NIC ROUNDUP: Cardinals battle, but fall to rival CSI in Boot title game

• MEN'S BASKETBALL

TWIN FALLS — Sophomore Ajayi Simmons had 19 points and 11 rebounds for North Idaho College, which fell to Southern Idaho 79-70 in the championship game of the Battle for the Boot Tournament in front of 1,435 on Saturday night. 

Freshman Austin Ouko had 16 points and seven rebounds for NIC (2-1), which outrebounded CSI 44-35. 

“We worked our tails off,” said NIC coach Corey Symons, whose team committed 27 turnovers. “We battled, but it’s tough to win with 27 turnovers. I’m happy with the guys and we should have came out of here with a championship, but we definitely got better this weekend. We’re happy with where we’re at right now.” 

Ace Reiser scored 23 points for CSI (3-0). 

The game between Scenic West Athletic Conference rivals was a nonconference game. The teams will open conference play against each other at Rolly Williams Court in Coeur d’Alene on Jan. 3, 2026. 

NIC hosts Green River on Thursday at 7 p.m.

NORTH IDAHO 

Ne’quan Brown 2-7 0-0 5, Nyale Robinson 3-8 0-0 8, Ajayi Simmons 7-16 1-2 19, Austin Ouko 5-11 2-2 16, Jacori Ervin 2-4 1-5 5, Vander Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Ace Arnold 0-2 0-0 0, Cason Miller 1-1 0-0 3, Sawyr Hansen 0-0 0-0 0, Gage Ontiveros 1-3 0-0 2, Justus Haseley 4-15 4-7 12, Aly Toure 0-1 0-1 0. Totals 25-68 8-17 70. 

SOUTHERN IDAHO 

Jalen Lyn 3-6 1-2 7, Ace Reiser 8-11 6-8 23, Ben Thornbrue 1-3 6-9 8, Nathan Ahner 1-5 3-5 5, Charlie Dimmock 2-5 1-2 5, Cooper Kesler 3-6 5-7 13, Kyah Farris-White 1-1 0-0 3, Kobe Kesler 4-6 0-0 11, Guygustone Kesenga 1-4 2-2 4, Emil Hirvonen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-27 24-35 79. 

Halftime — CSI 37-29. 3-point goals — NIC 12-27 (N. Brown 1-3, Robinson 2-6, Simmons 4-7, Ouko 4-7, Miller 1-1, Haseley 0-3), CSI 7-13 (Lyn 0-1, Reiser 1-3, Ahner 0-1, C. Kesler 2-4, Farris-White 1-1, K. Kesler 3-3). Rebounds — NIC 44 (Simmons 11), CSI 35 (Thornbrue 7). Assists — NIC 13 (Robinson, Haseley 3), CSI 11 (Ahner 4). Team fouls — NIC 27, CSI 21. Fouled out — N. Brown, Ontiveros. 

• WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Grayson 74 

North Idaho 50 

DENISON, Texas — Karsyn Freeman, a freshman guard from Adna, Wash., scored nine of her team-high 11 points in the second half for the Cardinals in a nonconference loss to the Vikings. 

Liv Whitemarsh, a freshman from Pasco, Wash., scored 10 points for NIC (0-3), which trailed 45-27 at halftime. 

“They did a good job of switching up defenses and keeping us off balanced,” NIC coach Nathan Covill said. “We were settling for too many jump shots early on and not getting the ball into the paint, which we started to do in the second half. It’s a good group of kids and we’ve got to continue to get better each day. I’ve got to do a better job of finding a way for them to be successful as a team.” 

NIC faces Murray State College of Tishomingo, Okla., today at 11 a.m. PST. 

Madison Martin scored 15 points for Grayson (3-0). 

North Idaho    14    13    14    9    —    50 

Grayson    24    21    18    11    —    74 

NORTH IDAHO — Chloe Collin 4, Karsyn Freeman 11, Diana Nelson 4, Ripeka Edwards 2, Molly Axell 1, Liv Whitemarsh 10, Summer Faleafa 8, Sari Murphy 8, Kaytie Aanstad 2. 

GRAYSON — Tahlaya Biglow 9, Andrea Johnson 9, Joanna MacAskill 11, Lyric Berridge 3, Iv Jackson 5, Madison Martin 15, Susan Fahnbulleh 10, Niamh Chamberlain 5, Jaycee Ingram 6.