OTTUMWA, Iowa (Interstat) — In a game defined by a chaotic start and a frantic finish, the Indian Hills Warriors escaped with a 65-63 victory over the North Idaho Cardinal in a men’s junior college basketball game Friday night.

The contest’s most pivotal sequence came in the final minute, as the Warriors clawed out a narrow win after trailing for the majority of the second half. With the score tied at 63 and 50 seconds remaining, Indian Hills’ KJ LaMonte was fouled and calmly sank both free throws to put the Warriors ahead for good at 65-63. North Idaho, after a timeout, managed a potential game-tying possession, but a turnover by Cason Miller with one second left, forced by a Xavier Wilson steal, sealed the outcome for Indian Hills.

The game’s opening was anything but conventional. The official play-by-play log began with an apparent scoring error, listing North Idaho with 63 points and Indian Hills with zero at the 19:44 mark of the first quarter. This administrative anomaly did not affect the live action, which saw the Warriors erupt for 41 points in a fast-paced first period, fueled by Taj Au-Duke and Chaz Watson. Au-Duke finished the quarter with 13 points, including three free throws, while Watson hit three 3-pointers.

North Idaho, despite the early deficit on the scoreboard, kept pace with 33 points in the first, setting the stage for a dramatic shift. The Cardinal’s defense stiffened in the second quarter, holding the potent Warriors offense to just 24 points. Led by Austin Ouko and Ajayi Simmons, North Idaho methodically chipped away at the lead. Ouko scored 19 points, including three 3-pointers, while Simmons added 16 points and seven rebounds.

The Cardinal’s comeback was built on dominance on the glass, where they outrebounded Indian Hills 48-37, and a more efficient second-quarter defensive effort. However, North Idaho was ultimately undone by 23 turnovers, which Indian Hills converted into 13 steals. The Warriors’ backcourt of Au-Duke and Wilson was particularly disruptive, combining for eight assists and five steals.

Indian Hills, despite shooting just 20 of 61 from the floor, found enough offense from deep and the free-throw line. The Warriors made 10 3-pointers and attempted 25 free throws, making 15. Watson led all scorers with 15 points, all from beyond the arc. Au-Duke added 13 points and six assists, while Chiang Ring provided nine points, nine rebounds and two blocks.

For North Idaho, Gage Ontiveros contributed eight points, five rebounds and two blocks, and Nyale Robinson dished out a team-high five assists. The Cardinal’s offensive rating of 82.0 on 77 possessions struggled against the Warriors’ pressure, while Indian Hills posted an 88.0 offensive rating on 74 possessions.

With the win, Indian Hills improved its season record to 13-2. North Idaho fell to 7-4. The Warriors next play at Southeastern on Jan. 10. The Cardinal will host Southern Idaho on Jan. 3.