Top-ranked teams aplenty for 2018 Jamestown Basketball Holiday Classic
Jamestown will be the host site Saturday, December 22 as eight teams from North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota will meet up for four entertaining matchups. Five of the six teams from North Dakota are ranked in the top-10. It’s the Jamestown Basketball Holiday Classic.
Here are the matchups:
Richland vs. Solen – 3 p.m.
Richland and Solen kick things off in what should be a fun up-and-down affair. Richland is ranked No. 7 in Class B and has a very good junior class with Cole Meyers, Gavin Reiland and Carter Lingen. Meyers and Reiland are stuffing the stat sheet early to the tune of 19.5 points and better than six rebounds and five assists. Hunter Lentz is a potential double-double guy inside. Solen returns three of its top six players from a year ago and could be a sleeper in Class B. Jayce Red Water and Ra’Sheed Weasel are players to watch from the junior class and the Sioux always have talented guys ready to step up.
Carrington vs. Beulah – 4:30p.m.
Next up is a matchup featuring state tournament teams from a year ago. Both clubs look vastly different now but there will certainly still be talented players on the floor. Carrington’s Seth Nelson is the guy to watch as he’s one of the best players in Class B after averaging better than 13 points per game as a sophomore. Carrington took a loss to New Rockford to open the season and plays a challenging slate early.
Beulah plays a tough schedule early too as the Miners lost to Bishop Ryan in the first game of the season. They are breaking in an entirely new lineup and while the offense hasn’t been there consistently yet, the team has a bunch of kids that will defend like heck. Trey Brandt is a freshman guard who looks like he’s got a big time future. Jonah Larson and Chad Morsette are solid looking players as well.
Oak Grove vs. Aberdeen – 6 p.m.
In the third game of the day, it’s Oak Grove, another state tournament team from 2018, facing off with Aberdeen Roncalli. Oak Grove’s got a tough first few games to the season but despite graduating one of the state’s top scorers from a year ago, the expectations are high again. Andrew Dethlefsen and Tyrell Rodriguez should form one of the best one-two punches in Class B while sophomore guard Noah Swenson is a player to watch going forward. Aberdeen’s got a trio of solid senior guards in Brady Morgan, Max Reede and Isaac VanOrman plus sophomore forward Sam Sather.
Shiloh Christian vs. Ada-Borup 7:30 p.m
They saved the best for last as Shiloh Christian faces off with Ada-Borup, one of the top Class A teams in Minnesota. The Skyhawks are a fringe top-five team in Class B despite taking a few losses early in the season. With a wealth of experience back, expectations are certainly high. Ada-Borup is traditionally one of the better programs in small-school Minnesota as the Cougars consistently win upwards of 20 games. With an experienced core back, that team has state-tournament aspirations. The matchup to watch in that one will be inside as Macauley Young faces off with Ada’s Mason Miller. Miller is a 6-foot-8 junior who averaged better than 16 points last season and is drawing Division I football interest along with Division II and NAIA hoops hype.