NIC MEN'S BASKETBALL: Ervin's big night paces NIC

COEUR d’ALENE — Jacori Ervin, a 6-foot-11 freshman forward from North Central High in Spokane, had a season-high 19 points and 16 rebounds for North Idaho College in an 84-43 win over Treasure Valley in the opening game of the Coeur d’Alene Best Western Inn-vitational on Friday at Rolly Williams Court. 

“I told him he was going to start today at shootaround to see if that was going to spark him,” NIC coach Corey Symons said. “We haven’t been starting him and playing him, but threw him into the lineup to see if it would spark him, and he was just unbelievable tonight.” 

Sophomore Vaughn Weems scored 15 points for NIC (8-5), which played for the first time since Dec. 8. NIC, which held Treasure Valley to 14 field goals, led 44-15 at halftime. 

“Treasure Valley can shoot it, so to hold them to 15 was incredible,” Symons said. “With how Jacori was playing, we were able to get out and pressure on the wing a little more knowing he was there. The guys did a really good job of buying into the defensive side of things and played well tonight.” 

Deacon Kiesbuy, a freshman forward from Lake City High, had eight points and four rebounds off the bench for Treasure Valley (3-7), which faces Tacoma today at 5 p.m. 

Ne’quan Brown had 10 points and nine rebounds for NIC, which faces Shoreline tonight at 7.

TREASURE VALLEY 

Jeremiah Williams 1-9 2-4 4, Mou Mou 4-12 0-2 8, Eddie Rodriguez 0-7 0-0 0, Kirath Makhar 3-10 0-0 8, Ashraf Barsham 1-4 1-2 5, Tacoma Kelly 0-0 1-1 1, Kenton Ferguson 0-2 0-0 0, Deacon Kiesbuy 3-10 0-0 8, Jacob Martinez 2-6 1-1 6, DeCarlo Browne 0-7 5-7 5. Totals 14-67 10-17 43. 

NORTH IDAHO 

Vaughn Weems 6-12 3-7 15, Ne’quan Brown 4-9 0-0 10, Tayshawn Colvin 3-5 2-2 8, Sam Marbury 2-8 2-2 6, Jacori Ervin 7-13 5-6 19, Deng Diew 3-4 0-0 6, Dace Pleasant 2-8 1-2 5, Mehmet Bener 1-1 0-0 3, Jeremiah Sibley 0-5 1-2 1, Romell Russell 0-1 3-4 3, Tautoko Wynyard 2-4 0-0 4, Bryce Henry 1-4 0-0 2, Ajayi Simmons 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 32-75 17-25 84. 

Halftime — NIC 44-15. 3-point goals — TVCC 5-33 (Williams 0-3, Mou 0-1, Rodriguez 0-7, Makhar 2-8, Barsham 0-1, Ferguson 0-2, Kiesbuy 2-5, Martinez 1-5, Browne 0-1), NIC 3-17 (Weems 0-2, Brown 2-2, Colvin 0-1, Marbury 0-4, Pleasant 0-5, Bener 1-1, Russell 0-1, Henry 0-1). Rebounds — TVCC 46 (Mou 9), NIC 53 (Ervin 16). Assists — TVCC 7 (Makhar, Martinez 3), NIC 12 (Weems, Marbury 4). Team fouls — TVCC 17, NIC 16. Fouled out — Barsham. Technical fouls — Treasure Valley.