THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Wednesday, December 2, 2015
There’s nonconference games.
And then there’s those nonconference games that really have nothing to do with the final score.
Saturday afternoon’s game between the North Idaho College women’s basketball team and a group of all-stars from around the area was one of those games.
FORMER PLAYERS from the NIC program, as well as a few others with ties to area high schools, came together to take on the NIC basketball team on Saturday afternoon.
The game was a benefit for Donna Dotts, who served as team mom and host family coordinator during the years that her daughter, Deanna, played for NIC. Donna was recently diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
“I think we raised close to $700,” NIC coach Chris Carlson said. “It was a really nice night. The generosity of all those in attendance was overwhelming and greatly appreciated.”
Deanna Dotts coached the all-star team, which featured Kama Griffitts and Shakiana Edwards-Teasley — who played with Dotts on the 2010-11 national championship team. Griffitts went on to play at Arizona, while Edwards-Teasley finished her career at Oregon State.
“It was just fun to see them first off,” Carlson said. “It was a good game. We had a lot of quality basketball players out there making some quality plays. It was a fun game to coach.”
The current NIC squad made eight 3-pointers in the first half.
“It was a good, quality win for us,” Carlson said. “It was a fun game to coach. It was a really fun event. There was a lot of good camaraderie and it was a great night.”
JUST A few weeks before opening Scenic West Athletic Conference play against each other, the NIC men’s basketball team is picking up notice around the nation.
NIC entered this week’s NJCAA poll ranked 17th after receiving votes in the preseason poll released on Oct. 27.
Since the preseason poll was released, NIC has started the season 7-0. College of Southern Idaho, which was ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll, is 7-2, with an 88-81 loss to Arizona Western last Saturday in Twin Falls.
On Nov. 14, NIC went to Arizona Western and won 80-64 in what coach Corey Symons described as a hostile environment that night.
What does that mean for the Dec. 12 matchup between the rival schools when they play in Coeur d’Alene?
Not a thing.
NIC has beefed up its schedule this season with some tougher competition in an effort to compete and make a run to the NJCAA tournament if the Cardinals are successful enough. As of now, it appears they’re as prepared as they can be to take on the challenges of the Scenic West Athletic Conference schedule.
They’ll play four straight days this week — all at home — and celebrate the holidays with another three tough games in three days at Rolly Williams Court.
And when conference play begins in a few weeks, it won’t matter who is ranked where once that ball is thrown up.
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 email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JEPressSports.