#6 Thompson vs. Oak Grove – Top Players
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Fargo, ND – The Grovers came up with the biggest win of their season on Friday night. Oak Grove took down the #6 ranked team in North Dakota Class-B. It felt like Thompson was the better team in the first half…
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Continue ReadingFargo, ND – The Grovers came up with the biggest win of their season on Friday night. Oak Grove took down the #6 ranked team in North Dakota Class-B. It felt like Thompson was the better team in the first half but Oak Grove quickly changed that narrative in the second half, especially in the 4th quarter. The Grovers played flawlessly in the 4th and came away with a 14 point win.
Scores
1Q – Thompson 14 Oak Grove 11
2Q – Thompson 26 Oak Grove 26
3Q – Thompson 42 Oak Grove 41
4Q Final – Oak Grove 64 Thompson 50
Top Tommies
Jake Starcevic Jake Starcevic 6'2" | SF Kindred | 2025 State ND (2025) |6-2 G/F|
17 points. He was the best player in the first half on Friday night. Jake is a stellar athlete that scores in the paint and he also passes the ball exceptionally well. To start the game, Starcevic had an acrobatic finish to get things rolling for the Tommies. Jake showed a smooth baby hook from the post and a soft touch throughout the game. I was really intrigued with his passing out of the post and when attacking. He has great vision as he hit many cutting teammates for good looks. I like how Jake gets 2-feet in the paint, jump-stops, gathers himself and then attacks the basket. Starcevic showed a great up-and-under move that he finished with his left hand. In the open court, Jake missed a dunk but he showed off how impressive of an athlete he is with a great vertical for only a freshman. He has good handles and excellent ball skills. Starcevic was also tough on the boards. This kid has nothing but a bright future.
Karter Peterson Karter Peterson 6'6" | PF Thompson | 2025 State ND (2025) |6-4 F|
8 points, 4-6 ft’s. He got his scoring early in the game with a basket inside the paint. Peterson is excellent at grabbing offensive rebounds, he scored with multiple O-board putbacks. Carter is a big, strong player, that has great patience in the paint. I like Peterson’s footwork around the basket. He has a nice-looking shooting stroke.
Tyler Cunningham (2022) |6-0 G|
6 points. I really liked when Tyler passed to the post, cut hard, received the pass, and finished smoothly. On the next possession, Cunningham had another great cut and finish. He had another paint finish in the second quarter. Cunningham did all his scoring in the first half. He is a hard worker that stuck out with his physical box-outs.
Kyle Odenbach Kyle Odenbach 6'3" | SF Thompson | 2022 State ND (2022) |6-4 PF|
10 points, one triple. He did all his scoring in the second half. Kyle did a nice job of moving the ball and passing. He had a really nice find to Starcevic in the middle of the lane. On defense, Odenbach did a nice job with contesting shots. The big lefty is a smooth interior finisher. Kyle had an impressive spin-move finger-roll finish. He had a big 3rd quarter and a strong AND1 finish. Kyle hit his 3-pointer in the 4th quarter. Odenbach is a force to be reckoned with.
Brayden Wolfgram Brayden Wolfgram 5'10" | PG Thompson | 2024 State ND (2024) |5-8 G|
2 points. He has refined skills with nice handles and precise 1-handed passes. Brayden was in foul trouble on Friday, so his minutes were limited. Wolfgram is a skilled lefty that slashes through the defense. Braden is an up-and-comer to watch out for.
Drew Overby (2024) |6-0 G|
7 points, one triple. He is a thief on defense that creates TO’s. Drew is also a solid FT-shooter. His 3-ball came from the right wing in the 3rd quarter. Drew showed great touch with a lob pass to Odenbach.
Top Grovers
Trevon Rodriguez Trevon Rodriguez 5'11" | PG Oak Grove Lutheran | 2022 State ND (2022) |6-0 G|
24 points, 4-6 ft’s, 2 triples. 17 of his 24 came in the second half. He is fast-twitch quick. Rodriguez has a great pull-up jumper and he hit many tonight. With one or two dribbles, Trevon can get his shot off about anytime he chooses. Trevon scored when cutting and slashing. His defense was impressive and it led to multiple TO’s. Trevon can score in a hurry and he has no problem scoring in traffic. I liked the looks of his crossover and his hesitation move. Rodriguez will be a tough matchup for every team.
Trey Hatfield Trey Hatfield 6'5" | SG Oak Grove | 2023 State ND (2023) |6-3 F|
He is a star on the rise. Trey’s length and skills are intriguing. His fade-away jumper tonight was awesome. Hatfield is a nice passer and a 2-way player that blocks shots. Trey scored in transition and he created TO’s. He had a great cut and finish on a BLOB. Trey was excellent with a fake and finish. Hatfield looks to be a solid FT-shooter.
Ian Saunders (2022) |5-11 G|
He nailed a 3-ball early in the game. Ian was also fouled on a 3-pointer and he hit 2-3 ft’s. In the 3rd quarter, Saunders smoked a 3-ball from the corner. Ian has a quick release. Ian is a nice complimentary player for the Grovers.
Cody Card Cody Card 5'11" | SG Oak Grove | 2022 State ND (2022) |6-0 G|
8 points and 1 triple. Card is a sparkplug and hustler for OG. This kid is intense in everything that he does. Card hit a 3-ball, drove/scored, finished around the rim, and took a charge in the 4th.
Rylee Bakkegard Rylee Bakkegard 5'11" | CG Oak Grove | 2023 State ND (2023) |6-0 G|
This kid has game. Bakkegard was impressive with fadeaway jumpers and pull-ups. He was also generous with the ball, Bakkegard is a creator. Rylee had an athletic blocked shot that led to a score on the other end. He grabbed many O-boards and D-boards. Bakkegard had a great cut, shot fake, and finish on a BLOB. At one point in the game, Rylee scored 8 straight points for the Grovers. He also showed great passing skills. He is a gamer and a playmaker.
Jake Wolf (2022) |5-11 G|
He is a great team-first player. Wolf took a charge and he dove on the floor for loose balls. I loved his effort when saving possessions for his team.