NIC BASKETBALL: Cardinal men battle, but fall short to Arizona Western
• MEN
YUMA, Ariz. — Sophomore guard DeMari Grant hit a jumper with 22 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to 68-66 for North Idaho College, but late free throws from Malik Salahuddin sealed a 71-66 win for host Arizona Western over the Cardinals in the first game of the Arizona Western Thanksgiving Classic on Friday night.
Salahuddin made two free throws with 11 seconds remaining after NIC forced Arizona Western to call a pair of timeouts after trapping the ball in the backcourt. NIC freshman Taden King missed a 3-pointer with 10 seconds remaining, before the Cardinals were forced to foul again.
Freshman Xavier Bailey scored 15 points for NIC (1-1), which faces Chandler-Gilbert today at 3:30 p.m. to conclude tournament play.
Evan Butts scored 22 points for Arizona Western (9-2).
NORTH IDAHO
Julius Mims 2-8 0-0 4, Brendan Johnson 2-5 0-0 6, Cooper DeWitt 4-8 0-0 9, Taden King 4-6 3-3 14, Gavin Gilstrap 3-5 1-2 7, DeMari Grant 1-1 0-0 2, Daniel Santana 1-3 2-2 4, Jack Kiesbuy 0-1 0-0 0, Xavier Bailey 6-8 2-2 15, Jalen Skalskiy 1-3 3-4 5, Akeyse Rice 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-48 11-13 66.
ARIZONA WESTERN
Yaxel Lendeborg 5-6 0-0 10, George Nwogu 2-5 0-0 4, Evan Butts 8-17 0-0 22, Nate Duda 2-7 1-2 5, Najeeb Muhammed 2-7 2-2 7, Marquis Hargrove 5-10 2-3 16, Mojus Mojus 1-3 0-0 2, Jalen Patterson 1-2 0-0 3, Malik Salahuddin 0-1 2-2 2, Jimmy Sorunke 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-58 7-9 71.
3-point goals — NIC 7-19 (Mims 0-2, Johnson 2-4, DeWitt 1-4, King 3-5, Santana 0-1 Kiesbuy 0-1, Bailey 1-1, Skalskiy 0-1), AWC 12-27 (Butts 6-11, Duda 0-2, Muhammed 1-4, Hargrove 4-6, Mojus 0-1, Patterson 1-2, Salahuddin 0-1). Rebounds — NIC 28 (DeWitt 6), AWC 28 (Lendeborg, Duda 6). Assists — NIC 11 (DeWitt, Bailey 4), AWC 19 (Muhammed 6). Team fouls — NIC 15, AWC 13. Fouled out — none.
• WOMEN
Arizona Western 65
North Idaho 29
YUMA, Ariz. — The visiting Cardinals shot 0 for 17 from the 3-point line in a loss to the Matadors in the Arizona Western Thanksgiving Classic.
Sophomores Kolby Pimperton and Maggie Graves scored six points each for NIC (2-2), which faces Central Arizona today at 1:30 p.m. to conclude the tournament.
Kristol Ayson scored 16 points for Arizona Western (9-1).
NORTH IDAHO
Payton Hagy 0-7 0-0 0, Maggie Graves 3-4 0-0 6, Kaylee Banks 0-4 2-2 2, Layla Beam 1-1 1-2 3, Kolby Pimperton 2-13 2-6 6, Laney Smith 0-2 0-0 0, Catherine Uschmann 2-4 0-0 4, Paige Beem 1-3 0-0 2, Ashlynn Shanley 0-0 0-0 0, Tashena Ashby 1-4 1-6 3, Mary Mpoyo 1-7 0-0 2, Xuriyah Harry 0-3 1-6 1. Totals 11-52 7-22 29.
ARIZONA WESTERN
Buse Utku 1-4 0-0 3, Faith Silva 4-9 3-3 12, Tersea Da Silva 2-5 0-0 4, Alliance Ndiba 5-5 0-0 10, Christeina Bryan 3-9 0-0 6, Kristol Ayson 8-14 0-1 16, Amy Hosking 0-0 1-2 1, Lime Okada 2-4 0-0 4, Tatiana Gary 1-5 0-0 2, Gica Silva 3-6 1-2 7. Totals 29-61 5-8 65.
North Idaho 9 2 6 12 — 29
Ariz. West. 21 16 17 11 — 65
3-point goals — NIC 0-17 (Hagy 0-4, Banks 0-3, Pimperton 0-4, Smith 0-2, Uschmann 0-1, Beem 0-1, Mpoyo 0-2), AWC 2-14 (Utku 1-3, Silva 1-6, Da Silva 0-2, Ayson 0-1, Gary 0-2). Rebounds — NIC 30 (Beem 6), AWC 47 (Silva 10). Assists — NIC 4 (Pimperton 2), AWC 11 (Bryan 4). Team fouls — NIC 12, AWC 19. Fouled out — Silva.