NIC BASKETBALL: Cardinals shut down Mesa in OT

• WOMEN

PIMA, Ariz. — Sophomore Kylani Rookstool had 24 points and six assists for North Idaho College, which rallied from a 25-18 halftime deficit to beat Mesa 62-53 in overtime in the Aztec Holiday Classic on Saturday at Pima Community College. 

“We kind of got the momentum in the fourth quarter and switched to a zone that they hadn’t seen all game in overtime,” NIC coach Nathan Covill said. “They scored the first basket in overtime, and we kind of went on a run. Kylani did a good job of closing it out at the foul line going 10 for 10 on the game.” 

Freshman Esmeralda Galindo had 18 points and four rebounds off the bench for NIC, which outscored Mesa 11-2 in overtime. Mesa (10-4) was 2 for 7 from the free-throw line in the second half and overtime. 

“I’m super pleased with the progress we’ve made defensively,” Covill said. “They’re buying into if we play good defense, we’ve got a chance to win some games. I’m proud of the kids. They were resilient and continued to play with high energy.” 

Freshman Chloe Collin added 10 points for NIC (8-4), which faces Cochise College today at 5 p.m. 

NORTH IDAHO 

Chloe Collin 4-7 0-0 10, Kylani Rookstool 6-13 10-10 24, Emmalee Secrest 1-5 0-0 2, Iratxe Amorrortu 0-3 0-0 0, Summer Faleafa 1-8 0-0 2, Tiarnee Smith 3-6 0-0 6, Larkin Christiansen 0-0 0-0 0, Esmeralda Galindo 6-14 4-8 18, Ripeka Edwards 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-56 14-18 62. 

MESA 

Ashiian Hunter 2-11 3-4 8, Bella Barrett 1-3 0-0 2, Kamiyah Hurd 7-16 5-6 16, Amya Bekele 1-5 0-0 2, Britany Kogbara 10-19 5-5 21, Alayna Boss 1-2 0-0 2, Meisha Caserio 1-2 0-0 2, Hannah Young 0-1 0-0 0, Maddy Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Alia Garcia 0-4 0-0 0, Brooklyn Scurry 0-4 0-0 0, Avery Graber 0-0 0-0 0. 

North Idaho    7    11    15    18    11    —    62 

Mesa        15    10    13    13    2    —    53 

3-point goals — NIC 6-22 (Collin 2-3, Rookstool 2-4, Secrest 0-2, Amorrortu 0-3, Faleafa 0-5, Smith 0-1, Galindo 2-4), Mesa 1-9 (Hunter 1-4, Hurd 0-2, Bekele 0-3). Rebounds — NIC 35 (Faleafa, Smith 6), Mesa 48 (Kogbara 15). Assists — NIC 14 (Rookstool 6), Mesa 4 (four with one). Team fouls — NIC 11, Mesa 13. Fouled out — none. 

• MEN

North Idaho 89 

Shoreline 80 

COEUR d’ALENE — Sophomore Vaughn Weems had 31 points and 20 rebounds for the Cardinals in a win over the Dolphins in the Coeur d’Alene Best Western Inn-vitational at Rolly Williams Court. 

“He’s just a big-time athlete,” NIC coach Corey Symons said. “He knows how to get to the ball. He had a really good all-around game.”

Ne’quan Brown had 19 points and six rebounds for NIC (9-5), which trailed 46-45 at halftime before outscoring Shoreline 44-34 in the second half. 

Freshman Deng Diew scored 16 points for NIC, which concludes the tournament against Tacoma today at 3 p.m. 

Sherell McCullum scored 20 points for Shoreline (3-7), which faces Treasure Valley today at 1 p.m. at Rolly Williams Court. 

SHORELINE  

Troy Nickel 3-7 0-0 7, Joel Amaro 3-12 2-4 9, Myles Damon 3-9 6-6 14, Sherell McCullum 8-20 4-5 20, Jonah Coppack 0-0 0-0 0, Adrian Peev 0-1 0-0 0, Daniel Wondie 6-11 0-0 17, Isaiah Little 1-2 0-0 3, Jazel Brown 1-2 0-0 3, Lamarion Fiddler 2-4 1-2 7. Totals 27-68 13-17 80. 

NORTH IDAHO 

Vaughn Weems 7-21 15-20 31, Ne’quan Brown 6-12 5-7 19, Tayshawn Colvin 0-2 2-3 2, Sam Marbury 5-9 3-4 13, Jacori Ervin 3-5 0-1 6, Deng Diew 7-9 2-2 16, Dace Pleasant 0-0 0-0 0, Jeremiah Sibley 0-0 0-0 0, Romell Russell 0-2 0-0 0, Bryce Henry 0-1 2-2 2, Ajayi Simmons 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-62 29-39 89. 

Halftime — Shoreline 46-45. 3-point goals — Shore 13-28 (Nickel 1-2, Amaro 1-3, Daymon 2-6, McCullum 0-1, Peev 0-1, Wondie 5-8, Little 1-1, Brown 1-2, Fiddler 2-4), NIC 4-20 (Weems 2-9, Brown 2-6, Marbury 0-2, Pleasant 0-1, Russell 0-1, Henry 0-1). Rebounds — Shore 28 (McCullum 11), NIC 46 (Weems 20). Assists — Shore 11 (Nickel, Daymon, Little 3), NIC 8 (Marbury 5). Team fouls — Shore 27, NIC 20. Fouled out — McCullum, Fiddler. Technical fouls — McCullum.