Region 3 Preview
The Postseason is upon us. Region 3 is one of the toughest in the state as it features a pair of top-10 teams in Carrington and Kidder County plus a number of high-quality outfits throughout both District 5 and 6. …
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Continue ReadingThe Postseason is upon us. Region 3 is one of the toughest in the state as it features a pair of top-10 teams in Carrington and Kidder County plus a number of high-quality outfits throughout both District 5 and 6.
Here’s a look at Region 3
Favorite: Kidder County
Kidder County won the District 6 tournament championship on the way to earning what amounts to the No. 2 seed in the Region Tournament. The Wolverines won the region a year ago on their way to the state tournament and while they haven’t been as unbeatable this year, they are still good enough to not only win the region, but win multiple games in a state tournament setting. Madelyn Schmidt is one of the best guards in the state and stuffs the stat sheet on the regular basis while playing elite defense at the point of attack. Brittany Rath is a terrific interior presence, providing consistent scoring and rebounding. The Wolverines excel on the defensive end of the floor as well, allowing just 31 points per game.
Contender: Carrington, LaMoure/Litchville-Marion
LLM crushed Carrington in the District 5 championship game, earning the top seed advancing into the region tournament. The Loboes have been dangerous all season despite never cracking into the rankings. Consistency has eluded them to a degree but when they are at their best, they have shown they are capable of dominating people. Ellie Holen had a monster performance in the win over the Cardinals, going for 22 points while limiting Carrington’s Kiera Eli to just one point. The big benefit for the Loboes here is that they have a much easier path to winning the region than Kidder County or Carrington because they won’t have to beat both teams now.
Carrington has been ranked in the top-10 all year and went into the postseason as the No. 1 seed in district 5. That loss to the Loboes had to raise some alarm bells a little bit, but ultimately this team won 17 games in the regular season and only lost to two of the top-five teams in the state. They are good enough to win tough games. Kiera Eli had been on a tear before that loss to LLM. Addison Hoernart is back in the lineup and one of the best all-around players in the region.
In the Mix: Oakes
Oakes is essentially the No. 4 seed in the region after winning 16 games during the season plus two more in the region tournament. Nicole Schmitz and Sadie Hansen form one of the best one-two punches in the state, combining to average 30 points and 15 rebounds. Both players are capable of dominating a game for stretches, which makes them dangerous no matter the competition.