Deep-shooting Taylor shines again for Cardinals
ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — Freshman Emmitt Taylor III continued his strong start to the season, hitting six 3-pointers and scoring 22 points to lead North Idaho College to a 72-66 win over Western Wyoming in the Western Wyoming Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday night.
“It was a tough one for us,” NIC coach Corey Symons said. “It was a defensive battle for us, and we played well on that end.”
Taylor, who hit seven 3s and scored 21 points in Friday’s 102-69 win over Central Wyoming, went 6-for-10 from beyond the 3-point line, scoring 19 of his 22 in the second half.
“Emmitt hit some really big shots for us down the stretch tonight,” Symons said of the former Lapwai High standout. “It was just nice to have the defense going to be able to pull off the win.”
RayQuan Evans and Iain McLaughlin scored 14 points each, and McLaughlin grabbed 14 rebounds for NIC (3-0), which returns home on Thursday to host Shoreline at 7:30 p.m. in the opening night of the Coeur d’Alene Inn-vitational at Rolly Williams Court.
“Iain really played well at both ends of the floor,” Symons said. “Some of those rebounds were down the stretch when we really needed to make a play.”
Eddie Creal scored 15 points for Western Wyoming (3-6).
NORTH IDAHO
RayQuan Evans 5-13 3-4 14, Nate Pryor 2-8 1-2 5, Emmitt Taylor III 7-12 2-2 22, Phillip Malatare 1-2 0-0 2, Iain McLaughlin 6-14 0-0 14, Alphonso Anderson 1-13 4-7 7, James Carlson 0-0 0-0 0, Jarod Greene 2-7 0-1 4, Ismael Valdez 1-2 0-0 2, Drew Sheridan 1-2 0-1 2. Totals 26-73 10-17 72.
WESTERN WYOMING
Eddie Creal 5-13 5-8 15, Carter Rosette 1-1 0-0 3, Trey Marble 4-8 0-0 11, Simdou Cisse 6-11 2-3 16, John Batts 0-2 0-0 0, Obi Agu 3-12 3-4 9, Manuel Ayol 2-5 2-2 6, Ryan Gunderson 2-5 2-4 6. Totals 23-57 14-21 66.
Halftime — NIC 36-30. 3-point goals — NIC 10-21 (Evans 1-3, Pryor 0-2, Taylor III 6-10, McLaughlin 2-2, Anderson 1-4), WWCC 6-19 (Rosette 1-1, Marble 3-6, Cisse 2-5, Batts 0-1, Agu 0-4, Ayol 0-1, Gunderson 0-1). Rebounds — NIC 45 (McLaughlin 14), WWCC 47 (Cisse 11). Assists — NIC 12 (Pryor 4), WWCC 11 (Marble 5). Team fouls — NIC 19, WWCC 19. Fouled out — none.