First Look: Class B

Ryan James September 24, 2015 @ 06:45 PM

<h2>Favorites</h2>Four Winds/Minnewaukan: They will be right in the thick of things once again. The junior combo of Steven Red Fox and Tronis McKay will lead the way plus senior Jason Feather is back as well. A loaded team that could be there in the end once again. Shiloh Christian: Played a tough schedule a hear ago and won 20 games. They have a player to watch in 6-foot-5 Bartholomew Ogbu who is a guy scouts should put on their list now. Seniors Chad Coulter and Zac Martin will lead the way, Martin is the top returning player. They are big up front with talent that transferred in and played JV a year ago. Hettinger-Scranton: The return all their starters and Nevan Weaver who missed last year with a torn ACL. Hayden Sadowsky and Isaih Kludt are really tough with Hayden being the only returning first team all state player. <h2>Top Contenders</h2>Our Redeemers: Won 84 percent of their games a year ago and have high expectations once again. Josh VanLith is one of the guys we will be watching. One of those teams that is deep and technically sound all over. Parshall: They made state last year and were a really young team. Now Monte Goodbird, Deyondre Simpson, and company are a year older coming off 18 wins so there are big expectations. Dunsieth: Landon Keplin transferred to the school so that is a shot in the arm for a team that was 14-7 a year ago. Keplin joins with Trace Azure to make up as good of a one-two punch as Class B will see scoring wise. North Star: Between them, and Four Winds, only one can go to state. That’s tough but North Star will make a run of it again after a 19 win year and one of the best juniors in the state returning in Jayden Komrosky. LaMoure/Litchville-Marion: A 19 win team a year ago that went to the state semi-finals before losing by two scores to Four Winds. Fourth place overall. Drew Thielges had a great spring/summer on the court and he will be a good leader. <h2>Could Be Contenders</h2>Northern Cass: Went 18-4 last year and have some nice pieces back in Logan Nelson and Cody Springer. Good players, good team, solid program. Don’t expect much drop off from a year ago. Enderlin: After a 14 win year they are going to be even better. The combo of Graham Hurlburt and Peter Lindgren in the frontcourt will give them an edge on most opponents. Oakes: Senior guard pair of Brody Bartholomew and Ethan Zetocha are back from a squad that won 19 games last year. This is a team that could make a power move this winter. Ethan scored 14 a game a season ago so 20 a night could be the average. Ellendale: Adam White moved on but the junior class of Brennan Vance, Hunter White, and company will take the keys and keep this team moving forward. They may lose a few more than five games but I don’t think the difference will be as big as people think. Strasburg/Zeeland: Won 18 games a year ago, Brody Nieuwsma is back and is a Mr Basketball candidate, and there are good players in the youth program that will give them depth. South Border: If Hunter Pinke gets help, this team will be much better than 9-12 like they were last year. Pinke is a Mr. Basketball candidate and a leading one at that who will put up monster numbers. Guards Matt Rueb and Tristan Lippert will take scoring pressure off of Hunter with double figure numbers. Beulah: Casey Walcker was one of the more consistent and tough players on the Grassroots circuit and now we are excited to see what he can do for his team this winter. Junior Hohez Reece and sophomore Logan Miller were others guys we thought were solid this spring/summer. St. John: Went 17-8 last year and big number producing Dalton Poitra returns for his senior year along with Seth Viver and junior Kevin Grant. Dalton put up 25.7 a game last year so 30 plus is not out of the question. <h2>Tough to Know</h2>Oak Grove: Replacing a third place team in state earning senior class led by Christian Adams and Carter Kretchman will be very tough. We like Devon Foster and the team will be solid but they suffered heavy losses. Rugby: The defending champs so they have to be on here but this is a team that lost so many players it’s tough to even predict them anywhere until you know what the new players can do. New England: Another state team that suffered big losses. Dan Prince has moved on but Brady Bender leads the next era of talent.