ND Class B: Week 8 Power Rankings
In this article:
It is Sunday, so you know what that means. PHD has updated the Class B Power Rankings! We still have 4 undefeated teams, the rankings shifted around a bit, and we have a new team in the Top 10. Good…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIt is Sunday, so you know what that means. PHD has updated the Class B Power Rankings! We still have 4 undefeated teams, the rankings shifted around a bit, and we have a new team in the Top 10. Good luck to everyone in the new week!
#1 Four Winds-Minnewaukan (9-0)
Recent Games: WIN 73-32 @ Benson County, WIN 66-43 vs. #10 North Star
Next Game: 1/24 @ Lakota
Info: The Indians had a clean week with two more large-margin victories. Friday night was a convincing win over the Bearcats and it proves that all roads to State go through Ft. Totten. Stat leaders vs. North Star: Deng Deng Deng Deng 6'5" | SF Four Winds/Minnewaukan | 2024 ND 25 pts, 13 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl. Dalen Leftbear Dalen Leftbear 6'3" | SF FourWinds/Minnewaukan | 2024 State ND 18 pts, 4 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl. Kelson Keja Kelson Keja 5'7" | PG Four Winds/Minnewaukan | 2023 State ND 12 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast 2 stl. 4WM vs. Lakota will not be a close game but we could have an interesting game on Thursday when Dunseith plays at Four Winds.
#2 Central Cass (11-0)
Recent Games: WIN 51-46 vs. Linton-HMB, WIN 59-58 @ Hankinson
Next Game: 1/23 @ Enderlin
Info: The Squirrels had a few scares this past week but they found a way to win. That is what great teams do! Scoring leaders from the Hankinson win: Cole Holzer 21, Sam Kobbervig Sam Kobbervig 6'3" | SG Central Cass | 2023 State ND 19, and Carter Vrchota Carter Vrchota 6'1" | SG Central Cass | 2024 State ND 14. The Squirrels have a big week ahead of them with Region 1 rivalry games. They are at Enderlin on Monday and on Thursday they host Oak Grove. OG vs. CC has the potential to be a wildly entertaining game!
#3 Bishop Ryan (9-1)
Recent Games: WIN 59-53 vs. Des Lacs-Burlington, WIN 77-54 vs. Surrey
Next Game: 1/24 @ Glenburn
Info: It was another good week for the Lions. The win over the Lakers showed that the Lions are truly the best team in Region 6 at this point. Notable stats from the Surrey win: Brady Feller Brady Feller 6'2" | SG Bishop Ryan | 2023 State ND 30 pts, Ramsey Walz Ramsey Walz 6'7" | PF Bishop Ryan | 2025 State #313 Nation ND 12 pts, Conner Thompson 10 pts, 17 reb. The Lions are on an 8-game win streak and they are rolling. They should pick up 2 more wins this week. Brady Feller Brady Feller 6'2" | SG Bishop Ryan | 2023 State ND has been fantastic this season and he is looking like a lock to be an All-State player.
#4 Beulah (8-1)
Recent Games: WIN 72-24 @ New England, WIN 67-22 vs. Richardton-Taylor
Next Game: 1/24 @ Wilton-Wing
Info: The Miners cruised to 2-0 this past week, both games ended with comfortable victories for coach Brandt’s squad. In both games, the Miners had 4 players score in double figures and a 5th player scored 8 pts. Against New England, Aidan O’Brien Aidan O’Brien 6'2" | CG Beulah | 2024 State ND had 13 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl. Against Richardton, O’Brien had his first in-game SLAM on a putback dunk. Against Richardton, Bennett Larson Bennett Larson 6'7" | C Stanley | 2026 State ND had 8 pts, 14 reb, and 4 ast. Trace Beauchamp Trace Beauchamp 6'4" | SG Beulah | 2024 State ND had 12 pts, 7 reb. 4 ast, 4 stl. On the week, Braylen Schirado Braylen Schirado 6'0" | CG Beulah | 2026 State ND went 6-9 from the 3-point line!
#5 Sargent Central (11-0)
Recent Games: WIN 75-53 @ Northern Cass, WIN 67-45 vs. Richland
Next Game: 1/24 @ Tiospa Zina (SD)
Info: The Bulldogs are one of the few undefeated teams left in the state and this past week they collected two more Region wins. Scoring leaders from the the Richland victory: Gaven Christianson Gaven Christianson 6'0" | PF Sargent County | 2023 State ND 21, Fletcher Willprecht Fletcher Willprecht 5'9" | PG Sargent County | 2023 State ND 18, Luke Martinson Luke Martinson 6'4" | PF Sargent County | 2024 State ND 15, Josh Wittich Josh Wittich 6'5" | PF Sargent County | 2024 State ND 8. The Bulldogs head south on Tuesday for a border battle matchup. On Thursday they host Hankinson for an important Region 1 game. The Pirates almost upset Central Cass on Friday, so Hankinson needs to be taken seriously.
#6 Ellendale (12-0)
Recent Games: WIN 56-41 @ Leola-Frederick (SD), WIN 73-55 @ LaMoure-Litchville-Marion, WIN 71-53 @ Carrington
Next Game: 1/27 vs. Barnes County North
Info: The Cardinals were road warriors this past week and they picked up three more W’s! Ellendale is still without a loss, and if things go as planned they should win two more games (Barnes County North & Lisbon) this coming week. Riley Thorpe Riley Thorpe 6'1" | SG Ellendale | 2023 State ND and Anton Geller Anton Geller 6'1" | SF Ellendale | 2024 State ND are two of the top Cards to look out for.
#7 North Border (9-1)
Recent Games: WIN 62-49 @ Langdon-Edmore-Munich, WIN 63-49 vs. Kindred
Next Game: 1/24 @ May-Port CG
Info: The Eagles had a great week and a double-digit win over the mighty Vikings from Kindred. North Border is playing excellent basketball at the moment! They have a busy and tough week ahead of them with games against May-Port and Grafton. If the Eagles are 11-1 at this time next week, they will need to be moved up the Power Rankings. Leading scoring vs. Kindred: TJ Cosley TJ Cosley 6'0" | PG North Border | 2023 State ND 27, Ayden Stainbrook Ayden Stainbrook 6'5" | SF North Border | 2023 State ND 26, Kyle Thomas 6. Are Cosley and Stainbrook the best dynamic duo in Class B? They are certainly near the top if not the best!
#8 Thompson (7-3)
Recent Games: WIN 68-42 @ Cavalier, WIN 56-37 @ Hillsboro-Central Valley
Next Game: 1/24 @ Larimore
Info: The Tommies had two dominant Region 2 wins this past week. The week ahead has Thompson playing Larimore and Park River-Fordville-Lankin, those should be two more comfortable wins for the Tommies. Thompson has a talented “BIG 3” with Karter Peterson Karter Peterson 6'6" | PF Thompson | 2025 State ND , Jake Starcevic Jake Starcevic 6'2" | SF Kindred | 2025 State ND , and Drew Overby Drew Overby 6'1" | CG Thompson | 2024 State ND . You will have to search far and wide in Class B to find a better 3-headed monster than those Tommies.
#9 Shiloh Christian (6-3)
Recent Games: WIN 70-61 @ Hazen, WIN 87-58 vs. Garrison
Next Game: 1/24 vs. Standing Rock
Info: The Skyhawks had a solid week, they took down a talented Hazen team and then they blew out a Region 5 team. Stat leaders from the Garrison game: Caden Englund Caden Englund 6'2" | CG Shiloh Christian | 2025 State ND 24 pts, 7 reb, 10 ast, 5 stl. Atticus Wilkinson Atticus Wilkinson 6'6" | PF Shiloh Christian | 2024 State ND 20 pts, 10 reb. Shiloh vs. Standing Rock on Tuesday is an intriguing matchup and it will be a great measuring stick for both teams.
#10 Hazen (9-3)
Recent Games: LOST 70-61 vs. Shiloh, WIN 81-58 @ Glen Ulin-Hebron, WIN 48-37 @ Hettinger-Scranton
Next Game: 1/24 @ Grant County-Mott-Regent
Info: The Bison had a tight loss vs. Shiloh but they showed that they can compete with the best. Hazen’s best game of the week came against their Region 7 foe, Glen Ulin-Hebron. The Bison thrashed the Bearcats and their star guards had a big scoring night. Tyson Wick Tyson Wick 6'2" | PG Hazen | 2024 State ND poured in 41 pts and Talan Batke Talan Batke 6'2" | SG Hazen | 2023 State ND dopped a cool 21. Earlier this season, Batke had a wild 4-game stretch where he went for 30, 28, 40, and 26 points! Wick and Batke are the real deal, they deserve your attention!