Nic Men Host Tournament Without Key Player

The North Idaho College men’s basketball team tonight begins its adjustment to playing without Jovann Johnson.

The Cardinals face Columbia College, of Sonora, Calif., at 7:30 in the nightcap of the Coeur d’Alene Resort Tournament at NIC’s Christianson Gym.

The opener pits Shorter College, of North Little Rock, Ark., versus a Seattle-based pro-am team at 5:30. Saturday’s championship is at 7:30, following a 5:30 consolation game.

Johnson, a freshman forward, suffered an extensive knee injury last week that probably will require surgery. He was expected to be one of NIC’s top players. Brad Fields will replace Johnson in the lineup.

“We’ve switched everybody around,” NIC coach Hugh Watson said. “Losing Jovann takes a big force out of our team and it’s tough for the young man because basketball was his whole life.”

NIC, 3-0, encounters unknown entities in the tourney.

“We tried everywhere in the world to get a scouting report on Columbia,” Watson said. “Shorter was listed in the top 20 by Street and Smith.

“Seattle pro-am has two teams. They wanted to know if I wanted them to bring a team to win it or participate and I told them to bring the team that can win.”

, DataTimes