Balance allows Dixie to overcome Cardinals’ Disy, Deshazer
It was five-on-five on the floor, but it seemed as if North Idaho College were outnumbered most of the night.
The Cardinals’ 1-2 punch of Harry Disy and Don Deshazer wasn’t enough to counter Dixie State College’s depth as the Rebels posted a 66-56 Scenic West Athletic Conference men’s basketball victory Saturday night at Christianson Gym.
Disy and Deshazer scored all 28 of NIC’s first-half points and 43 of the Cards’ 56 points. Meanwhile, Dixie had nine players crack the scorebook in the first half and reserves piled up 31 points to help the Rebels bounce back from Friday’s 60-56 loss to NIC.
“Nobody else was hitting,” Cardinals coach Jared Phay said. “We got some of the looks we wanted, but we just couldn’t hit ‘em.”
That was apparent in the first half as Disy struck for 16 points and Deshazer added 12. They combined to make 12 of 14 shots. The rest of the Cards were 0 for 15 as Dixie grabbed a 33-28 lead at half.
“We controlled the tempo and we didn’t shoot it real fast,” Rebels coach Jeff Kidder said. “We got it inside in the second half and both teams got tired, but for the most part we didn’t take any wild shots.”
It was a typical second game of the SWAC’s back-to-back scheduling system. The play was physical and both teams were well versed on the other’s style and plays.
“It’s really tough,” said Phay, whose club dropped to 11-11, 3-7 in the SWAC. “That’s why we see a lot of splits. We saw a lot last year and I’m sure we’ll see a lot this season.”
NIC’s first points not authored by Disy or Deshazer came with 15 minutes left in the second half as Foluke Tobin scooped up a loose ball and scored from close range. Disy scored inside and Darin Nagle had a pair of baskets as NIC took a 41-37 lead.
Dixie (16-6, 5-5) ran off 11 of the next 12 points, with Stanley Copeland’s 3-pointer giving the Rebels the lead for good. Copeland didn’t play a minute Friday. He started this time and finished with 13 points, five assists and five rebounds.
“That’s his first start of the season,” Kidder said. “We’ve just been searching for a point guard.”
The Rebels have plenty of interior players as Hatila Passos, Brad Roundy, Renato Paz and Fabio Nass combined for 32 points and 22 rebounds. NIC, playing without injured center Steve Cobbley, was outrebounded by 11.
“Their bigs just wore us down,” Phay said. “They have three or four kids that rotate in and we have two or three, and we’re undersized at that.”
NIC continued to struggle from the free-throw line, making 7 of 14. The Cardinals are shooting less than 60 percent at the stripe for the season.
NIC visits Snow for games Friday and Saturday.