North Idaho women advance to Region 18 title game; NIC men fall

TWIN FALLS, Idaho – Kama Griffitts scored 20 points and Tugce Canitez added 18 points and 17 rebounds Friday as second-seeded North Idaho (27-3) advanced to the Region 18 women’s basketball tournament championship with an 84-72 win over host Southern Idaho (23-9).

ShaKiana Edwards-Teasley added 19 points and Korina Baker had 15 points and four steals for the Cardinals, who will meet top-seeded Salt Lake (24-4) at 4 p.m. today for a berth to the NJCAA national tournament.

Salt Lake came back from a 14-point deficit to defeat No. 4 Snow (17-13) 65-62 in the second semifinal.

Canitez and Griffitts also had six assists apiece.

Edwards-Teasley and Baker finished a combined 13 of 21 from the field.

The Cardinals won the rebounding edge 47-36, including 21 on the offensive end.

NIC trailed 40-38 at halftime, but the Cardinals hit six 3-pointers in the second half while holding the Golden Eagles to 10-for-27 shooting from the floor.

Laurel Kearsley scored 19 points for third-seeded CSI, which finished 23-9.

Men

Southern Idaho 79, North Idaho 67: Pierre Jackson hit 14 of 15 from the line on his way to 26 points as the top-seeded Golden Eagles (27-4) defeated the fifth-seeded Cardinals (23-9) to advance to the championship game.

CSI will meet third-seeded Salt Lake (25-7) at 6:30 tonight for a berth in the NJCAA national tournament.

Mitch Bruneel added 14 points and 11 rebounds for CSI, which led 38-33 at halftime. Jerrold Brooks scored 13 points and Fabyon Harris had 11.

Michael Hale III led North Idaho with 26 points. Hale finished 8 of 17 from the floor, including 5 of 11 on 3-pointers, and 5 of 7 from the line.

Abebe Dimissie added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Cardinals. Tyrone White Jr. tied for game honors with 11 rebounds.

CSI finished 32 of 45 from the line while NIC was 14 of 23. NIC was whistled for 28 fouls, nine more than CSI.