Ouko's 3 helps Cardinals fight off Trap game

COEUR d'ALENE — In the first half, the shots just weren't falling for North Idaho College — for either team, for that matter — on Saturday. 

It was a good thing the one that freshman Austin Ouko took in the second half, did. 

Ouko, a 6-foot-7 freshman forward from Switzerland, hit a 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining as the Cardinals held off the Northwest Trappers of Powell, Wyo., 64-60 in a nonconference game at Rolly Williams Court. 

NIC led 19-18 at halftime after falling behind 7-0 to start the game. 

"We just couldn't make shots in the first half," NIC coach Corey Symons said. "We played really well defensively, but just had a tough time putting the ball in the basket." 

Ouko hit a free throw with 8:43 remaining to give NIC a 43-31 lead. 

"We did a good job of sitting down on defense and making plays when we needed to," Symons said. "Austin's 3-pointer was huge, and great for him because he didn't shoot it that well this weekend. But for him to step up and hit that shot when he needed to was great to see." 

Mateo Trujillo scored 17 points for Northwest (3-3), which led by seven points early in the second half, only to see NIC build a 12-point lead with 8:25 left. 

NIC competes in Gila Monster Shootout at Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher, Ariz., opening Thursday vs. Central Arizona.

NORTHWEST COLLEGE 

Mateo Trujillo 5-12 4-4 17, Nayel Girard 4-10 2-2 12, Trey Rinn 3-8 0-0 8, Eli Patterson 4-4 0-0 8, Braydon Bradshaw 0-4 0-0 0, Tate Monroe 3-7 0-0 9, Monybuony Kor 0-0 0-0 0, Gunner Erickson 0-0 0-0 0, Isaac Wolfe 0-1 0-0 0, Logan Woolstenhulme 1-5 0-0 2, Travis Theran Archibald 1-6 0-0 3, R'Zha Zha'Quire Whittle 0-5 1-2 1. Totals 21-62 7-8 60. 

NORTH IDAHO COLLEGE 

Ne'quan Brown 3-12 9-14 15, Nyale Robinson 1-4 0-0 2, Ajayi Simmons 4-9 1-2 12, Austin Ouko 1-6 3-4 6, Aly Toure 2-3 2-2 6, Ace Arnold 1-4 0-0 3, Cason Miller 1-2 0-0 3, Sawyr Hansen 3-4 0-0 6, Gage Ontiveros 1-2 0-0 2, Justus Haseley 2-5 5-6 9, Jacori Ervin 0-1 0-1 0. Totals 19-52 20-28 64. 

Halftime — NIC 19-18. 3-point goals — NWC 11-30 (Trujillo 3-7, Girard 2-4, Rinn 2-6, Bradshaw 0-1, Monroe 3-5, Wolfe 0-1, Archilbald 1-5, Whittle 0-1), NIC 6-24 (N. Brown 0-3, Robinson 0-2, Simmons 3-7, Ouko 1-4, Arnold 1-4, Miller 1-2, Haseley 0-1, Ervin 0-1). Rebounds — NWC 25 (Girard 5), NIC 39 (Toure 13). Assists — NWC 12 (Girard 3), NIC 10 (N. Brown 4). Team fouls — NWC 20, NIC 11. Fouled out — Patterson. 

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