Twin beatings ... Nationally-ranked CSI handles rival North Idaho in Scenic West Conference men's opener

By JASON ELLIOTT 

Sports writer 

COEUR d'ALENE — Experience mattered. 

The visiting College of Southern Idaho had it. 

North Idaho College is still seeking it. 

In the men's game, NIC sophomore guard Ne'quan Brown hit back-to-back 3-pointers to get the Cardinals (10-6) to within a 37-34 deficit early in the second half, but the 14th-ranked Golden Eagles (15-1) used an 8-0 run over the next five minutes, eventually putting the game away 82-65 in the Scenic West Athletic Conference opener for both schools at Rolly Williams Court on Saturday. 

"I've got to figure out something as a coaching staff and figure out what we can do offensively," NIC men's basketball coach Corey Symons said. "We played good defense in the first half, but we just couldn't put the ball in the basket. We've got to find a way to put the ball in the basket." 

MEN: Brown scored 13 of his team-high 16 points in the second half for NIC, which shot 21 of 48. 

Jalyn Lyn, a sophomore from Queens, N.Y., scored 31 points for CSI.

"I was able to get a couple of free throws to go in in the first half," Brown said. "Fortunately, I was able to stay out of foul trouble in the second half and was able to get some shots up. Just being able to be in the game, get into a flow and get some shots up, getting that feel for the game, that was the biggest part to me in the second half." 

NIC was held to a season-low 14 points in the first half of a game in the JUCO Tarkanian Classic against Howard College on Dec. 18 in Las Vegas. 

NIC freshman Justus Haseley hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 45-37 with 12:41 remaining before CSI pulled away again. 

"We're playing good defense, but the second half we kind of let up," Symons said. "Our depth isn't very well and our conditioning isn't well, and that falls on me. We've got to do a better job and get ready for Salt Lake." 

CSI led 32-22 at halftime, limiting NIC to seven field goals in the first half. 

"Neither one of us could score," CSI coach Jeff Reinert said. "We were both not very good offensively, but it's a credit to both teams' defense. North is long and athletic and they're hard to score on. We just made some shots in the second half and it turned the tide." 

CSI beat NIC 79-70 in the championship game of the Battle for the Boot in Twin Falls on Nov. 8. 

Brown had missed fall workouts after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder to treat a blood clot, but was cleared to play to start the season. 

"I think North, and Brown with his health issues in the fall, might have set them behind a little bit," Reinert said. "They might not be completely there, but they're good. They're a good team and going to be good. It's hard to win here, and we've got to come back here again. This is a very difficult place to win, and we were fortunate to get a win here. Now we've got to take care of business at other places and if we do that, we've got a chance to be successful." 

CSI shot 25 of 57, but made 20 of 29 from the free throw line. 

"They just executed tonight," Brown said. "They scouted our plays really well and were aware of the things we were going to run. They were aware of our personnel and knew what we were going to try to run and what that looked like. The first time, there was a little less of a scout and we hadn't really played yet. They knew a lot of what we had and what we were going to try to do in different situations." 

It was the Cardinals' fourth game in six days. 

"Jeff does a really good job of building experience," Symons said. "Jalen Lyn has 31 points for them, and he barely played last year. Nate Ahner has a great game and he barely played last year. We've got one really solid sophomore (Brown), and two with Ajayi (Simmons). He plays good, but he's not the outgoing type and we've got a bunch of freshmen. We're just not ready for this league yet and I don't think they know what it is day in and day out. And I think it was an eye-opening experience for them." 

COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN IDAHO 

Jalen Lyn 10-14 5-5 31, Ace Reiser 2-11 2-2 6, Ben Thornbrue 4-11 6-8 16, Nathan Ahner 3-7 1-3 9, Charlie Dimmock 0-3 2-5 2, Cooper Kesler 1-2 2-2 5, Kyah Farris-White 0-2 0-0 0, Kobe Kesler 2-3 0-0 5, Guygustone Kasenga 2-3 2-4 6, Emil Hirvonen 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 25-57 20-29 82. 

NORTH IDAHO 

Ne'quan Brown 4-10 6-8 16, Nyale Robinson 3-7 5-7 11, Ajayi Simmons 1-6 3-4 5, Austin Ouko 2-9 3-4 8, Gage Ontiveros 2-2 1-5 5, Ace Arnold 0-1 0-0 0, Cody Wright 0-0 0-0 0, Cason Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Sawyr Hansen 0-0 0-0 0, Justus Haseley 2-5 0-0 6, Aly Toure 3-3 0-2 6, Jacori Ervin 4-5 0-1 8. Totals 21-48 18-31 65.

Halftime — CSI 32-22. 3-point goals — CSI 12-22 (Lyn 6-8, Reiser 0-3, Thornbrue 2-5, Ahner 2-4, C. Kesler 1-1, K. Kesler 1-1), NIC 5-17 (N. Brown 2-4, Robinson 0-3, Simmons 0-2, Ouko 1-4, Arnold 0-1, Haseley 2-3). Rebounds — CSI 30 (Ahner 7), NIC 36 (N. Brown 8). Assists — CSI 10 (Ahner 4), NIC 6 (six with 1). Team fouls — CSI 25, NIC 22. Fouled out — none. Technical fouls — NIC team. 

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