Cardinal men come on strong in second half to whip CSI
* MEN'S BASKETBALL
COEUR d'ALENE - Trailing by five points at halftime, North Idaho College came out rolling in a big second half Saturday, winning 75-66 over College of Southern Idaho in Scenic West Athletic Conference action Saturday at Rolly Williams Court.
It was the first victory in three tries for NIC over CSI, ranked No. 6 in the NJCAA poll. CSI won the first two meetings by 20 and 11 points.
It clinched the No. 3 seed for the Cardinals in the Region 18 tournament. NIC begins play Thursday at 1 p.m. PST against Colorado Northwestern Community College at Snow College in Eprhaim, Utah.
After NIC starting point guard Bryce Leavitt drew two quick fouls early in the game, backup guards Cole Kesler and Will Dorsey stepped up to combine for 28 points in the game. Kesler made 3 of 4 3-pointers in a 43-29 second half surge for the Cardinals (20-10, 7-8 SWAC). Kesler scored 18 points and Dorsey added 10 against CSI (26-4, 12-3 SWAC).
"Cole Kesler hit three of his 3s in the second half, so that was big," Phay said. "It was a big win for us. It was a great team effort. The guys played with a lot of effort and passion. Will played great in the first half in place of Bryce and it worked out."
NIC leading scorer Braxton Tucker went 10 for 14 from the field and scored 22 points and had seven rebounds to pace the Cardinals.
"He did a great job," Phay said of Tucker. "He took them off the dribble, hit some jumpers and he played really well."
COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN IDAHO
Montigo Alford 5-9 2-2 14, Trevor Bamgartner 1-3 0-0 3, Dallas Anglin 8-16 4-8 22, Charles Jackson 6-10 3-5 15, Fredrick Edmond 4-10 0-2 8, Kennedy Esume 0-0 0-0 0, Darnell Tillman 0-1 0-0 0, Shaquille Jones 1-6 2-2 4. Totals 25-55 11-19 66.
NORTH IDAHO COLLEGE
Will Dorsey 3-6 3-4 10, Jason Wheelock 0-0 0-0 0, Brad Wallace 1-3, 0-0 3, Bryce Leavitt 1-2 0-0 2, Ty Higbie 0-3 2-2 2, Jordon King 3-4 0-0 7, Braxton Tucker 10-14 2-3 22, Cole Kesler 6-11, 2-2 18, Shikei Blake 1-1 3-4 5, Tatafu Nuku 1-2 0-0 2, Nathan Rathbun 1-2 0-0 2, Fuquan Niles 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 27-49 14-17 75.
Halftime - CSI 37-32. 3-point goals - CSI 5-17 (Alford 2-5, Bamgartner 1-3, Anglin 2-5, Edmond 0-2, Jones 0-2), NIC 7-19 (Dorsey 1-2, Wallace 1-3, Higbie 0-3, King 1-1, Tucker 0-2, Kesler 4-8). Rebounds - CSI 32 (Jackson 10), NIC 26 (Tucker 7). Assists - CSI 8 (Anglin, Bamgartner 3), NIC 11 (Leavitt 3). Team fouls - CSI 20, NIC 16. Fouled out - Anglin.
* WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Southern Idaho 84
North Idaho 66
COEUR d'ALENE - Trailing by just one point at halftime Saturday, North Idaho College faded in the second half of a Scenic West Athletic Conference loss to College of Southern Idaho at Rolly Williams Court.
NIC (21-9, 7-8 SWAC) lost all three games it played against CSI (27-3, 13-2), ranked eighth in the NJCAA, this season.
Renae Mokrzycki scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds, and Kara Staggs added 10 points for NIC.
At 11 a.m. PST on Thursday, No. 3 seed North Idaho College plays against No. 6 seed Colorado Northwestern Community College in the first round of the Region 18 tournament at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah.
Elisabet Lopez Sagrera led the Golden Eagles with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN IDAHO
Zuleika Grinsell 1-3 2-2 4, Alli Furniss 0-0 0, Cassidy Jones 1-1 0-0 2, Jackie Macias 0-0 0-0 0, Julia Dufurrena 5-14, 2-3 12, Patrice Totson 5-8 7-9 17, McClain Williams 0-0 0-0 0, Rachelle Owens 4-5, 0-0 9, Holly Blades 5-15, 1-1 12, Sarah Larson 1-1 0-0 2, Elisabet Lopez Sagrera 9-14 3-4 21, Brittany Wirth 2-3 0-0 5, Kayla Stephens 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 33-65 15-19 84.
NORTH IDAHO COLLEGE
Georgia Stirton 2-7 2-2 6, Katie King 0-0 0-0 0, Jansen Butler 1-5 0-0 2, Bailey Schroeder 1-4 1-1 3, Ryleigh Swagerty 1-1 0-0 3, Kara Staggs 3-13 2-2 10, Sabrina Earle 3-5 0-0 8, Renae Mokrzycki 7-13 0-4 14, Caitlyn Behymer 1-8 2-2 4, Maggie Kirscher 0-1 0-0 0, Panisessi Taimani 7-9 2-4 16. Totals 26-66 9-15 66.
Halftime - CSI 35-34. 3-point goals - CSI 3-7 (Dufurrena 0-2, Owens 1-1, Blades 1-2, Wirth 1-2), NIC - 5-21 (Stirton 0-2, Butler 0-4, Schroeder 0-2, Swagerty 1-1, Staggs 2-8, Earle 2-2, Behymer 0-1, Taimani 0-1). Rebounds - CSI 40 (Sagrera 10), NIC 38 (Mokrzycki 10). Assists - CSI 11 (Toston 4), NIC 18 (Stirton 4). Team fouls - CSI 13, NIC 19. Fouled out - Larson.
* SOFTBALL
North Idaho 9-16
Snow College 8-3
MOSES LAKE - Miranda Powless set single-game school records with three home runs and 11 runs batted in as North Idaho College routed Snow College 16-3 on Saturday, in the first game of a Scenic West Athletic Conference doubleheader.
Powless hit two grand slams and a three-run home run, finishing 3-for-4.
Marissa Tarin went 2 for 3, Maddie Anthony went 1 for 2 and Allison Paladeni went 2 for 4 for NIC.
Brittany Hecker picked up wins in the circle in both games for NIC (9-6, 5-3 SWAC). She started the second game and threw four innings, and pitched the final inning in the first game.
In the bottom of the seventh inning of the first game, Allison Paladeni had the winning hit.
Sam Luna hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning in the first game against Snow (6-6, 5-3 SWAC).
NIC took three of four from Snow in the series, moved from Memorial Field in Coeur d'Alene due to wintry field conditions.
NIC is scheduled to play host to Western Nevada on Friday and Saturday in SWAC doubleheaders.