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

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. 

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