Cardinals Turn Back Spartans
Rolly Williams has been around basketball long enough to know you don’t take anyone for granted - even if your opponent is Colorado Northwestern Community College, 0-11 in the Scenic West Athletic Conference coming in to Saturday’s matchup with NIC.
Sometimes records can be deceiving.
Perhaps a lesson was learned as an athletic CNCC team led much of the way before succumbing 77-75 before about 300 fans at Christianson Gym.
“It’s just like I’ve been telling people, they’re not that bad,” Williams said of the Spartans. “They hit some shots when they had to tonight and if it’s not for Jamie Snook, we’re dead.”
Snook came off the bench to ignite the Cardinals in the second half. The 5-10 freshman guard entered the game with the Cardinals down 48-44. Ten minutes later, NIC had its biggest lead of the game at 71-61.
During that stretch, Snook had 12 points.
Snook also provided what might have been the pivotal bucket of the game. With the score knotted at 57 with 9:04 left, Snook hit one from well past the 3-point line - no one contested him, he was so far out - to give NIC some breathing room.
“I expect to come in off the bench - I get a chance to see what’s working and what’s not working,” Snook explained. “It looked like we were getting some good looks at the basket, they just wouldn’t fall.”
Snook picked up the slack from leading scorer Eddie Turner, who had a tough time with nine points.
“Eddie’s carried us all season, but he had an off night,” Snook said. “I got some of the shots he usually gets and they fell for me.”
It was a good thing they did.
CNCC (0-12, 4-19) fought back and was down 74-73 with just over a minute remaining after a 3-pointer by Jason Johnson.
But two free throws by Teddy Russinov with 34 seconds left, and a steal followed by a Roy Kruiswyk basket with 8 seconds left, iced it for NIC.
CNCC’s James Barnett hit a baseline jumper just before the buzzer to establish the final margin.
According to Spartan coach Paul Conrad, his team had one of its best efforts of the season.
“I was real proud of our kids tonight,” Conrad said. “They did what they had to do to win. That’s probably the best game we’ve played here since we’ve been coming up. We can’t play much better.”
Troy Thompson has his usual steady game for NIC (5-8 in SWAC, 13-12 overall). The 6-4 freshman guard had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Cardinals and was largely responsible for NIC taking an early lead.
Thompson got offensive help from from Snook, who finished with 17, as well as Russinov’s 15. Steve Helm chipped in 12 points.
Williams credited Helm with a great defensive effort on Spartan point guard Adam Apodaca, who was held to 12 points.
“Steve Helm played pretty well all the way through the ballgame,” Williams said.
NIC 77, Colorado Northwestern 75
COLORADO NORTHWESTERN (0-12, 4-19)
Barnett 8-13, 2-3 18, Rogers 0-0 0-0 0, Banks 0-0 0-0 0, Apodaca 5-12 1-3 12, Taylor 0-1 0-0 0, Patterson 1-1 0-2 2, Jolley 6-13 2-2 14, Johnson 5-11 2-2 16, Hollier 6-13 0-0 13, Fender 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-64 7-10 75.
NORTH IDAHO COLLEGE (5-8, 13-12)
Dial 0-1 0-0 0, Schultz 0-0 0-0 0, Helm 4-7 4-4 12, Snook 7-15 0-0 17, Thompson 7-16 0-0 14, Turner 3-13 3-3 9, Russinov 4-8 7-10 15, Sanchez 0-1 0-0 0, Hegbloom 0-0 0-0 0, Walker 0-0 0-0 0, Palumbis 0-2 2-2 2, Kruiswyk 3-9 2-4 8, Beall 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-72 18-23 77.
Halftime score - CNCC 36, NIC 35. 3-point goals - CNCC 6-13 (Barnett 0-1, Apodaca 1-3, Jolley 0-1, Johnson 4-7, Hollier 1-1), NIC 3-14 (Dial 0-1, Helm 0-2, Snook 3-6, Thompson 0-1, Turner 0-4). Total fouls - CNCC 15, NIC 12. Fouled out - None. Rebounds-CNCC 36 (Hollier 14), NIC 39 (Thompson 14). Assists - CNCC 20 (Apodaca 8), NIC 20 (Helm 6). A-300.