NIC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Cardinals gain confidence, roll past Blue Mountain

COEUR d’ALENE – Defensively and offensively, North Idaho College took a step forward on Monday afternoon.

“We had a lot of good things this weekend,” said NIC women’s basketball coach Nathan Covill after his Cardinals beat Blue Mountain Community College of Pendleton, Ore., 87-52 in their fourth game in six days. “But we’ve got a lot of things to continue to get better at. We’ve got to make sure we learned some things.”

Sophomores Summer Falaefa and Molly Axell, and freshman Kaytie Aanstad, scored 13 points each for NIC (4-6), which had 23 assists on 35 field goals.

“Overall, I’m happy with the effort,” Covill said. “When you have 23 assists on 35 baskets, you’re doing some good things. As the young kids continue to get better and better, we’ve got to get them confident with the basketball.”

NIC lost to Big Bend Community College of Moses Lake, Wash, 67-66 last Wednesday, then rolled past Miles Community College of Miles City, Mont., 81-59 on Friday and fell to Williston State (S.D.) College 85-79 on Saturday.

“We’d liked to have gone 5-1, but from the start of the year and going 1-5, we’re learning,” Covill said. “We’re excited to get back on the road next week and getting better in practice the next four days.”

NIC returns to action next week at the Chapman Automotive Winter Classic, opening against Dawson (Mont.) Community College at Arizona Western College in Yuma, Ariz., on Dec. 16.

Ella Stewart and Riley Tucker scored 13 points each for Blue Mountain (1-4).

BLUE MOUNTAIN

Amayah Defares 2-9 1-3 5, Hailey Taylor 1-9 0-0 2, Atira Moore 1-2 3-4 5, Taimane Tutogi 1-4 0-0 2, Ella Stewart 4-13 4-6 13, Megan Griggs 0-4 0-3 0, Brooke McHaffie 2-3 0-0 4, Riley Tucker 6-10 1-1 13, Jillian Herres 2-7 3-3 7. Totals 19-61 12-20 52.

NORTH IDAHO

Chloe Collin 4-6 2-2 10, Karsyn Freeman 4-9 0-0 8, Ripeka Edwards 4-7 0-0 10, Summer Faleafa 5-8 2-3 13, Sari Murphy 2-4 2-3 6, Diana Nelson 3-8 3-4 9, Molly Axell 5-12 1-1 13, Liv Whitemarsh 2-7 0-0 5, Kaytie Aanstad 6-9 1-2 13. Totals 35-70 11-15 87.

Blue Mountain    20    10    15    7    –    52

North Idaho    27    22    19    19    –    87

3-point goals – BMCC 2-19 (Defares 0-4, Taylor 0-4, Stewart 2-6, McHaffie 0-1, Tucker 0-1, Herres 0-2), NIC 6-17 (Collin 0-1, Freeman 0-1, Edwards 2-4, Faleafa 1-3, Axell 2-5, Whitemarsh 1-3). Rebounds – BMCC 28 (Defares 7), NIC 53 (Collin 9). Assists – BMCC 5 (Defares 4), NIC 23 (Freeman 7). Team fouls – BMCC 17, NIC 20. Fouled out – Herres, Aanstad.