NIC MEN'S BASKETBALL: Size matters as Cardinals fall to hosts at Eastern Arizona tourney
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 2 weeks AGO
THATCHER, Ariz. — They weren’t quite the Fighting Gila Monsters, as their mascot suggests.
But host Eastern Arizona College used its size advantage to down North Idaho College 76-67 on Friday, the second day of the Gila Monster Shootout.
Ryan Hunt, a 7-footer from Australia with several four-year schools interested in him, had 11 points and nine rebounds for Eastern Arizona. Toms Salnajs, a 6-7 forward from Latvia, added nine points and seven boards.
“Their bigs just outworked us,” NIC coach Corey Symons said. “They cleaned up on the glass, and controlled the paint.”
Ajayi Simmons totaled 10 points and 11 rebounds for NIC (5-2). Ace Arnold scored a team-high 12 points off the bench for the Cardinals.
“It was a hostile environment, and we just didn't do the little things,” Symons said. “We’re still really young (just two sophomores) ... but we’ve got to grow up and we've got to grow up quick.”
Derek Collins led Eastern Arizona with 18 points off the bench. Guard Ryder Bush, who has committed to Fresno State, totaled 13 points and seven assists. The Cardinals held Kahu Treacher, an Oregon State commit, scoreless in 13 minutes off the bench.
NIC plays Cochise College of Douglas, Ariz., today to wrap up tourney play.
NORTH IDAHO
Ne’quan Brown 3-14 0-0 8, Nyale Robinson 3-8 0-0 7, Ajayi Simmons 4-12 1-2 10, Austin Ouko 4-10 0-0 11, Jacori Ervin 2-3 0-0 4, Ace Arnold 3-6 3-3 12, Cason Miller 1-1 0-0 3, Sawyr Hansen 1-1 0-0 2, Gage Ontiveros 0-0 0-0 0, Justus Haseley 2-3 1-1 6, Aly Toure 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 26-62 5-6 67.
EASTERN ARIZONA
Kofi Peyton 2-6 0-0 6, Ryder Bush 5-13 2-4 13, Brad Ballinger 4-7 0-0 11, Ryan Hunt 3-7 4-6 11, Toms Salnajs 2-5 3-4 9, Derek Collins 8-14 0-0 18, Kahu Treacher 0-2 0-0 0, Jason Van Horn Jr. 1-2 0-0 2, Malachi Seely-Roberts 2-2 0-0 6, Alex Horton 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 27-59 9-14 76.
Halftime — EA 43-35. 3-point goals — NIC 12-25 (Brown 2-5, Robinson 1-4, Simmons 1-2, Ouko 3-6, Arnold 3-6, Miller 1-1, Haseley 1-1. EA 13-29 (Peyton 2-5, Bush 1-4, Ballinger 3-5, Hunt 1-1, Salnajs 2-5, Collins 2-4, Treacher 0-2, Van Horn 0-1, Seely-Roberts 2-2. Rebounds — NIC 33 (Simmons 11), EA 34 (Salnajs 7). Assists — NIC 11 (Ouko 3), EA 19 (Bush 7). Fouled out — none. Total fouls — NIC 16, EA 12.