Nic’s Incredible Journey Cardinals Rise Above Expectations, Reach National Tournament

“We want to be realistic. Right now, if we could win 20 games… ” - North Idaho College men’s basketball coach Hugh Watson on Nov. 6.

I’d probably pick us in the middle of the pack.”

- Watson on Dec. 4, before opening league season.

Uh huh.

Care for a mulligan, coach?

“Now listen, I’d just got back from a jamboree (and watching several Scenic West Athletic Conference teams) when I said that,” Watson pleaded, leaks springing in his sandbag defenses. “And it was scary.”

Isn’t that 28-4 North Idaho College listed on the bracket sheet at this week’s national junior college tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.?

“You know, (Baylor assistant coach) Billy Gillispie just called and said, ‘You made the national tournament? With that bunch?’ He came through here at the beginning of the season,” Watson laughed. “The kids really have responded. It took time, but they kept working their tails off.”

In actuality, there were some scary spots - a meltdown during a ragged preseason scrimmage with Whitworth, a lineup with only one player taller than 6-foot-4 and a new coaching staff with Watson and workaholic assistant Mark White.

A hint of NIC’s emergence came after the Cards were drilled in a December road game by Snow, Watson said.

“The next night we just kicked Dixie in the first half, had ‘em 15 down,” Watson said. “I knew then we were clicking because that’s a tough place to win.”

Winning became routine as the Cardinals finished 14-4 in the SWAC and took second. NIC captured the Region 18 Tournament last week, winning three games by an average of 12 points.

Next up is unranked Bossier Parish (25-8), from Bossier City, La., on Wednesday at 11:45 a.m. in Hutchinson.

It’s Watson’s and White’s second trip to nationals. Watson took Hiwassee to the 1990 event. White, as an assistant, went with Wabash Valley (Mt. Carmel, Ill.) in 1993.

Like many clubs making their first trip to nationals, Watson’s was goggle-eyed with excitement and performed poorly in ‘90.

“It’s just a circus atmosphere and we got caught up in it,” said Watson, his team admittedly tired from two long bus trips leading up to the tourney. “Your kids have a tendency to try to do too much.”

It’s hard not to. John Thompson might be sitting just behind the bench. Rick Pitino could be within eyesight, munching popcorn and perusing the program. At the ‘90 tourney, Watson said his wife, Sue, sat next to P.J. Carlesimo in the stands.

Watson’s trying to avoid the distractions.

“Everybody wants to talk to your players and you can get carried away with it if you let it,” he said. “I’ve asked for a place to stay about 20 minutes away and we’re trying to keep the kids focused on winning, not just being happy to be there.”

White’s happy to be at NIC and going to nationals, though he feels he’s ready for a head coaching job. His nomadic career - one year at Jacksonville (Texas) College, one year at Barton County (Kansas), two years at Georgia Southern, one year at Wabash Valley, etc. - has been by design.

“It’s helped me learn,” White said.

White, 33, played baseball in college, but always knew basketball would become his profession. At NIC, he’s largely responsible for the sticky man-to-man defense that has frustrated taller opponents.

“When I first got the job here, Coach and I talked,” White said. “He said he’d pretty much take the offense and I’d pretty much take the defense.”

White is a videotape fanatic. After NIC’s win over Salt Lake last Wednesday, he returned to his office at about 11 p.m. and watched tape until 5 a.m. The video crunching ended the next night at 3:30 a.m.

NIC played man defense all season, with the exception of a 40-second span against Western Montana.

“We have a 1-3-1 (zone) that I call “3 defense” and we’ve got a “33” play on offense,” Watson said. “I hollered “33” and they misunderstood me and started playing a zone. Western Montana was so confused they turned the ball over.”

The players have made believers out of their coaches and others.

“NIC’s a great rep for our conference,” said Utah Valley coach Jeff Reinert, whose club went to nationals last year. “Athletically they can compete. I’m a little worried about their lack of height, but they’ve been able to make up for that with quickness and pressure.”

“We’re going to have a good time,” Watson said, “but we’re going to try to win this thing, too.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 3 photos (1 color)

MEMO: These sidebars appeared with the story: NIC AT NATIONALS 1980 - Went 2-2, placed 8th. 1978 - Went 1-2, placed 10th.

Region 18 at Nationals 1996 Utah Valley (lost in first round to Sullivan, Kent., which won tourney). 1995 - Southern Idaho (placed fourth). 1994 - Salt Lake (placed fifth). 1993 - Southern Idaho (placed seventh). 1992 - Southern Idaho (placed third). 1991 - Southern Idaho (lost in first round). 1990 - Southern Idaho (placed second).

Hugh Watson at Nationals As coach at Hiwassee Junior College: 1987 - Hiwassee won region, lost in play-in game to get to nationals) 1990 - Hiwassee (0-2).

MEN’S ROSTERS North Idaho College Name Ht. Yr. Hometown Shawn Myrick 6-0 So. Maysville, Ky. Bo Johnson 6-3 Fr. Melbourne, Fla. Todd Myles 6-4 Fr. Brooklyn, N.Y. Cameron Webster 6-0 Fr. Columbia, Tenn. James Rahming 6-4 Fr. Freeport, Bahamas Travis Houston 6-1 Fr. Columbia, Tenn. Andre McKanstry 6-0 So. Tuscaloosa, Ala. Chris Harrison 6-4 So. Houston, Texas Cameron Banks 6-4 So. Fife, Wash. Jon Bussell 6-3 So. Mountain Home, Idaho Steven Ryan 6-9 Fr. Baker, La. Leonard Myles 6-5 Fr. Chicago, Ill. Coach: Hugh Watson. Assistant: Mark White.

Bossier Parish (Bossier City, La.) Name Ht. Yr. Hometown Jason Cooley 5-10 So. Simpson, La. Kenny Haynes 5-11 So. Baton Rouge, La. Brett Eason 6-2 So. Bradley, Ark. Kedric Kennedy 5-10 Fr. Zwolle, La. Keith Greene 6-3 Fr. Bossier City, La. Jeff Colson 6-2 So. Epps, La. Brandon Palmer 6-5 So. Doyline, La. James Jackson 6-4 So. West Monroe, La. Telly Wheeler 6-3 So. Shreveport, La. Darnell Duncan 6-3 So. Boothville, La. Michael Smith 6-8 Fr. West Monroe, La. Keenan Govan 6-3 So. Bradley, Ark. Oral Roberts 6-7 So. St. Vincent, Jamaica Randy Reliford 6-7 Fr. Shreveport, La. Mario Hinds 6-8 So. St. Vincent, Jamaica Coach: Mike McConathy. Assistant: David Francis.