Nic Teams Face Unknown

Bossier Parish College men’s basketball coach Mike McConathy knows a lot about his team and a little about North Idaho College.

They sound virtually one in the same.

“We have some good athletes, like y’all have,” said McConathy, whose 24-8 club will take on NIC (27-4) at 11:45 a.m. PST on Wednesday, March 19, in the first round of the NJCAA Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas.

The tourney begins on March 18, but NIC is in the last game of the opening round.

McConathy’s club, based in Bossier City, La., qualified by claiming the Region 23 championship with an 80-61 win over Northwest Mississippi on Thursday. Bossier Parish isn’t ranked.

The NIC women (27-4) apparently will open against Hiwassee College, of Madisonville, Tenn., if tournament brackets are accurate. Game time is noon on Tuesday, March 18, in Tyler, Texas.

“I know nothing about them,” said NIC coach Greg Crimp, who was still cross-checking his bracket sheets on Sunday night to determine NIC’s opponent. “I’ll see what I can find out this week.”

Hiwassee, which won the Region 7 title on Sunday, was ranked No. 10 in the final regular-season poll. NIC was No. 14.

Interestingly, NIC men’s coach Hugh Watson coached at Hiwassee from 1984-90.

Per usual, Watson’s men’s team will face a taller opponent. Bossier Parish’s Michael Smith is a 6-foot-8 forward versatile enough to play guard or forward. He leads the team in scoring at 14 points per game, McConathy said.

Other cornerstones are Oral Roberts, 6-7 and 245 pounds; Brandon Palmer, a 6-5 swingman at 12 ppg; Telly Wheeler, a 6-3 guard averaging 9 points; and 5-11 point guard Kenny Haynes, also averaging 9 points.

McConathy plans on contacting Idaho coach Kermit Davis for information on NIC. Ceasar Prelow is a former Vandal and Bossier Parish player.

Davis, though, might be tightlipped since he’s signed NIC guard Cameron Banks and is recruiting other Cardinals players.

Bossier Parish averages 90 points per game and allows 75.

, DataTimes