North Dakota Class B Duos
It’s never too early for way-too-early season. With fall sports in full stride and coming up on the midway point, the winter season will be upon us before we know it. With that in mind, here’s a look at some…
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Continue ReadingIt’s never too early for way-too-early season. With fall sports in full stride and coming up on the midway point, the winter season will be upon us before we know it.
With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the top duos in Class B:
Cavalier: Andre Carrier and Colton Ratchenski
Cavalier could be one of the top contenders to Hillsboro/Central Valley in Region 2 and the main reason why is this duo. Carrier has been a double-double guy the last few years and is one of the biggest mismatch guys in Class B. At his size, he’s got the burst and athleticism to blow by bigger guys but the strength to muscle up shots against smaller defenders. Ratchenski showed over the summer that he’s got some scoring juice as well and he’s already proven himself as a top-notch perimeter defender.
Bowman County: Caleb Duffield and Jacob Svihovec
Bowman County could be a factor in Region 7 this winter right there with the likes of Beulah and Dickinson Trinity and this high-octane duo is worth checking out. Duffield put up better than 18 points per game as a sophomore and is one of the most explosive scorers in Class B. He’s got deep range, quickness and craftiness to score in traffic and the floor game to make his teammates better. Svihovec averaged 17 a game last year to go along with seven rebounds per game. He’s tough as heck to slow down in the mid range and he feasts on teams in the paint.
Ellendale: Hunter Thorpe and Scott Wagner
Ellendale went to state a year ago and while the Cardinals lose their best player, they could be better overall as the collection of young players improves. The youngster the team is hitching itself to the most is big man Scott Wagner, who emerged as a legitimate double-double machine over the second half of last year. He’s a force and could be one of the top rebounders in Class B. Thorpe is a dynamic shooter who averaged 15 points and seven rebounds per game as the second-fiddle last year and showed he’s capable of some blowup performances.
New Rockford-Sheyenne: Bo Belquist and Hunter Thompson
The Rockets went to state last year too, and Belquist and Thompson were the first and third leading scorers. Belquist, a UND football recruit, is one of the most explosive guards in Class B and averaged 16 points and four assists a year ago. He makes it look easy and can control the game like few others. Thompson put up 12 points and six rebounds last year and will step into a bigger perimeter role now, which could make him even more dangerous.
Beulah: Trey Brandt and Jonah Larson
Continuting with the theme of state tournament teams leaning on returning studs, Beulah loses its leading scorer but returns two guys who are elite at their repsective positions. Brandt will be just a sophomore but is one of the top point guards in Class B after averaging 11 points and better than four assists as a freshman. His feel for the game is rare for an underclassmen. Larson was a double-double guy a year ago and will be featured more heavily in the offense as a senior. These two plus a staunch defense will keep Beulah among the elites.