NIC BASKETBALL: Welcome back ... Cardinal men snap rival CSI's 26-game conference win streak

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

COEUR d’ALENE — Yes, it’s still a rivalry.

Eight years later, there’s still something special when Southern Idaho and North Idaho College face off on the basketball court in the Scenic West Athletic Conference.

Sure, the Cardinals might have been away in the regionally-based Northwest Athletic Conference, but Saturday, the men’s team sent a message loud and clear to the folks in Twin Falls.

The Cardinals are back.

Sophomore Austin Johnson, a transfer from CSI, had 19 points, five rebounds and three assists for the Cardinal men (16-6, 4-2 SWAC)  in a 91-73 win over 21st-ranked CSI (17-6, 5-1) in the teams' first conference meeting since the 2015-16 season, in front of an estimated 1,100 at Rolly Williams Court on Saturday.

“I told the guys it just felt like there was a different energy in the building tonight,” NIC coach Corey Symons said. “We had a great crowd and it really felt like a playoff game, and you could tell with the crowd. We appreciated them coming out and gave them a good product.”

Earlier, freshman Maddie Williamson scored 23 points for the Cardinal women (7-13, 0-5), who trailed by four points with 22.5 seconds remaining before falling to the 21st-ranked Golden Eagles 71-63.

Sophomore Jasmisyn Heaton had 22 points and 11 rebounds for CSI (21-4, 4-1).

NIC hosts Community Christian in men’s basketball on Wednesday. The game is a makeup of the Jan. 27 game in Redlands, Calif. Both the men and women will face Community Christian again on Thursday.

MEN

North Idaho 91, Southern Idaho 73: Johnson had 10 points and all five of his rebounds in the first half for NIC, which led 49-33 at halftime.

“I went there last year, so it was personal,” Johnson said. “Not bad blood or anything — CSI is a great program and notoriously good and I enjoyed my time there. As a team, that’s the No. 1 team in the league and they’re hot right now. We’ve been due for a big win. We lost here to Snow and Salt Lake when we had them. We were just due.”

NIC’s last home win against CSI came in 2016, when the Cardinals won the conference title in their final season in the conference before moving to the NWAC.

“If you can’t get up for a rivalry game, you’ve got problems,” said Symons, in his 10th season as head coach and 20th overall. “These guys don’t really realize how big of a rivalry this is, and I’ve tried to preach it to them. They got up and listened to the game plan and did their job and really played hard. The guys came out, played hard and did their thing.”

Kyle Karstetter, a sophomore from Moses Lake, Wash., had 15 points and 11 rebounds, sophomore Dante Sawyer from San Francisco 13 points and four assists and freshman Vaughn Weems of Federal Way, Wash., 17 points off the bench for the Cardinals.

“The guys are really sharing the ball and starting to play together,” Symons said. “When they’re doing that, we’re really good and we can beat anybody when we do that.”

Jalen Skalskiy, a redshirt sophomore from Lakeland High, had 11 points and four rebounds for the Cardinals.

NIC has won five straight games against CSI, with a nonconference win in 2019 at Twin Falls.

Jaylon Johnson, a sophomore from Houston, had 17 points for CSI, which had its 26-game conference win streak dating back to 2021 snapped.

“NIC played well,” fifth-year CSI coach Jeff Reinert said. “That’s the best I’ve seen them play on film. They did a great job defensively and clogging it up and did a good job. We didn’t make free throws and that kind of hurt when we’re trying to claw back into it and get some momentum going.”

It was the first conference matchup between the schools since the 2015-16 season.

“You know what’s great is NIC is back in the league,” Reinert said. “Southern Idaho and North Idaho can play. It’s such a nice game for us and our conference and everybody involved. I knew it was going to be a difficult game and a 50/50 game. They really played well. Credit to them. They did a super job.”

Freshman Walker Timme, the younger brother of Gonzaga star Drew Timme, had six points and two rebounds for CSI.

SOUTHERN IDAHO

Asim Jones 5-13 4-6 16, Jaylon Johnson 5-17 5-7 17, Britton Berrett 3-6 2-2 10, Shahid Muhammed 1-1 1-2 3, Sam Phipps 5-9 0-2 10, Dale Griffin 0-1 0-0 0, Alan Kane 1-1 0-0 2, Jordan Hamilton 1-4 0-0 2, Cassius Carmichael 0-0 0-0 0, Isaac Hawkins 0-1 0-0 0, Walker Timme 2-3 2-4 6, Jakari Livingston 1-3 4-6 7. Totals 24-59 18-29 73.

NORTH IDAHO

Austin Johnson 5-12 6-9 19, Cobi Campbell 2-2 2-2 8, Kyle Karstetter 5-8 0-2 15, Dante Sawyer 6-12 1-2 13, Jalen Skalskiy 4-8 2-2 11, Terin Johnson 4-8 0-1 8, Vaughn Weems 5-7 6-8 17, Bryce Henry 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 31-58 17-26 91.

Halftime — NIC 49-33. 3-point goals — CSI 7-26 (Jones 2-7, Johnson 2-9, Berrett 2-4, Phipps 0-1, Hamilton 0-1, Timme 0-1, Livingston 1-3), NIC 12-19 (A. Johnson 3-6, Campbell 2-2, Karstetter 5-7, Skalskiy 1-1, T. Johnson 0-1, Weems 1-1, Henry 0-1). Rebounds — CSI 29 (Johnson 9), NIC 35 (Karstetter 10). Assists — CSI 9 (Johnson 4), NIC 18 (Campbell 5). Team fouls — CSI 25, NIC 22. Fouled out — Jones. Technical fouls — J. Johnson.

WOMEN

Southern Idaho 73, North Idaho 66: The strategy was simple for NIC.

Go big, and see what happens.

NIC started Faye Davis, a 6-foot forward from Redmond, Ore., in an effort to match CSI’s size.

“(NIC assistant coach) Louie (Vargas) and I talked about 10 minutes before tip and we knew we had to go big today,” second-year NIC coach Nathan Covill said. “And that was our traditional lineup that we started the season with. Faye has had a couple of good weeks of practice and shown that she deserves it. We felt they were going to go big and it allowed her to be successful.”

Williamson scored 11 of the Cardinals' 15 points in the second quarter, but CSI held a 39-26 lead at halftime.

“Our zone still needs work, but I’m really proud of the kids,” Covill said. “I know they’re tired of taking Ls, but they fought hard. If you take the last two quarters of the Southern Nevada game and this game, it’s all I’ve been asking for.”

Kendall Pickford, a redshirt freshman from Lake City High, hit a 3-pointer with 22.5 seconds left to cut the deficit to 67-63, but NIC was unable to score in the final moments.

“We’re trending up,” Covill said. “I know the girls might not feel like that, but if we can continue with this effort and opportunities, we’re going to get something from someone.”

In nonconference play, CSI beat NIC 75-53 (Nov. 3) and 81-41 (Nov. 10) in Twin Falls.

Solei Elletson, who did not play in the first two CSI games for NIC after joining the team following the soccer season, had 12 points and three rebounds for the Cardinals.

“I expected them to continue to get better,” CSI coach Randy Rogers said. “I told our girls when you go up there, it’s going to be a completely different game. No. 11 (Elletson) comes in and makes a difference. And they’re in their gym in front of their crowd. They’re fighting for wins and we’re trying to be in the mix for a regional title.”

“The first two games against them, there were some moments where we competed and were close,” Covill said. “Over the course of time, they pulled away from us. I was proud. We fought for 40 minutes and I know that they’re not happy and frustrated. But if we continue to get better, we’re going to find a way.”

Rogers is in his 22nd year as coach at CSI.

“It’s so nostalgic for me,” Rogers said. “Before I call it quits, it’s good to come up here and play some games in this gym. I’ve had some great memories in this gym. Some wins, some really tough losses, but I love coming to Coeur d’Alene.”

SOUTHERN IDAHO

Kennedy Gillette 1-3 2-2 4, Kaylee Headrick 2-6 0-2 5, Makeili Ika 1-3 2-2 4, Jamisyn Heaton 5-11 12-13 22, Taylor Johnson 3-7 2-4 7, Jayden McNeal 3-6 0-0 6, Izzy Arave 0-1 0-0 0, Mariah Mons 1-2 0-0 3, Elena Birkeland 4-11 0-0 12, Brayli Jenks 2-7 0-0 4, Kennedy Stenquist 0-0 0-0 0, Falon Bedke 0-0 0-0 0, Kayla Porray 2-4 0-0 5, Charli Cook 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-61 18-23 73.

NORTH IDAHO

Deniece Ryan 5-11 4-7 14, Maddie Williamson 11-17 0-2 23, Addie Kiefer 3-5 1-3 7, Faye Davis 1-5 0-0 2, Kendall Pickford 3-9 0-0 8, Solei Elletson 6-13 0-0 12, Kalysta Troman 0-2 0-0 0, Iratxe Amorrortu 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-63 5-12 66.

Southern Idaho    16    23    15    19    —    73

North Idaho        11    15    18    22    —    66

3-point goals — CSI 7-27 (Gillette 0-2, Headrick 1-2, Ika 0-1, Heaton 0-2, Mons 1-2, Birkeland 4-10, Jenks 0-5, Porray 1-3), NIC 3-14 (Ryan 0-1, Williamson 1-2, Pickford 2-6, Elletson 0-3, Troman 0-2). Rebounds — CSI 36 (Heaton 11), NIC 25 (Williamson, Pickford 5). Assists — CSI 15 (Ika 4), NIC 10 (Ryan 5). Team fouls — CSI 16, NIC 18. Fouled out — none. 

    NIC ATHLETICS North Idaho College sophomore guard Dante Sawyer shoots over Southern Idaho freshman Walker Timme during the first half of Saturday's Scenic West Athletic Conference game at Rolly Williams Court.
  

    NIC ATHLETICS North Idaho College freshman Maddie Williamson drives to the basket as Southern Idaho's Taylor Johnson defends during the first half of Saturday's Scenic West Athletic Conference game at Rolly Williams Court.