Class B State Tournament: Team Capsules
The Class B State Tournament field is set and will begin Thursday in Minot. Here’s a brief look at each team in the field Region 1: Richland The Richland Colts beat Kindred in the Region 1 final to secure a…
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Continue ReadingThe Class B State Tournament field is set and will begin Thursday in Minot.
Here’s a brief look at each team in the field
Region 1: Richland
The Richland Colts beat Kindred in the Region 1 final to secure a spot in the state tournament. One of the most improved teams in the state, Richland won 14 games a year ago but enter the state tournament as one of the more dangerous clubs thanks to a blend of athleticism, shooting prowess and depth.
Cole Meyers (18.5 points, 7.0 rebounds) and Gavin Reiland (15.0 points per game) give the Colts one of the best one-two scoring punches while Carter Lingen (13.3 points, 4.7 assists) and Hunter Lenz (10.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists) provide excellent third and fourth scoring options and solid playmaking.
Region 2: Thompson
The Tommies went into the season as one of the favorites to contend for a state title and they’ll head into the state tournament with those expectations intact. They are as battle tested as any team in the field as they’ve played a tough schedule that includes three wins over defending state champion Hillsboro/CV.
In the Region final, senior combo Hayden Overby and Cadyn Schwabe combined for 42 points. Overby has been a force all year, averaging better than 19 points and eight rebounds while Schwabe has slowly but surely put his imprint on this year’s team after missing the first half of the season. Those two are as good as it gets and the Tommies have a terrific cast around them with senior guard Marcus Hughes and junior forwards Chance Danner and Clay Odenbach.
Region 3: Ellendale
Ellendale went just 10-9 in the regular season but rattled off five wins in districts/regions including a 56-47 win over Carrington in the Region 3 final to secure a state berth. The Cardinals lost to Carrington twice prior to beating them last week.
Freshman forward Scott Wagner is a player to watch. The 6-foot-6 forward has emerged as a go-to guy for the Cardinals, providing double-doubles on seemingly a nightly basis. Austin Molan gives them a consistent perimeter threat and Hunter Thorpe is a solid third scorer who showed in the region final (16 points in the fourth quarter) that he’s capable of taking over a game with his shooting.
Region 4: New Rockford-Sheyenne
New Rockford-Sheyenne upset Four Winds/Minnewaukan in the Region 4 final after losing to the Indians in the regular season and in districts. The Rockets have been consistently strong all season though, with just three losses (the third was to Rugby early in December) on the year.
Teddy Allmaras, Bo Belquist and Hunter Thompson give the Rockets three really strong offensive players and Tucker Longnecker and Parker Granger round out a strong rotation. One of the best offensive teams in the state, the Rockets have athleticism, toughness and play with great pace. It’s a team driven by juniors and seniors and won’t likely be phased by the environment.
Region 5: Shiloh Christian
The Skyhawks cruised through Region 5 on their way to another state tournament appearance. Another team with a ton of experience, Practically everybody in Shiloh’s rotation played a role in last year’s state tournament run as well.
What makes Shiloh different is its size. Jaden Mitzel is a matchup nightmare at the power forward spot given his ability to score inside and out. He’s a crafty finisher who used his strength to create angles and separation from defenders. MaCauley Young is one of the best pure bigs in Class B and he can control the paint on both ends of the floor. The key for the Skyhawks is always going to be the guards and Matthew Reep has stepped up his game in a big way in recent weeks.
Region 6: Bishop Ryan
Bishop Ryan destroyed Our Redeemer in the Region 6 final, winning by 38 after losing to the Knights 52-51 in districts. The Lions used a monster second quarter to go into half up 46-10 and cruised from there.
The Lions went into the year as a legitimate title contender and they are still very much in the mix. A loss to Thompson likely means the Lions will be either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the tournament (they also lost to Shiloh early in the year) but with the way this team defends, it can beat anybody.
Ben Bohl is likely the best player in the tournament and can dominate a game on both ends of the floor. Mason Hedberg is right there with him as a double-double threat who can pop off for 25-30 points on any given night. And the emergence of guys like Chinaze Udekwe and Jaxon Feller has given defenses more to think about than simply selling out to slow down the two stars.
Region 7: Beulah
Another state tournament return team, Beulah had to grind its way through the Region 7 tournament, beating Dickinson Trinity in the final in nip-and-tuck fashion.
Another elite defensive team, Beulah won’t win glamorously but the Miners have great balance offensively and an inside-outside duo that can dominate a game on both ends in senior guard Chad Morsette and junior forward Jonah Larson. Freshman guard Trey Brandt is well-schooled and very good at the point. And seniors Shaye Yeager and Sean Gierke each had big games in the regional tournament.
Region 8: Powers Lake
The Powers Lake Ranchers earned a trip to state thanks to a perfect 6-0 record in districts/regionals and head into the tournament with 17 straight wins. The Ranchers are a little unproven at this point given they haven’t played any of the teams in the state field but that mystery could end up being helpful.
Noah Fredrickson is a go-to guy and Isaac and Aiden Nordloef give the Ranchers two strong athletes who can go get a bucket when needed. Noah Schroeder is another key guy for a team that relies mostly on strong defense and pace. This Ranchers team is fairly young as a lot of sophomores and juniors are playing key roles.