ND Class B State Tournament Predictions
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First of all, best of luck to all the players and teams this week in the Class B State Tournament! The State B Tournament starts tomorrow, Thursday the 14th in Minot. It looks like we have some intriguing matchups with…
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Continue ReadingFirst of all, best of luck to all the players and teams this week in the Class B State Tournament!
The State B Tournament starts tomorrow, Thursday the 14th in Minot. It looks like we have some intriguing matchups with talented teams. It is sure to be entertaining basketball!
PHD is pulling out the glass ball for this article while we make predictions & comments on the first round of the Class A State Tournament.
Quarterfinal Matchups
*Games are played at the Minot State Dome
1:00 – #2 Bowman County vs. #7 Our Redeemer’s
2:45 – #3 Westhope-Newburg vs. #6 Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier
6:30 – #1 North Star vs. #8 LaMoure-Litchville-Marion
8:15 – #4 Bishop Ryan vs. #5 Sargent County
Class B State
#2 Bowman County (23-1) vs. #7 Our Redeemer’s (18-8)
Bulldogs PPG: 72.7 OPPG: 42 Knights PPG: 59 OPPG: 47.7
The Bulldogs win this one but the Knights will battle and put up a fight early. The 1-2 punch of the Duffields will propel Bowman into the semifinals.
This one will be the show of Bohden Duffield Bohden Duffield 6'1" | SG Bowman County | 2024 State ND and Bishop Duffield Bishop Duffield 6'2" | SG Bowman County | 2024 State ND . They will play fast & furious, make plays all over the court, create chaos, and score from every level. Bohden’s stats: 22.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.5 apg, 3.5 spg, 1 bpg and Bishop’s stats: 19.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.3 apg, 3.1 spg, 1 bpg. Aiden Thompson Aiden Thompson 6'0" | CG Bowman County | 2024 State ND is another talented player to watch for the Bulldogs. ORCS has some exciting players to watch as well. Jace Weekley is a talented lefty who makes plays in and out and he is smart about using pump fakes. Wyatt Weekley Wyatt Weekley 6'0" | SG Our Redeemers | 2027 State ND is a youngster but talented. He runs the show at PG and hits from the outside. Payten Lindbo Payten Lindbo 6'0" | SF Our Redeemers | 2026 State ND is another lefty and a legit shooter who can get hot from 3. Andrew Eby Andrew Eby 6'4" | C Our Redeemer's | 2025 State ND is a big & physical player who rebounds hard & screens well. However, ORCS plays pack-line D and they want to keep you out of the paint. That will take away easy buckets but the Bulldogs shoot it hot from deep and that will be the difference in the game. Look for the Duffields and the Bulldogs to stroll into the semis with a double-digit victory.
#3 Westhope-Newburg (23-2) vs. #6 Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier (22-4)
Sioux PPG: 71.9 OPPG 47.6 Rebels PPG: 63.9 OPPG: 50.9
I like EKM’s size, athletes, and scoring options but PHD can’t bet against Walker Braaten Walker Braaten 6'4" | CG Westhope/Newburg | 2025 State #278 Nation ND .
The Texas Ranger is averaging 26.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.8 apg, and 3.2 spg. Jacob Nitschke Jacob Nitschke 6'5" | PF Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier | 2024 State ND should give the Sioux some problems inside and his stats also look good at 17.5 ppg and 7.9 rpg. Look out for the Sioux pressure defense and full-court pressure. They are dangerous in their 2-2-1 zone press with Braaten at halfcourt covering a ton of ground and causing havoc. Westhope will need a strong performance from Hunter Tolstad Hunter Tolstad 6'2" | PF Westhope-Newburg | 2026 State ND on the inside against Austin Strobel Austin Strobel 6'3" | SF EKM | 2024 State ND , Zeke Barnick Zeke Barnick 6'5" | PF EKM | 2024 State ND , and Jacob Nitschke Jacob Nitschke 6'5" | PF Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier | 2024 State ND . A matchup to watch is Braden Bailey Braden Bailey 5'7" | PG Westhope/Newburg | 2025 State ND against Joseph Kramlich Joseph Kramlich 6'1" | CG Edgeley/Kulm/Montpelier | 2025 State ND . If EKM wants to make this a game, they will need Kramlich to stay out of foul trouble and handle the Sioux pressure. In the halfcourt, I am interested to see who matches up with Nitschke and who Braaten defends. At the end of the day, I think Westhope’s pressure and Walker Braaten Walker Braaten 6'4" | CG Westhope/Newburg | 2025 State #278 Nation ND ‘s playmaking will be enough for the opening-round victory.
#1 North Star (24-1) vs. #8 LaMoure-Litchville-Marion (16-10)
Bearcats PPG: 63.9 OPPG: 44.9 Loboes PPG: 54.3 OPPG: 46.3
This one has star power with Dane Hagler Dane Hagler 6'4" | SG North Star | 2024 ND and Max Musland Max Musland 6'4" | SG LaMoure-Litchville/Marion | 2024 State ND . Both ballers are having a fantastic senior season and they should put on a show. PHD is going with chalk in this matchup.
These two know each other from the fall. North Star and LLM met in the 9-Man football playoffs and Gunner Thielges Gunner Thielges 6'1" | CG LaMoure-Litchville/Marion | 2026 State ND ran wild! Look for the Bearcats to have revenge on their minds.
The Bearcats are healthy and are riding an 11-game win streak. My X-factor in this game is Hunter Hagler Hunter Hagler 6'3" | SF North Star | 2026 State ND . He is the 4th or 5th scariest option for the Bearcats but is a tough athlete with scary potential. The star’s numbers are impressive… Dane Hagler Dane Hagler 6'4" | SG North Star | 2024 ND (21.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 6.2 apg, 3.2 spg) and Max Musland Max Musland 6'4" | SG LaMoure-Litchville/Marion | 2024 State ND (25.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.6 apg, 2.5 spg). Look out for Karsen Simon Karsen Simon 6'5" | SF North Star | 2024 State ND & Parker Simon Parker Simon 6'4" | SF North Star | 2024 State ND , they should give the Loboes problems inside the arc and control the boards. Shooters to watch for LLM are Blase Isaacson Blase Isaacson 5'9" | CG LLM | 2024 State ND and Brayan Karlgaard Brayan Karlgaard 6'3" | SF LaMoure-Litchville/Marion Loboes | 2025 State ND . If they get hot, who knows what could happen? Both teams are stout on the defensive side of the ball. LLM is not afraid to run the shot clock down and play slow. Will the Loboes keep it close in the second half and hit shots late in the shot clock? This is an intriguing matchup! Both Dane Hagler Dane Hagler 6'4" | SG North Star | 2024 ND and Max Musland Max Musland 6'4" | SG LaMoure-Litchville/Marion | 2024 State ND should be All-State players. Who will step up under the bright lights? Expect each to shine, but the Bearcats have enough surrounding talent to pull out the win.
#4 Bishop Ryan (23-3) vs. #5 Sargent County (19-6)
Lions PPG: 63.8 OPPG: 45.1 Bulldogs PPG: 58.5 OPPG: 49.2
Who wins in a fight, big cat or bulldog? PHD is calling the upset, Bulldogs over the Lions!
We all know Ramsey Walz Ramsey Walz 6'7" | PF Bishop Ryan | 2025 State #313 Nation ND is a special talent and we expect him to perform well at State. However, PHD has a hunch that Luke Martinson Luke Martinson 6'4" | PF Sargent County | 2024 State ND , Josh Wittich Josh Wittich 6'5" | PF Sargent County | 2024 State ND , and Grady Wehlander Grady Wehlander 6'0" | SF Sargent County | 2024 State ND will put up a fight in the paint and win this one in a nail-biter. Ramsey Walz Ramsey Walz 6'7" | PF Bishop Ryan | 2025 State #313 Nation ND stats: 19 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.1 spg & Luke Martinson Luke Martinson 6'4" | PF Sargent County | 2024 State ND stats: 18.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.1 apg. Who will perform the best? Another name to watch is Jett Lundeen Jett Lundeen 6'2" | SG Bishop Ryan | 2025 State ND from Minot Ryan, he averages 15.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.4 apg, 2.2 spg. Expect this game to be super physical, the nightcap should be a good one! The dangerous two-headed monster of Luke Martinson Luke Martinson 6'4" | PF Sargent County | 2024 State ND & Josh Wittich Josh Wittich 6'5" | PF Sargent County | 2024 State ND will pull the upset and move over to the right side of the bracket!