CWU transfer Austin fuels Cardinal victory

COEUR d’ALENE — Central Washington transfer Marcus Austin had 19 points and four rebounds off the bench for North Idaho College in a 85-64 win over Elite Sports Academy in the Coeur d’Alene Inn-vitational at Rolly Williams Court on Saturday.

NIC outscored Elite Sports 51-32 in the second half after taking a 34-32 halftime lead.

Yusuf Mohammed had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Emmit Taylor III scored 18 points for NIC (4-0).

Ketan Sidhu had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Elite Sports Academy, which defeated Wenatchee Valley on Friday.

Earlier Saturday, Wenatchee Valley defeated West Coast Prep 115-75.

NIC faces Southern Idaho on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. PST in the Wright PT/Physician’s Immediate Care Invitational in Twin Falls.

ELITE SPORTS ACADEMY

William Lee 3-11 0-0 8, Ketan Sidhu 7-20 0-0 20, Jalen Womack 2-11 3-4 9, James Boris 0-3 1-2 1, Zane Foster 3-8 2-4 8, Vazoumana Diallo 1-2 0-0 3, Nate Johnson 4-8 5-6 15. Totals 20-63 11-16 64.

NORTH IDAHO

Emmit Taylor III 6-16 0-0 18, Phillip Malatare 2-7 0-0 5, James Carlson 3-5 0-0 6, Joey Naccarato 2-4 3-4 7, Jaden Dewar 3-9 2-2 9, Tyler Tanner 1-3 0-0 3, Yusuf Mohammed 5-11 5-11 15, Marcus Austin 7-9 0-0 19, Ismael Valdez 1-2 1-4 3. Totals 30-66 11-21 85.

Halftime — NIC 34-32. 3-point goals — ESA 13-35 (Lee 2-9, Sidhu 6-16, Womack 2-2, Boris 0-2, Diallo 1-2, Johnson 2-4), NIC 14-32 (Taylor III 6-15, Malatare 1-2, Dewar 1-3, Mohammed 0-2, Austin 5-7, Valdez 0-1). Rebounds — ESA 39 (Foster 11), NIC 49 (Mohammed 10). Assists — ESA 5 (Womack 3), NIC 13 (Malatare 6). Team fouls — ESA 18, NIC 19. Fouled out — Foster, Naccarato.