NIC ROUNDUP: Cards survive scare, both on and off the court

• MEN'S BASKETBALL

COEUR d’ALENE — As it turned out, it worked out fine for North Idaho College on Saturday. 

But there was some concern for sure. 

Freshman Justus Haseley, who started in place of sophomore guard Ne’quan Brown, had 21 points and 10 assists for the Cardinals in a 90-84 win over Williston State of Williston, N.D., at Rolly Williams Court on Saturday. 

Brown, who had started each of the Cardinals’ first nine games, had a recurrence of a blood clot in his left shoulder that caused him to miss the start of practice this season. 

Brown went to the ER and was later cleared by doctors just before the game. He finished with seven points and five rebounds, playing the last 12 minutes of the game. 

“It flared up on him at shootaround at 9 a.m.,” NIC coach Corey Symons said. “It started swelling on him, so to be safe, he went to the ER. It’s still healing, so that’s going to happen from time to time, and he’s good to go. We were going to sit him, but my coaching staff talked me into playing him.” 

Brown entered the game with the game tied at 61-61. NIC went on a 7-1 run and never trailed from that point. 

Gage Ontiveros, a sophomore from Pocatello High, had 15 points and six rebounds for NIC (8-2). 

“It was a good win for us,” Symons said. “Gage had a really big weekend.” 

NIC returns to action Dec. 18 against Howard College in the Tarkanian Classic at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. 

Josiah McDonald, a 6-foot guard, scored 26 points for Williston State (9-6). McDonald leads the NJCAA in scoring with 27.6 points per game. 

“He can really shoot it,” Symons said. “He can get to the rim and he’s a hard person to guard. He’s a good player and that’s a good team.” 

WILLISTON STATE 

Josiah McDonald 8-22 4-5 26, Carson Haerer 2-7 5-7 10, Andrew Sauer 6-10 0-0 16, Grantham Milner 2-2 0-0 6, Eden Hobbs 8-22 2-2 20, Bridger Johnson 1-1 0-0 3, Charlie McKenna 0-1 0-0 0, Joaquin Powell 0-0 3-6 3. Totals 28-66 14-20 84. 

NORTH IDAHO 

Nyale Robinson 0-2 2-2 2, Ajayi Simmons 5-11 5-7 16, Austin Ouko 4-9 3-4 11, Gage Ontiveros 7-13 1-2 15, Justus Haseley 6-11 6-8 21, Ne’quan Brown 2-3 2-4 7, Vander Brown 1-1 0-0 2, Ace Arnold 3-8 0-0 8, Cason Miller 0-2 0-0 0, Sawyr Hansen 0-0 0-0 0, Aly Toure 3-5 2-2 8, Jacori Ervin 0-0 0-3 0. Totals 31-65 18-28 90. 

Halftime — NIC 42-39. 3-point goals — WSC 14-42 (McDonald 6-17, Haerer 1-5, Sauer 4-6, Hobbs 2-12, Johnson 1-1, McKenna 0-1), NIC 10-22 (Robinson 0-1, Simmons 1-4, Ouko 3-4, Haseley 3-6, N. Brown 1-1, Arnold 2-5, Miller 0-1). Rebounds — WSC 33 (McDonald 13), NIC 37 (Simmons 11). Assists — WSC 18 (Haerer 11), NIC 18 (Haseley 10). Team fouls — WSC 20, NIC 15. Fouled out — Haerer. 

• WRESTLING

Cardinals bring back six champs

from Battle of the Rockies Open

GREAT FALLS, Mont. — North Idaho College sophomore Andrew Leota beat Cardinal redshirt freshman Dylan Block by a 9-4 decision in the 174-pound championship match at the Battle of the Rockies Open at the University of Providence. 

Redshirt freshman Owen Pritchard (125), redshirt freshman Cole Ekerson (133), freshman Parker Ballantyne (141), freshman Colton Tucker (157) and sophomore Ray Griffin (285) also won titles for North Idaho College. 

Freshman Curtis Bartley (141) and redshirt sophomore Forest Howell (285) were third for NIC, which returns to action on Jan. 9-10 at the NJCAA Coaches Association Duals in Miami, Okla. 

• WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Williston State 85 

North Idaho 79 

COEUR d’ALENE — Chloe Collin, a sophomore from Brampton, Ontario, scored a team-high 22 points on 7 of 9 shooting for the Cardinals, who fell to the Tetons of Williston, N.D., at Rolly Williams Court in their third game in four days.

“We just couldn’t get over the hump,” NIC coach Nathan Covill said. “We were always hovering around a three- or four-point deficit, but we did a lot of good things. We’re just still trying to get some consistency.” 

Summer Falaefa, a sophomore from Auckland, New Zealand, had 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists for NIC (3-5). Diana Nelson, a freshman from Timberlake High, had 15 points and three blocks off the bench for the Cardinals. 

“Chloe shot the ball really well and Summer had some great moments,” Covill said. “Diana has had three good games in a row and her confidence is growing. Overall, I’m happy with the performance and improvement. It’s a good sign, but we’re going to have to continue to get better.” 

Williston State is 11-1. 

WILLISTON STATE 

Dani Jordan 2-3 4-6 9, Taylah Murtagh 10-19 2-2 28, Sophie Barker 1-3 5-5 7, Jersey Berg 8-19 4-5 22, Leila Heffernan 8-13 1-1 17, Lucia Bellido 0-2 0-0 0, Stina Sodergard 0-0 0-0 0, Emily Fixico 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 30-60 16-19 85. 

NORTH IDAHO 

Chloe Collin 7-9 4-4 22, Karsyn Freeman 7-20 2-2 16, Ripeka Edwards 0-5 0-0 0, Liv Whitemarsh 1-3 2-2 5, Summer Faleafa 4-9 2-2 12, Diana Nelson 7-8 1-3 15, Molly Axell 2-2 0-0 6, Sari Murphy 0-1 1-2 1, Kaytie Aanstad 1-7 0-0 2. Totals 29-64 12-15 79. 

Williston State    20    20    22    23    —    85 

North Idaho    15    20    24    20    —    79 

3-point goals — WSC 9-20 (Jordan 1-1, Murtagh 6-11, Barker 0-1, Berg 0-1, Berg 2-4, Heffernan 0-3), NIC 9-23 (Collin 4-5, Freeman 0-3, Edwards 0-3, Whitemarsh 1-3, Falaefa 2-6, Axell 2-2, Murphy 0-1). Rebounds — WSC 32 (Murtagh 11), NIC 27 (Falaefa 6). Assists — WSC 20 (Jordan, Heffernan 5), NIC 17 (Falaefa 5). Team fouls — WSC 12, NIC 18. Fouled out — none. 

    KYLE DISHAW PHOTOGRAPHY North Idaho College sophomore guard Chloe Collin drives to the basket as Williston State's Emily Fixico (51) defends during Saturday's game at Rolly Williams Court.