Middlebrooks, Joksimovic lead NIC men to 7-0 start

COEUR d'ALENE - Michael Middlebrooks totaled 16 points, 19 rebounds and five blocked shots as the North Idaho College men's basketball team finished 3-0 at the NIC Thanksgiving Classic with a 103-72 victory over Peninsula College of Port Angeles, Wash., on Sunday afternoon at Rolly Williams Court.

"He definitely is controlling the paint on both ends of the floor," NIC coach Jared Phay said of Middlebrooks, a freshman who is being recruited by Gonzaga.

Sophomore Petar Joksimovic, whose play was limited the first two nights as he recovered from an ankle injury, got the start Sunday and scored 21 points in 18 minutes. He hit 5 of 8 from 3-point range.

NIC (7-0) outrebounded Peninsula 57-31.

"We improved every night," Phay said. "I felt our guys got a lot better defensively today."

J.T. Terrell of Peninsula, a transfer from Wake Forest who has already signed with USC, led all scorers with 27 points.

Former Coeur d'Alene High standout Connor White hit 3 of 6 3-pointers and finished with nine points and a game-high six assists for NIC. He also blocked three shots.

NIC returns to action this weekend at the Cardinal-Bigfoot Classic. On Thursday, NIC hosts Green River; on Friday, the Cardinals face either Yakima Valley or Salish Kootenai at home; and on Saturday, NIC faces a foe to be determined at Spokane Community College.

PENINSULA

Djuan Smith 3-7 7-12 13, Dudley Ewell 2-9 2-2 6, Curtis Steward 1-3 1-1 3, Tyler Funk 3-11 0-0 9, Tim Friday 0-0 0-0 0, Chris Buchanan 0-3 0-0 0, J.T. Terrell 6-22 11-12 27, Anthony Crouts 0-1 0-0 0, Corey Clement 1-4 5-6 7, Jordan Rawls 2-3 2-2 7. Totals 18-63 28-35 72.

NORTH IDAHO

Jordan McCloud 4-11 6-6 14, Antoine Hosley 6-15 0-0 13, Connor White 3-6 0-0 9, Kwame Bates 2-3 0-0 4, Casey Ward 0-0 0-0 0, Keon Lewis 5-6 5-7 16, Michael Middlebrooks 5-9 6-7 16, Edrico McGregor 4-4 0-0 8, Joel Underdahl 0-0 0-0 0, Tyrell Lewis 0-6 2-2 2, Petar Joksimovic 8-12 0-0 21, Kaj Sherman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-72 19-22 103.

Halftime - NIC 53-36. 3-point goals: Pen 8-31 (Smith 0-1, Ewell 0-2, Funk 3-9, Buchanan 0-3, Terrell 4-14, Rawls 1-2), NIC 10-27 (McCloud 0-2, Hosley 1-5, White 3-6, Bates 0-1, K. Lewis 1-2, T. Lewis 0-3, Joksimovic 5-8). Rebounds - Pen 31 (Ewell 7), NIC 57 (Middlebrooks 19). Assists - Pen 4 (Friday 2), NIC 23 (White 6). Fouled out - Middlebrooks. Total fouls - Pen 17, NIC 24.