North Tartan repeats as 2027 State Champions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When a team has a deep roster loaded with talented prospects of all descriptions like [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] <strong>2027 EYBL</strong>, you never know who is going to step up when the hardware is on the line. Sometimes it's [player_tooltip player_id='529357' first='Emma' last='Millerbernd']. Last weekend at the State Prelims it was [player_tooltip player_id='558627' first='Erma' last='Walker']. We've seen [player_tooltip player_id='659119' first='Maren' last='Day'] do it, too, along with [player_tooltip player_id='630241' first='Kate' last='Arnold']. In Sunday's State Championship game for the 2027 D1 title, nobody rose to the occasion more than big <strong>Jordan Christofferson</strong>. The West Fargo Horace power forward was here, there and everywhere as Tartan scored an impressive 65-54 victory over a very strong [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] <strong>2027 UAA</strong> squad. Jordan practically defines the word 'relentless.'</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defending champions, who scored a two-point win over the Fury one year ago, were excellent from one end of the roster to the other, but it was never going to be an easy road to the rings. When [player_tooltip player_id='578467' first='Amisha' last='Ramlall'] nailed one of her five three-point baskets at the 10:45 mark of the opening period, it seemed to infuse extra life into the Fury. Not long after, coach Sam Ebenreiter's squad went on a 10-0 run to grab a 22-14 lead. That's when Tartan coach Macy Hatlestad called a much-needed time out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The short reset worked. Three-pointers from Millerbernd and [player_tooltip player_id='763004' first='Lyla' last='Hentges'] were huge, followed by a [player_tooltip player_id='764229' first='Toni' last='Fisher'] drive and another three from Hentges that pulled [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] to within one point. Then Millerbernd made a pair of free throws quickly followed by a Christopherson bucket that gave [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] a 34-31 halftime lead. The team had put together a 20-9 run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After the break the game was back and forth. NT gradually carved out a little distance between themselves and the Fury midway through the second half, taking the lead at 48-46 and never relinquishing it. The margin grew to 4 points, then 6, then 9. When 2028 guard [player_tooltip player_id='806429' first='Amelia' last='Mills'] connected from beyond the arc at the 2:32 mark, [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] was up by 11 and the Fury could not make a dent the rest of the way.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Christopherson and Millerbernd had 15 points apiece while Walker and Hentges scored 10 each. Day and Arnold both had 8. The balance of the Tartan lineup is evident in the individual scoring totals for the tournament: Millerbernd had 37, Day 33, Christopherson 32, Mills 30, Hentges 28, Walker 28, Arnold 20, and [player_tooltip player_id='667778' first='Laila' last='Moses'] scored 19 with a plethora of rebounds. We're pretty sure [player_tooltip player_id='377584' first='Ava' last='Cupito'] would have been just as impactful if she had not been out injured.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This Fury group is formidable, as well. Ramlall had 17 points in the game, a remarkable 74 for the tournament to lead all of Division 1. [player_tooltip player_id='659118' first='Alivia' last='Bell'] scored 10 and 39 overall. [player_tooltip player_id='498661' first='Pressley' last='Watkins'] is the 2nd-ranked prospect in the Class of 2027. Bell and [player_tooltip player_id='498658' first='Morgan' last='Mathiowetz'] are elite prospects. [player_tooltip player_id='644100' first='Annika' last='Kieser'], [player_tooltip player_id='766676' first='Skyler' last='Mancini'], [player_tooltip player_id='764229' first='Toni' last='Fisher'] and more will likely end up in D1 college basketball, too. In this contest, however, it was [program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan']'s equally potent group that prevailed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Top finishers in Division 1</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[program_tooltip program_id='712722' first='North' last='Tartan'] <strong>EYBL</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] <strong>UAA</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars']<strong> 3SSB</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[program_tooltip program_id='712699' first='Minnesota' last='Rise']<strong> Purfeerst</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars']<strong> 3SSB</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury']<strong> S40</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>D1 Scoring Leaders</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='578467' first='Amisha' last='Ramlall'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] <strong>UAA </strong>(74)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='644107' first='Inarah' last='Nesbitt'] – [program_tooltip program_id='713348' first='E1T1' last=''] <strong>Queens</strong> (62)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='764210' first='Livia' last='Tennessen'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712362' first='Legacy' last='Hoops'] <strong>Elite</strong> (47)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='835987' first='Harper' last='Hokenson'] – [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] <strong>Lindahl</strong> (47)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='886959' first='Siri' last='Kirkeby'] – [program_tooltip program_id='774605' first='Southern' last='MN Fury'] (47)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='764197' first='Hailey' last='Sicard'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712687' first='Minnesota' last='Fury'] <strong>S40</strong> (47)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='567389' first='Sydney' last='Friedly'] – [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] <strong>3SSB</strong> (43)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='766677' first='Sienna' last='Duininck'] – [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] <strong>3SSB</strong> (41)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='734360' first='Gigi' last='Coleman'] – [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'] <strong>3SSB</strong> (40)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='665719' first='Addison' last='Bjorklund'] – [program_tooltip program_id='714566' first='Minnesota' last='Stars'] <strong>3SSB</strong> (40)</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Division 2</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Champion: [program_tooltip program_id='756457' first='Opportunity' last='Basketball'] <strong>10 North</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Runner-up: [program_tooltip program_id='712665' first='Metro' last='Stars'] <strong>Black</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Division 3</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Champion: [program_tooltip program_id='712700' first='Minnesota' last='Suns'] <strong>Bluestar</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Runner-up:&nbsp; [program_tooltip program_id='713348' first='E1T1' last=''] <strong>Queens Jackson</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->