Class B Power Rankings: Update
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It is that time of the week again, the updated Class B Power Rankings from PHD are in! We had another fun week off hoops across the state. We had upsets, a wild buzzer-beater, and quite a bit of movement…
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Continue ReadingIt is that time of the week again, the updated Class B Power Rankings from PHD are in! We had another fun week off hoops across the state. We had upsets, a wild buzzer-beater, and quite a bit of movement across the Power Rankings. Read below for all the info.
CLASS B POWER RANKINGS
#1 Four Winds/Minnewaukan (10-0)
This team is the unquestioned best team in North Dakota Class B up to this point in the season. The Indians had a busy week with three wins over New Rockford-Sheyenne 85-37, Benson County 102-28, and Oak Grove 82-62. This week 4 Winds has home games against Langdon Area/Edmore/Munich and Dakota Prairie. Some of the top players for 4 Winds are Jayden Yankton Jayden Yankton 6'1" | SG Four Winds/Minnewaukan | 2022 State ND (26.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.6 apg), Deng Deng Deng Deng 6'5" | SF Four Winds/Minnewaukan | 2024 ND (18.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2 apg), Jacolby Pearson Jacolby Pearson 6'4" | SG Four Winds/Minnewaukan | 2022 State ND (17.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.4 apg), and Dalen Leftbear Dalen Leftbear 6'3" | SF FourWinds/Minnewaukan | 2024 State ND (11.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.1 apg).
#2 Enderlin (8-3)
The Eagles played only one game this past week and they took down Northern Cass by a score of 71-55. This coming week Enderlin plays at #3 Central Cass on Monday which will be a fun Region 1 matchup. They have another tough game on Saturday at #9 LaMoure-Litchville/Marion. The big-name and top player for Enderlin is Joe Hurlburt Joe Hurlburt 6'10" | PF Enderlin | 2022 State #147 Nation MN .
#3 Kindred (9-1)
The Vikings had two large margin victories this past week over EKM and Maple River. Kindred will be challenged a bit this week with a tough game at #8 Thompson on Tuesday. The last game of the week for the Vikings will be on Thursday at Wyndmere/Lidgerwood. The top seniors for Kindred are Paul Olson Paul Olson 6'3" | SF Kindred | 2022 State ND , Jaiden Peraza Jaiden Peraza 6'5" | SF Kindred | 2022 State ND , and Max McQuillan Max McQuillan 6'5" | SG Kindred | 2022 State ND .
#4 Flasher (13-1)
The Bulldogs have proven that they are the favorite in Region 5. They kept on rolling this past week with wins over NSA, Standing Rock, and Glen Ullin-Hebron. The Bulldogs only have one game this week and it will be a good matchup. They host an athletic Bowman County team on Friday. Jace Friesz Jace Friesz 6'3" | SF Flasher | 2022 State ND is the workhorse and All-State Player for Flasher.
#5 Ellendale (10-0)
The Cardinals came close to their first loss of the season but they came through at the last second! Ellendale picked up 3 wins this week over Leola-Fredrick (SD), LLM, and Carrington. In the LLM game, the Cardinals were down by 1 point with very little time left on the clock, and Levi Reis Levi Reis 6'0" | SG Ellendale | 2023 State ND nailed a deep NBA 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded. It was a wild ending! The Cardinals will have another busy week with games against Griggs-Midkota, Barnes County North, and Lisbon.
#6 Central Cass (8-0)
The Squirrels are still perfect on the season. Their win over Thompson is looking better and better. This past week they beat up on Hankinson by a score of 61-28. CC was supposed to play Linton-HMB on Saturday but that was postponed because of the weather. They have a heavyweight Region 1 matchup on Monday at home against #2 Enderlin. They play at Oak Grove on Thursday and HCV at home on Saturday. By this time next week we will have much better idea of how good the Squirrels are. Some of the top players for CC are Jake Deutsch Jake Deutsch 6'1" | SG Central Cass | 2022 State ND , Sam Kobbervig Sam Kobbervig 6'3" | SG Central Cass | 2023 State ND , Cole Holzer Cole Holzer 6'7" | PF Central Cass | 2024 State ND , and Carter Vrchota Carter Vrchota 6'1" | SG Central Cass | 2024 State ND .
#7 Powers Lake (10-0)
All the Ranchers know how to do is win! This past week Powers Lake had a pair of double-digit wins over Kenmare and White Shield. This week the Ranchers play Nedrose and Stanley. At this time next week, I predict Powers Lake will be 12-0. Tyson Enget Tyson Enget 5'11" | PG Powers Lake-Burke Central | 2023 State ND is the junior star player for the Ranchers. At the rate he is going this season he will be an All-State player by the end of the year.
#8 Thompson (8-2)
The Tommies only have one loss to a ND team and that is a fellow Top 10 team, #6 Central Cass. Thompson had a huge week with monster wins over North Border and HCV. For seeding purposes for the Region, those were important games. If Thompson wins the rest of the Region 2 games they will have locked up the #1 seed. In the North Border win, the Tommies were led by Kyle Odenbach Kyle Odenbach 6'3" | SF Thompson | 2022 State ND who had 22 points. Sophomore Brayden Wolfgram Brayden Wolfgram 5'10" | PG Thompson | 2024 State ND also had a very nice game for Thompson. On Tuesday, Thompson will host #3 Kindred and on Friday they will play at Oak Grove.
#9 LaMoure/Litchville-Marion (4-2)
The Loboes only played one game this past week and they lost to Ellendale on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. It was a low-scoring affair with a 42-40 score. Ellendale is the #5 team and LLM had them beat if it was not for a beyond NBA 3-point heave, this tells me that the Loboes are a very serious team. This week the Loboes play Carrington and #2 Enderlin. That will be game number two vs the Eagles. Corban Potts Corban Potts 6'3" | PG LaMoure/Litchville-Marion | 2022 State ND is the best player for LLM and one of the top PG’s in Class B.
Tie #10 North Border (7-1)
The Eagles had one game this past week and they lost to #8 Thompson who is also a top team in Region 2. I have a feeling those two will meet in the playoffs. The Eagles did not have their best shooting night in the loss to Thompson. However, Kyler Moore Kyler Moore 6'1" | SG North Border | 2022 State ND did drill four 3-pointers. This week North Border will be busy with games against Midway/Minto, Larimore, and Park River/Fordville-Lankin. The two big stars for the Eagles are TJ Cosley TJ Cosley 6'0" | PG North Border | 2023 State ND and Ayden Stainbrook Ayden Stainbrook 6'5" | SF North Border | 2023 State ND .
Tie #10 North Star (9-1)
The only loss for the Bearcats this season came from 4 Winds. North Star only played one game this past week and they beat Park River-Fordville-Lankin 63-35. This week North Star plays Rolla at home on Tuesday and at Langdon Area/Edmore/Munich on Friday. Dane Hagler Dane Hagler 6'4" | SG North Star | 2024 ND is the top player for the Bearcats and one of the best sophomores in North Dakota. North Star also has Parker Simon Parker Simon 6'4" | SF North Star | 2024 State ND and Karsen Simon Karsen Simon 6'5" | SF North Star | 2024 State ND who are nice players.