Playoff Action: Wahpeton vs. Sheyenne

West Fargo, ND – We had an EDC Play-In game this afternoon. The Huskies were the #10 seed and the Mustangs were the #7 seed. The funny thing is, Wahpeton beat Sheyenne twice in the regular season.

You know what they say?

“It’s tough to beat a team 3 times”

In this case, the saying was true! The Mustangs won in today’s EDC Play-In game and they will move on to play at Fargo North on Tuesday night with a 7:00 start.

It was a back-and-forth first half with many lead changes. The first half was a game of mini-runs but nothing too crazy as the score was tight all the way. I thought Wahpeton executed very well in the first half with sets and Caden Kappes Caden Kappes 6'1" | CG Wahpeton | 2023 State ND was fantastic. Casey Clemenson was the man for the Mustangs early in the game. The Huskies played better and stretched a few more plays together late in the first half and they went into halftime up by 3 points. The second half was all Mustangs. Sheyenne turned up the pressure/intensity/urgency on defense and this seemed to carry over to the offensive side. The Mustangs were hot from beyond the arc and they shot their way to a nice win over the Huskies. Dylan Beyl Dylan Beyl 6'2" | SG West Fargo Sheyenne | 2023 State ND and Caleb Duerr Caleb Duerr 6'4" | SG West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND were extra-hot in the second half and they helped extend the lead into double-digits and out of the Huskie reach. It was a fun game to watch but it is always sad to see a team’s season end. The Huskies played hard but it was not enough. The big second half from the Mustangs was the deciding factor in this game.

Read below for numbers, stats, and impressive players…

SCORES

1st Half: Wahpeton 30 Sheyenne 27

Final: Wahpeton 61 Sheyenne 70

NUMBERS

Huskies

FG%: 43 3FG%: 8 3FGM: 1 FT: 10/14 Reb: 31 Ast: 5 Stl: 2 TO: 12

Mustangs

FG%: 44 3FG%: 39 3FGM: 9 FT: 7/16 Reb: 35 Ast: 21 Stl: 6 TO: 5

Huskies

Caden Kappes Caden Kappes 6'1" | CG Wahpeton | 2023 State ND (2023) |6’0 PG|

18 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast. He was really really good in the first half. Kappes has impressive handles and instincts. He made a couple of Mustangs look silly with his crossover and hesitation move. Caden has a fantastic floater/runner but he really stood out with his mid-range jumper. He was always in control, manipulated the defense, and pulled up on a dime with his silky smooth J. Kappes was also able to get to the rim for slash-n-score buckets. Caden had multiple AND1 baskets in the first half that came from steals and aggressive takes. It is not the way that he wanted it to end, but Kappes showed that he is a darn good player.

Treyton Mauch Treyton Mauch 5'11" | SG Wahpeton | 2025 State ND (2025) |5’10 G|

5 pts, 3 reb. He was in foul trouble, so Mauch had to sit more than coach Ralph would have wanted. Treyton showed a smooth 15-foot pull-up jumper. He also had a nice slash, jump stop, shot fake, and crafty score near the cup. He showed good anticipation when tracking down an O-board. Mauch will be one of the main offensive threats for the Huskies next season.

Ethan Manock Ethan Manock 6'4" | PF Wahpeton | 2023 State ND (2023) |6’5 PF|

19 pts, 17 reb. He is an explosive rebounder and a special athlete. Manock dominated the boards on both ends. As usual, Ethan scored after grabbing O-boards. His athleticism was on display with an O-board tip-in and with a monster DUNK. He had another impressive play when he snagged a D-rebound and went coast-to-coast for a score. You do not see many BIGs make a play like that. Manock scored with a floater, a couple of 15-foot jumpers, a nifty side-step, and a baby hook. Manock’s size, strength, height, and production will be missed by the Huskies!

Brayden Steffens Brayden Steffens 5'10" | SG Wahpeton | 2026 State ND (2026) |5’10 G|

5 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast. Physically he looks young but his skills do not look like a 9th graders. Steffens did not back down on D. I thought the Mustangs would really beat him off the bounce but that did not seem to happen. Steffens had some impressive passes/dimes in the first half. Even when he was slashing through traffic, the youngster did not look like he was under duress. From the looks of it, Steffens is the PG of the future for the Huskies.

Jayden King Jayden King 6'3" | SG Wahpeton | 2024 State ND (2024) |6’4 F|

4 pts, 2 reb. I like this kid. He did not put up huge numbers but he played hard, made some timely plays, and dove on the floor for hustle plays. He showed good execution on a set. King caught fluidly near the rim and scored with defenders all around him. He scored his other bucket in the second half in traffic as well. King is long and he has potential.

Riley Thimjon (2023) |6’2 F|

4 pts, 2 reb. He started the Huskies scoring with an offensive rebound putback. Riley had another hard-fought O-rebound and he quickly kicked it out to a spot-up shooter.

Mustangs

Caleb Duerr Caleb Duerr 6'4" | SG West Fargo Sheyenne | 2024 State ND (2024) |6’4 SG|

15 pts, 11 reb, 2 ast. Early in the season, it seemed like Duerr was settling from the outside and not attacking enough. Early in the game today, that was not the case. Caleb was putting pressure off the bounce and scored a few times with athletic takes. He can score with both hands at the rim. He was athletic and productive on the glass. He helped the Mustangs get extra possessions with O-boards. Caleb heated up in the second half and he got loose for a few 3-balls. He has a sweet stroke and with his size/athleticism, Calen can rise above the defense. I really like his mechanics and shooting release. Duerr is a sniper and he is turning into an all-around playmaker. You have to love getting a double-double from the shooting guard!

Tommy Ahneman Tommy Ahneman 6'9" | PF West Fargo Sheyenne | 2025 State ND (2025) |6’8 C|

9 pts, 10 reb. He certainly is LONG! Ahneman was productive on the glass on both ends. He tracks the ball well and he uses those long arms to his advantage. He scored on multiple O-board putbacks. Tommy’s biggest impact on the game was his rim protection. He alters/changes shots just by going straight up with his length. He goes vertical and is smart about not fouling. Tommy had a splashy play when the WHAMMED home a 2-hand dunk. The future looks bright for Ahneman.

Dylan Beyl Dylan Beyl 6'2" | SG West Fargo Sheyenne | 2023 State ND (2023) |6’2 G|

17 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast. He is a long guard that scored at the rack and from beyond the arc. Beyl was smoking hot in the second half and hit 3-straight triples. That is when the momentum shifted over to the Mustangs. Dylan scored with an O-board putback, a 1-handed runner that he kissed off the glass, and with a step-through bucket near the cup. All of his triples came via catch-n-shoot. I really liked his unselfishness. After he had made those 3’s, Dylan had the chance for more shots but he passed them up and dished to teammates who had great shots. Duerr was on the receiving end of those and will have to thank Mr. Beyl for the extra pass.

Casey Clemenson (2023) |6’1 G|

20 pts, 1 reb, 7 ast. The strong lefty started the scoring in this game with a triple. Shortly after, Clemenson hit another 3-ball. He is not known as a shooter but he was feeling it early! Clemenson was spectacular at getting downhill and at attacking the rim. He had little trouble weaving through the Huskies and he finished well with his lefty finger rolls. Casey also scored with a runner, a 10-foot jumper, and a strong AND1 score. Clemenson showed a clever shot fake that fooled the defender and he dove on the floor for loose balls. He had multiple steals because of his quick hands and sneakiness. I was really impressed with his passing. Clemminson throws crisp passes and he knows how to find the shooter. He delivered the ball on time and into the shooting pocket. Clemenson is apparently a gamer, he was a stud on Saturday!

Bryce Cain (2023) |6’8 C|

3 reb. He showed heart and emotion, you could tell that Cain did not want this one to be his last game. He blocked a shot that looked more like a VB swat and you could see him really getting into the game after that play. Cain works hard around the basket and he grabbed O-boards. He showed good hustle when saving the ball from out of bounds and throwing it into a teammate for a score.