart 1-2 0-0 3, Nicole Miller 0-2 0-0 0, Jessi Williamson 3-6 0-0 6, Naomi Brown 4-8 1-1 9, Charly Williams 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 15-46 11-20 45.
NORTH IDAHO
Georgia Stirton 2-7 2-2 6, Katie King 4-10 0-0 11, Jansen Butler 4-5 0-0 12, Bailey Schroeder 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan Grier 2-5 0-0 5, Ryleigh Swagerty 3-8 0-0 7, Kara Staggs 3-8 0-0 8, Sabrina Earle 1-2 0-0 2, Renae Mokrzycki 3-11 2-2 8, Caitlyn Behymer 2-4 3-4 7, Maggie Kirscher 2-6 0-0 4, Panisessi Taimani 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 27-70 7-8 72.
Halftime - NIC 41-27. 3-point goals - TCC 4-11 (Grant 1-2, Stanley 2-6, Stewart 1-2, Williamson 0-1), NIC 11-31 (Stirton 0-3, King 3-8, Butler 4-5, Schroeder 0-1, Grier 1-2, Swagerty 1-3, Staggs 2-7, Earle 0-1, Mokrzycki 0-1). Rebounds - TCC 35 (Grant, Barton 7), NIC 44 (Stirton 7). Assists - TCC 9 (Stanley 3), NIC 15 (Stirton 6). Team fouls - TCC 6, NIC 15. Fouled out - none.