North Dakota Catchup: Region 7
The season is approaching its end. With less than a month left in the regular season, teams all across the state are hoping to be rounding into form and playing their best ball. With two months worth of interesting development…
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Continue ReadingThe season is approaching its end. With less than a month left in the regular season, teams all across the state are hoping to be rounding into form and playing their best ball. With two months worth of interesting development to this point, now is a good time to take a quick look at the landscape of hoops in North Dakota ahead of the postseason.
Here’s where things stand in the Region 7:
Can Bowman County Crash the Beulah/Dickinson Trinity Party?
Beulah and Dickinson Trinity have met in the Region 7 final four years in a row and if there was a betting line on who would play for the region championship this year, the two favorites would be the Miners and Titans again. But can Bowman County crash the party?
The Bulldogs are among the best teams in Class B this year, sitting at 13-4 on the season with a recent win over Shiloh Christian serving as a feather in their proverbial cap. Junior guard Caleb Duffield is one of the best scorers in Class B and Jacob Svihovec is a stud in the frontcourt. The Bulldogs have athleticism, experience and a good combination of scorers, rebounders, defenders and playmakers. The Bulldogs have the pieces to make an extended run in the postseason and perhaps pull an upset over one of the two contenders – though they are 0-3 against Dickinson Trinity and Beulah this year with two blowout losses.
Beulah and Dickinson Trinity were both ranked in the top-10 going into the season and after slow starts, both have seemingly rounded into form.
For Beulah, Trey Brandt is working on an all-state type of season, averaging 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. He’s been the catalyst offensively and he’s delivered consistently all season. Jonah Larson has been steady inside, averaging 14.6 points and 9.1 rebounds. And the development from guys like Dawson Zuroff, Nathan Battest and Trapper Skalsky have been key for a team that looks capable of winning multiple games in the state tournament.
If the Miners are to get to a third-straight state tournament, it feels likely that they’ll have to beat Dickinson Trinity again. The Titans are 16-3 on the year and tracking towards the No. 2 seed in Region 7 at worst. The formula for winning is the same: elite defense, control the tempo and grind. The Titans don’t have an elite offense, but they’ve got a solid group of capable scorers including Matthew Stafford, Cole Fitterer, Jake Daniel, Tanner Sohren and Trey Praus. Seth Herner is solid inside and Bryant Merry has been productive as of late. It’s a team without a de facto go-to guy, but they have excellent balance offensively, and don’t need much because they hold teams down well on the defensive end.
Hazen Hunting 20 Wins
The Bison were one of the better teams in Region 7 a year ago and have a shot at finishing with the No. 3 or 4 seed. With four games left, the Bison have an outside shot at hitting the 20-win mark if they finish strong and make a run in the region tournament. Seniors Isaac Doll and Garrett Ward form one of the best tandems in the region and guys like Austin Richter, Tyson Van Inwagen are solid in their roles.
Beach Enjoying Improvements in 2019-20
The Beach Buccaneers won nine games a year ago and while there was a belief that this year would be better, they’ve got a shot at doubling last year’s win total. At 15-3 with three games to go, Beach has a shot at a top-four seed in the region. Gage Swanson has been terrific all season and might be the best individual player in the region. Tevin Dietz is one of the best guards in the region and is a guy to watch for the next couple seasons as he’s just a sophomore.
New England Heating Up
If there’s a team outside the top-five that could pull an upset or two in the postseason, New England may be the team equipped to do it. The Tigers are 10-7 and on a five-game winning streak. Their only two losses since Mid-January at a 10-point loss to Beulah and a 1-point loss against Hazen. Jaxon Hewson and Gabe Sorenson form one of the best backcourts in the region and junior forward Aiden Rebel is a rock-solid piece in the frontcourt.