Class B State Tournament Preview: Team Capsules
With region tournaments wrapping up over the week, the Class B field was finalized. There were some huge surprises, there were some obvious results and there was a whole lot of intrigue. The Class B State Tournament is set to…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWith region tournaments wrapping up over the week, the Class B field was finalized. There were some huge surprises, there were some obvious results and there was a whole lot of intrigue. The Class B State Tournament is set to start Thursday.
Here’s a look at each team in the field:
Region 1: Central Cass
The biggest shocker of the region tournaments was undoubtedly Central Cass knocking out Kindred in the Region 1 final. The Squirrels lost to the Vikings by 18 during the regular season and otherwise only have losses to teams ranked in the top-10 all season. Balance and depth are strengths for CC as Ema Lee and DeContee Smith are solid scorers, Kailie McKinnon and Rylie Holzer were all-region players and 10 players in total play rotation minutes.
Region 2: Grafton/St. Thomas
The Spoilers crushed Thompson in the Region 2 Championship to kick down the state tournament door finally. They did it in authoritative fashion, outscoring the Tommies 37-12 in the second half, getting 18 points from junior guard Julia Dusek. Carlee Sieben and Cassie Sieben have been terrific all season as well. And the Spoilers defend as well as any team in the tournament.
Region 3: LaMoure/Litchville-Marion
LLM blew out Carrington to win its district title. Then the Loboes went out and cruised through the Region 3 tournament, beating reigning region champs Kidder County to secure a spot at state. Ellie Holen was the region player-of-the-year and was terrific on both ends of the floor throughout the Loboes’ run in the postseason. Molly Musland scored 22 points to lead the team in the win over Kidder County. The Loboes are another one of the elite defensive teams in Class B, allowing less than 40 points per game.
Region 4: Langdon/Edmore/Munich
The top seed in the tournament, LEM is heading into the state tournament undefeated and looking like the favorite with Kindred getting knocked out. The Cardinals are experienced, big, skilled and balanced. They defend at a high level, feasting on turnovers and using their length to disrupt the opposition on a regular basis. Calli Ronningen is one of the best players in the state and will be looking to cap off a terrific career. Morgan Freije has developed into a legitimate high-ender. Kaitlynn Scherr is an experienced lead guard who can create for herself and hit big shots and Kaylee Lowery and Lexus Olson are rock-solid two-way players.
Region 5: Shiloh Christian
The Skyhawks aren’t coming in with a gaudy record, but they beat gutted their way through the Region 5 Tournament, beating Flasher in the championship after losing to the Bulldogs in the district finals. Shiloh has experienced players who were integral pieces on last year’s state tournament team and while the Bulldogs won’t be favored, they are dangerous because of talented guards and a solid defense.
Region 6: Rugby
The Panthers played for the state title last year and were supposed to be rebuilding this winter. So much for that. Rugby used an elite defense and got terrific play from Brooke Blessum and Mykell Heidlebaugh all year and received monster contributions from Tasha Sobolik in the region tournament. The Panthers aren’t going to win in a shootout, but they’ve proven all season that they can grind out wins with an elite defense and just enough shot-making.
Region 7: Hettinger/Scranton
The Night Hawks had a bumpy regular season, taking more losses than anybody could have anticipated, but it prepared them for a stretch run and they’ve played to their potential since February. Junior forward Sam Oase has been a force all year, averaging better than 16 points and 12 rebounds. She was terrific in the region tournament. Alyssa Andress has been inconsistent throughout the year but she saved one of her best performances of the year for the district championship game and she’s proven over the years that she can carry a team. Quinn Mellmer is a solid senior guard who can knock down shots and Bailee Pierce is a promising sophomore who’s had big moments throughout the year.
Region 8: Trenton
The Trenton Tigers are one of two teams still undefeated on the season, yet they were seeded No. 3 in the tournament. The Tigers probably have the most favorable first round draw as they face Shiloh Christian and while they haven’t been tested a whole lot during the season due to their regional competition, they’ve got the experience and high-end talent required to compete for a title. Kaity Hove is an elite point guard who can stuff the stat sheet and Alyssa and Alexa St. Pierre are both outstanding on the wings. The Tigers get it done on both ends of the floor.