Cardinals Slow Pace, Move Out Second-Half Onslaught Takes Nic To 76-54 Win Over Nbc Thunder

North Idaho College opened its men’s basketball season fast. Too fast.

After rushing through a jittery first half, the Cardinals slowed down and lit up NBC Thunder 76-54 Monday night at Christianson Gym.

The Cardinals broke away from a six-point halftime lead by outscoring the visitors 15-2 in the first 6 minutes of the second half.

“We talked (at half) about not shooting the ball as quick and trying to break them down and pound the ball inside a little bit,” NIC coach Hugh Watson said.

NIC’s patience wore on NBC Thunder, a collection of ex-college players in their last game of a 10-game swing.

“This was the last one; we’re done,” said NBC Thunder coach Danny Beard, whose squad finished 1-9. “And we played like we were done, too.”

It wasn’t all patterns and set plays that did in NBC Thunder. Point guard Winston Brooks was a handful in transition. His creative drives and dishes helped NIC coast through most of the second half.

Brooks, who has signed with Gonzaga, had 12 points and 10 assists. Many of his passes went to Steven Bonner, who led NIC with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

The two were teammates last year at Howard College in Texas. A third transfer, shooting guard Vasilis Tsimpliavidas, hasn’t received his release from Howard. He didn’t play.

Bonner, a 6-foot-5 wing, who didn’t start because he was late to a shootaround Saturday, had two buckets in NIC’s decisive run. Center Marko Kandic and forward Dusan Milicic each scored two field goals as NIC took command 47-28.

“Winston makes us click,” Watson said. “When he was out, we struggled a little bit.”

NIC struggled mightily with NBC Thunder last year. Admittedly, NBC’s roster changes each season, but NIC held on for a 102-96 win a year ago.

“I have to believe they’re going to have a better year this season,” Beard said. “Hugh has as much athletic ability as a lot of teams. There were some athletic players on that floor. The perimeter is definitely the strength. As the guards go, so goes the team.”

Brooks didn’t like going into halftime with the score so tight.

“We had to get it into ourselves that nobody was coming in here and beating us at home,” Brooks said. “We’re going to try to keep it sacred here.”

NIC has the tools to do so, Beard said. “They have a really complete club.”

Former Boise State standout J.D. Huleen led NBC Thunder with nine points.

NIC entertains the Western Montana junior varsity at 7 p.m. Wednesday.