Region 1 Preview
The postseason is upon us. With small-school district tournaments underway, and regional tournaments set to start next week, it’s time to turn our attention to the postseason. Region 1 is arguably the most talented in the state this year. With…
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Continue ReadingThe postseason is upon us. With small-school district tournaments underway, and regional tournaments set to start next week, it’s time to turn our attention to the postseason.
Region 1 is arguably the most talented in the state this year. With three teams spending time in the top-10 and seven teams with winning records, there’s going to be a ton of competition throughout the entirety of this tournament.
Here’s a look at Region 1
Favorite: Kindred
The Vikings earned the No. 1 seed in the region thanks to a win over Enderlin last week. Since a slow start to the season, the Vikings have surged and looked like a legitimate top-five team some had them pegged as in the preseason. Dawson Schaffer and Andrew Freier are experienced, steady guards who can score, create, knock down shots and defend. And Gavin Keller is one of the best big men in the region, capable of scoring inside, stepping away and knocking down shots and dominating on the defensive end of the floor.
Defense is going to be this group’s calling card, but it’s also got a little more scoring juice than in previous years. The Vikings have the athletes to get out and put pressure on teams with the parachute of their defense in games where they aren’t shooting as well. Earning the top seed was important because it means they won’t have to beat both Richland and Enderlin again – rather they’ll likely have to beat just one if they are to ultimately get to the state tournament.
Contenders: Enderlin, Richland
The Eagles have been ranked in the top-10 pretty much all season and earned the No. 2 seed in the region thanks to a 18-2 record. Armed with a high-powered offense centered around the Hurlburt brothers, Enderlin is going to be a tough out for anybody. Joe Hurlburt’s had a terrific sophomore season, averaging 21.3 points and 14.9 rebounds per game. Gus Hurlburt’s been excellent too, averaging 12.6 points and 7.6 rebounds. Dawson Lemna, Alijah Dixson and Carson Bartholomay have all had great moments throughout the year in complementary fashion. The Eagles are young, but have a lot of collective experience, and with their talent and balance, there’s no reason they can’t make a run now.
Richland won the region last year en route to a third-place finish at the Class B State Tournament. With four starters back in the fold, the Colts were ranked in the top-five in the preseason and while they haven’t had the kind of success they were projected to, they are dangerous because of their experience and the high-end talent in their backcourt. Their style of play is hard to prepare for as they are relentless with their pressure. Cole Myers has turned in a spectacular senior season, averaging 23.2 points and 8.4 rebounds. He’s improved his outside shot and is nearly impossible to keep out of the paint. Carter Lingen has been very good at the point guard spot, averaging 14 points per game. Gavin Reiland and Colten Evanson have had good moments throughout the year too. The Colts lost to both Kindred and Enderlin, but both games were there for the taking. They are absolutely good enough to get back to state and win multiple games again.
Watch Out For: Central Cass, Northern Cass
The Squirrels are No. 4 in the region but this team won’t fear any of the top teams. They lost by one point against Richland, two points against Kindred and 13 against Enderlin in a game that was close throughout. The Squirrels have excellent balance with solid guards in Max Kobbervig, Owen Warrey and Christian Lietz plus a productive forward in Joshua Dixon. Central Cass has the talent to make a run and upset some teams if it can play up to its collective ability.
Northern Cass has been a step below some of the top teams in the region, but the Jaguars have one of the best inside-outside duos in the region with senior forward Conner Jensen and junior guard Jase Crockett. Both guys are capable of putting up 20-plus points with relative ease and dominating a game from their respective position.