Class B State Tournament: First Round Preview
The North Dakota Class B State Tournament tips off Thursday in Minot. The final three days of hoops in North Dakota are upon us. Last year’s state tournament was ultra-competitive and compelling, so this year’s will have a lot to…
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Continue ReadingThe North Dakota Class B State Tournament tips off Thursday in Minot. The final three days of hoops in North Dakota are upon us.
Last year’s state tournament was ultra-competitive and compelling, so this year’s will have a lot to live up to if it is going to come close to match that level of intrigue.
Here is a look at the Thursday slate:
Game 1: No. 2 Shiloh Christian vs. Beulah
The first game of the day might be the best one as Shiloh Christian and Beulah are both making return trips to state from last season. The Skyhawks have a lot more guys that played feature roles from last season but the Miners have a strong established culture and guys are seemingly always ready to step up and contribute.
Beulah beat Shiloh 73-68 in early February, so these teams are familiar with one another. In that game, senior guard Chad Morsette went off, scoring 35 points. Guard play will have to be an advantage for Beulah as Morsette along with Trey Brandt and Shaye Yeager provide offensive punch. Conversely, the strength of the Skyhawks is on the interior with Jaden Mitzel and MaCauley Young who combine to average better than 30 points and 20 points per game. Nobody has the kind of beef up front they do.
Stylistically, these teams aren’t that different though. They both will win with strong defense and efficient execution. I’d be shocked if the two teams combined to score more than 140 points Thursday like they did a month and change ago. Shiloh should be the favorite in this matchup and but Beulah’s got a toughness about it and the Miners had a much more difficult path to state. Experience on both sides could prove beneficial in a game that figures to be played within a tightly-contested window.
Game 2: No. 3 Richland vs. Powers Lake
Two teams from practically opposite corners of the state square off as Richland takes on Powers Lake in a matchup featuring teams that both broke extended (really, really extended for Powers Lake) state tournament droughts.
Richland’s been one of the best handful of teams all year in Class B and looks like a legitimate threat to win multiple games in this tournament thanks to its combination of size, depth, shooting ability and athleticism.
Powers Lake enters the tournament as more of an unknown than any other team in the tournament given the Ranchers’ schedule. Still, the Ranchers have a good young core that excels on the defensive end of the floor.
Game 3: No. 1 Thompson vs. Ellendale
The top team in the tournament, Thompson takes on an Ellendale team that is the biggest surprise team in the field. The Cardinals are hot though, with five wins in their last six games to run through Region 3. Freshman big man Scott Wagner is one of the best underclassmen in the state and has grown into something of a walking double double.
Thompson’s been the best team in Class B all year though and has not only a terrific record, but terrific wins including three over Hillsboro/Central Valley – perhaps the second best team in the state. The Tommies have an upperclass-laden roster with good guards in Cadyn Schwabe and Marcus Hughes plus a bonafide go-to guy in the frontcourt in Hayden Overby.
Game 4: No. 4 Bishop Ryan vs. No. 5 New Rockford-Sheyenne
Bishop Ryan’s quest to get back to the state title game will start with a matchup against the best scoring team in Class B in New Rockford-Sheyenne.
The Lions have arguably the two best players in the tournament in Ben Bohl and Mason Hedberg plus several solid complementary players who have come along nicely as the season has gone on. Bohl can dominate a game on both ends of the floor, combining three-level scoring with playmaking and terrific defense all around. Hedberg is an elite long-range shooter who is also a plus defender across multiple positions.
The key for Bishop Ryan though is elite defense. The Lions are one of the best defensive teams in the state despite not having a great deal of size. They are athletic, smart and physical and because they control the tempo so well, they are consistently in good position to defend at full strength. That defense will get put to the test against the Rockets, who have a terrific cache of athletes and scorers to put stress on even the best teams. Teddy Allmaras, Tucker Longnecker, Bo Belquist, Hunter Thompson and several others can all impact the game on both ends of the floor.