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Mar. 19—MINOT, N.D. — The Oakes and New Rockford-Sheyenne boys' basketball teams both booked their long-awaited returns to the NDHSAA Class B Boys' Basketball State Tournament by completing the more difficult of the two routes.
The Oakes Tornadoes (22-4) bounced back from a Region 1 title game loss against Hankinson to beat Midway-Minto 47-45 on Saturday, March 15, to advance to the state tournament.
"We just locked in at practice, went back over things and continued on like it was another day," Tornadoes head coach Jeremy Skoglund said. "Obviously they were pretty distraught after the loss but the next day they started to come around and hanging together and being a team together kind of got them back on the right track."
Before the win over the Midway-Minto Mustangs, Skoglund said he told his team to enjoy the ride because their goal heading into the season was to make the Region 1 tournament.
"This is icing on the cake, the whole goal, everything I've taught these guys and been preaching to these guys for the past three years is what it feels like to play in a state tournament," Skoglund said. "Now they're gonna get that experience and those goosebumps as I've called it for three years. They're feeling them now and the community support ... they get to see everybody that's behind them. As far as game plans go, we're gonna game plan and we're gonna go at every game trying to put the best game plan we can together to compete. But at the end of the day, we're there to have fun and whatever happens happens."
The New Rockford-Sheyenne Rockets (22-4) defeated LaMoure/Litchville-Marion 55-47 on Saturday to advance to the state tournament. The Rockets have not lost back-to-back games all season.
"We lost that region championship, it's a tough game to lose but we said it in the locker room right away, we have to leave that in the locker room and move on to Saturday. We have one more shot at it," Rockets head coach Tyler Cook said. "These kids, I think just playing in so many big games and a lot of them have started for three years, they've learned how to mentally get themselves ready for the next game."
The No. 7-seed Tornadoes play in the state tournament opener against No. 2-seed Our Redeemer's at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 20, at the Minot State Dome in Minot.
"They're tough. They got two kids (Wyatt Weekley and Nolan Schmidt) that can play at all levels and do it exceptionally well," Skoglund said. "... Those kids can flat score the basketball and they've got a big guy in the center that we're gonna match up with. They play very very efficient basketball and we're just gonna have to go out there and play error-free basketball and defend better than we have all season if we're gonna give ourselves a shot."
One of the challenges the Tornadoes will have to face against the Knights is their opponent's height advantage. While both teams each have nine players who are 6 foot or taller, the Knights have three 6-foot-4 while the Tornadoes have two players who are 6 feet, 4 inches or taller. This season, the Tornadoes have regularly played 6-foot-3-inch Eddie Garza and 6-foot-5-inch Jyles Meier.
"They've got a center (Andrew Eby) that does a really, really good job of using his body, gaining position under the basket, that's definitely gonna be a challenge," Skoglund said. "Eddie's gonna have to guard a player that's maybe not as tall as him but definitely probably the most skilled player that he's guarded this season. He's gonna have to be ready to step up and defend for four quarters. Jyles is gonna have to hold his own in the paint and we're gonna have to try and keep ourselves out of foul trouble because this is a team if we do lose those two and our size, we'll definitely be at a disadvantage."
The Tornadoes will be making their first appearance at the state tournament since 1995 and their sixth appearance all time.
"It's an incredible feeling. Everybody's super excited. The phones been ringing since we won. The community is behind us, there's tons of support coming from the community, people pouring in, wanting to help, wanting to support," Skoglund said. "What can we do to help, kind of questions coming in. So yeah, incredible opportunity for the boys to take part in this."
The No. 8-seed Rockets will be face the No. 1-seed Wilton-Wing Miners at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The Rockets are back in the state tournament for the first time since 2019 and making their fourth appearance in co-op history.
"They're very quick, and they get to the rim and share the ball very well," Cook said. "The (Teigen) Earsley kid, we have to keep him out of the lane, he did a good job of getting to the lane on us last time and breaking us down and creating shots. They like to play up-tempo so we have to play better defense this time around."
The Rockets and Miners played each other on Feb. 22 with the Miners getting a 68-58 win.
"We know how athletic they are," Cook said. "We know what their guys like to do. We're not judging everything off of a film, we've seen it up close and personal. We know what they do, they know what we do, and it's going to help both teams obviously ... ."
One of the things Cook said gives his team confidence is the fact that many of his players know how to win big games because of their experience winning a state title in football last fall. Cook said he is looking for multiple players to have a big weekend, including Easton Simon, Bennett Meier, Kage Walford and Easton Benz.
"It's huge, just throughout the season, throughout the district, region tournament, you could just tell that these kids know how to play in big games, they know how to play in close games," Cook said. "They don't shy away from the moment and the stage isn't too big for them. I don't think this will be the case with the state tournament either. Obviously there will be some nerves but they'll be ready to perform at a high level."
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The Oakes Tornadoes (22-4) bounced back from a Region 1 title game loss against Hankinson to beat Midway-Minto 47-45 on Saturday, March 15, to advance to the state tournament.
"We just locked in at practice, went back over things and continued on like it was another day," Tornadoes head coach Jeremy Skoglund said. "Obviously they were pretty distraught after the loss but the next day they started to come around and hanging together and being a team together kind of got them back on the right track."
Before the win over the Midway-Minto Mustangs, Skoglund said he told his team to enjoy the ride because their goal heading into the season was to make the Region 1 tournament.
"This is icing on the cake, the whole goal, everything I've taught these guys and been preaching to these guys for the past three years is what it feels like to play in a state tournament," Skoglund said. "Now they're gonna get that experience and those goosebumps as I've called it for three years. They're feeling them now and the community support ... they get to see everybody that's behind them. As far as game plans go, we're gonna game plan and we're gonna go at every game trying to put the best game plan we can together to compete. But at the end of the day, we're there to have fun and whatever happens happens."
The New Rockford-Sheyenne Rockets (22-4) defeated LaMoure/Litchville-Marion 55-47 on Saturday to advance to the state tournament. The Rockets have not lost back-to-back games all season.
"We lost that region championship, it's a tough game to lose but we said it in the locker room right away, we have to leave that in the locker room and move on to Saturday. We have one more shot at it," Rockets head coach Tyler Cook said. "These kids, I think just playing in so many big games and a lot of them have started for three years, they've learned how to mentally get themselves ready for the next game."
The No. 7-seed Tornadoes play in the state tournament opener against No. 2-seed Our Redeemer's at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 20, at the Minot State Dome in Minot.
"They're tough. They got two kids (Wyatt Weekley and Nolan Schmidt) that can play at all levels and do it exceptionally well," Skoglund said. "... Those kids can flat score the basketball and they've got a big guy in the center that we're gonna match up with. They play very very efficient basketball and we're just gonna have to go out there and play error-free basketball and defend better than we have all season if we're gonna give ourselves a shot."
One of the challenges the Tornadoes will have to face against the Knights is their opponent's height advantage. While both teams each have nine players who are 6 foot or taller, the Knights have three 6-foot-4 while the Tornadoes have two players who are 6 feet, 4 inches or taller. This season, the Tornadoes have regularly played 6-foot-3-inch Eddie Garza and 6-foot-5-inch Jyles Meier.
"They've got a center (Andrew Eby) that does a really, really good job of using his body, gaining position under the basket, that's definitely gonna be a challenge," Skoglund said. "Eddie's gonna have to guard a player that's maybe not as tall as him but definitely probably the most skilled player that he's guarded this season. He's gonna have to be ready to step up and defend for four quarters. Jyles is gonna have to hold his own in the paint and we're gonna have to try and keep ourselves out of foul trouble because this is a team if we do lose those two and our size, we'll definitely be at a disadvantage."
The Tornadoes will be making their first appearance at the state tournament since 1995 and their sixth appearance all time.
"It's an incredible feeling. Everybody's super excited. The phones been ringing since we won. The community is behind us, there's tons of support coming from the community, people pouring in, wanting to help, wanting to support," Skoglund said. "What can we do to help, kind of questions coming in. So yeah, incredible opportunity for the boys to take part in this."
The No. 8-seed Rockets will be face the No. 1-seed Wilton-Wing Miners at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The Rockets are back in the state tournament for the first time since 2019 and making their fourth appearance in co-op history.
"They're very quick, and they get to the rim and share the ball very well," Cook said. "The (Teigen) Earsley kid, we have to keep him out of the lane, he did a good job of getting to the lane on us last time and breaking us down and creating shots. They like to play up-tempo so we have to play better defense this time around."
The Rockets and Miners played each other on Feb. 22 with the Miners getting a 68-58 win.
"We know how athletic they are," Cook said. "We know what their guys like to do. We're not judging everything off of a film, we've seen it up close and personal. We know what they do, they know what we do, and it's going to help both teams obviously ... ."
One of the things Cook said gives his team confidence is the fact that many of his players know how to win big games because of their experience winning a state title in football last fall. Cook said he is looking for multiple players to have a big weekend, including Easton Simon, Bennett Meier, Kage Walford and Easton Benz.
"It's huge, just throughout the season, throughout the district, region tournament, you could just tell that these kids know how to play in big games, they know how to play in close games," Cook said. "They don't shy away from the moment and the stage isn't too big for them. I don't think this will be the case with the state tournament either. Obviously there will be some nerves but they'll be ready to perform at a high level."
Continue reading...
