ND Class B Region 3: Player Watchlist

The top teams in Region 3 were some of the best in Class B North Dakota last year. Many of those teams took big hits because of graduation. However, we will still have some tough and competitive teams in Region 3. LaMoure/Litchville-Marion is my favorite to win the Region, they should be in the Preseason Top 10 Rankings. Ellendale will be another tough team, largely because of BIG man Wagner. Linton might surprise some teams with their young talented shooters. Now let's take a look at who made the watchlist.... <h3>REGION 3 TEAMS</h3> Barnes County North Bison, Carrington Cardinals, Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier Rebels, Ellendale Cardinals, Griggs-Midkota Titans, Lamoure-Litchville/Marion Loboes, Oakes Tornadoes, Kidder County Wolves, Linton/HMB Lions, Medina-Pingree/Buchanan Thunder, Napoleon/Gackle/Streeter Imperials, South Border Mustangs, Strasburg/Zeeland Clippers <h3>TOP PLAYERS</h3> Guard - [player_tooltip player_id="1124143" first="Corban" last="Potts"] LaMoure/Litchville-Marion Center - [player_tooltip player_id="812224" first="Scott" last="Wagner"] Ellendale <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/PlayerWatchlistNDSD.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1317685" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/PlayerWatchlistNDSD-300x187.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="187" /></a> <h3>REGION 3 PLAYER WATCHLIST</h3> (alphabetically ordered) Adam Nitschke (2022) |6-3 F| Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier He was the QB on the football team. Adam is a leader and he should come into the season full of confidence. He is a good athlete with nice length. Adam will be asked to increase his scoring this year since Huber graduated. I would not be surprised if Adam is an All-Region player in his senior season. [player_tooltip player_id="1224171" first="Colton" last="Ness"] (2023) |6-2 SG| LaMoure-Litchville/Marion He is the best wide receiver in ND 9-man football. Ness is having an unbelievable football season. In basketball, Colton is a very very good defender. Ness is a top-notch athlete. He runs the floor well and he finishes at the rim. He has amazing hands, Ness will catch anything thrown at him. If Ness gets a hand on a pass or a rebound, the ball is his. Look out for the Colton and the Loboes, they are going to be a scary team. [player_tooltip player_id="1124143" first="Corban" last="Potts"] (2022) |6-3 PG| LaMoure-Litchville/Marion He is a big and tough PG with great length. Potts is a smart player with a good feel for the game. Physically, he can be a tough match-up, as he has good size to post up smaller guards and athleticism to pull bigger defenders away from the basket. Corban can dictate the tempo and he is a disciplined player. The Loboes will be one of the best teams in Class B, a big reason for that will be because of Potts. Dalton Madcke (2022) |5-10 PG| Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier He is an experienced point guard and he will be a very valuable member of the Rebel squad. Dalton can do it all. He is skilled on offense and he is a hard-working defender. Madcke has good handles and nice command of the offense. Dalton is a quick player and a quality outside shooter. EKM could be one of the surprising teams this season. Dylan Johnson (2022) |6-5 F| Griggs/Midkota He will be tasked with stepping into bigger shoes this season. Dylan will be the starting center for the Titans. Johnson has the potential to be an impact player for Girggs/Midkota. He works hard and he should do damage on the boards. Look for Dylan to be a scrappy offensive rebounder who gives the Titans extra possessions on O. In the past year, Johnson has really improved his offensive game. [player_tooltip player_id="1050258" first="Hudson" last="Schmitz"] (2023) |6-2 SF| Carrington He is an athletic player that can get it done from the wing and inside the arc. Schmitz should be a serious threat to put up points this year. Hudson’s athleticism and skill will make him a solid player in this Region. [player_tooltip player_id="1146180" first="Jace" last="Jochim"] (2024) |5-11 G| Linton/HMB He had a great showing this spring and summer in AAU ball with ECI. Jace proved that he can compete and excel against great competition. Jochim will be the leading scorer for the Lions this season. He is a 3-point sniper and deadeye. I like his shooting form, feet, balance, and soft touch. He can also put the rock on the floor and get to the rack. Jace might be the "newcomer of the year" in Region 3. He is not just a scorer, Jochim creates and finds open teammates for good looks. With his athletic ability, skill, drive, competitiveness, and knack for scoring, I think Jochim will be an All-Region player. It is going to be a fun season for the young Lions in Linton. Jaxon Gronneberg (2022) |5-9 G| Griggs/Midkota He will come into the season as a seasoned veteran at the varsity level. Gronneberg is a great ballhandler and facilitator. Jaxon excels at moving without the ball and cutting to the basket. Gronneberg and Topp will be the leaders for the Titans. Jonah Harstad (2024) |6-0 G/F| Barnes County North He is a strong sophomore that will be utilized all over the hardwood. Jonah has the ability to play all of the offensive positions. In the past year, Harstad has improved his defensive skills. The Bison will need him to help lead the herd. [player_tooltip player_id="1050259" first="Josh" last="Moser"] (2023) |5-11 G| Medina-Pingree/Buchanan Last season he led the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists. Josh is a very good all-around player. Moser is the primary ball-handler and leader for the Thunder. Josh will be a playmaker for MPB and on many nights he will match up with the opposing team’s best player. Moser can be described as "clutch", he hit two game-winners last season. Josh is a hard worker and he has the potential to be one of the best players in Region 3. [player_tooltip player_id="1124144" first="Landon" last="Piehl"] (2022) |6-1 G| LaMoure-Litchville/Marion He will be the best 3-point shooter for LLM. Landon will help keep opposing teams honest and also stretch the defense. He is a smart player with good-looking shooting form. Last season Piehl was the seconding leading scorer for LLM. The Loboes have plenty of other talented players, so Piehl should still get good looks from beyond the arc. If you like 3-point shooters, watch Landon play. [player_tooltip player_id="1111171" first="Logan" last="Topp"] (2022) |6-1 G| Griggs/Midkota He will be a key player for the Titans this year. Logan played a lot of minutes last season and is a great scorer. Topp can score off the dribble, off the pass and can create shots for other players. Logan will be one of the best in Region 3. [player_tooltip player_id="1145406" first="Max" last="Musland"] (2024) (6-3 G) LaMoure-Litchville/Marion He is an exciting young player that will improve quickly as the year goes on. He is a long kid with a giant wingspan. Musland is an excellent defender. For being a young guard, Max is a talented rebounder. Musland can also hit jumpers consistently from the perimeter. [player_tooltip player_id="1135860" first="Riley" last="Thorpe"] (2023) |5-11 G| Ellendale He will be a shooter and the 2nd scoring option for the Cardinals. Riley will help stretch the floor and draw some attention from Wagner. Thorpe can hit the triple and he is a consistent shooter when he gets to the line. He will get single coverage all year because of Wagner, so Riley could really have a heyday. Riley will be a shooter that you want to keep tabs on this season. [player_tooltip player_id="1322213" first="Rylen" last="Wick"] (2024) |6-4 F| Medina-Pingree/Buchanan He is an excellent shooter with deep range. In the past year, Rylen’s game has really evolved. Last season, Wick was the best defender for the Thunder. He does a nice job of handling the rock. Rylen nailed 45 three-pointers last year, expect those numbers to balloon up this season. He is talented in the post, he can slash, and run the PG when needed. After the great off-season that Wick had, I would expect him to be one of the best players in Region 3. [player_tooltip player_id="812224" first="Scott" last="Wagner"] (2022) |6-8 C| Ellendale He sustained some injuries last year, but Scott will be back and ready to dominate. I saw Wagner play this fall at the Sandford Pentagon and he will be a beast in his senior year. No one will be able to match his size in the Region. Scott will be one of the best BIGS in Class B. Wagner has great footwork and a super soft finishing touch. He will dominate the boards. Wagner is lethal when he pins his defender deep in the paint, there is no stopping him when this happens. It is going to be a blast to watch Scott in his senior season with the Cardinals. Trenton Erbele (2023) |6-2 F| Napoleon/Gackle/Streeter In football, he was listed at 6’2" and 220 lbs. Trenton is a strong, thick, and tough kid. He can hurt you inside or outside with jumpers. Expect Erbele to be an outstanding rebounder. Look for Trenton to average a double-double this season. He will be a difficult matchup and one of the best players in Region 3. Will Schwehr (2024) |5-10 G| Barnes County North The Bison will use him all over the court. Will has improved his offensive skill set and the Bison will need him to shoulder a good amount of the scoring load. Schwehr has improved his outside shooting and he will have a tough presence on the inside. [player_tooltip player_id="1162379" first="Wyatt" last="Spickler"] (2023) |5-9 G| Griggs/Midkota He played some minutes last season and he will need to step into a bigger role this year. Wyatt will likely be the PG for the Titans. Spickler makes good decisions and he puts teammates in a great position to succeed. Wyatt can also create good looks and scoring opportunities for himself.