Several teams in the mix for a West Region boys' title this week
BISMARCK -- The Western Dakota Association’s marquee postseason tournament tips off on Thursday, Feb. 29 at the Bismarck Event Center with quarterfinal boys' basketball play. It’s the first of three days and 11 games.
Semifinal and loser-out games are on Friday March 1 with two state qualifying games and the championship are Saturday, March 2. The top four teams will earn a berth in the Class AA Tournament.
The favorites: Top seed Minot High has turned in a sparkling season so far with 20 wins, including wins over EDC perennial powers Fargo Davies and WF Sheyenne. After opening the season with 13 wins ina row, it’s lone loss coming at Bismarck High in late January. The Magicians have been ranked No. 1 for several weeks in the Class AA poll and have been in the past three W. Region title games (winning in 2022). No. 2 Bismarck High is the hottest team coming into tournament play. The Demons have won their last 12 games and handed WDA regular season champion Minot High its only defeat. It also has two wins over rival Century. It’s been quite a turnaround after a 1-4 start. BHS has reached the region title game three times in the past four seasons (winning in 2020). No. 3 Bismarck Century is the defending tournament champion and started the season on a 10-game winning streak. The squad is just 6-5 since that hot start, but the program is known for its postseason success and is quite capable of putting three good basketball games together.
Underdogs can bite!: The last six West Region Tournaments featured lower seeds advancing to the Class A Tournament. Last year, No. 6 Jamestown and No. 5 Legacy earned state tournament berths.
Free throws: Three WDA teams -- Minot High (13); Bismarck High (12, currently); and Century (10) had win streaks of 10 or more games...Dickinson is the only team that was not in quarterfinals last year...WDA teams went 12-12 vs. EDC foes this regular season...Minot High coach Dean Winczewski picked up career coaching win No. 500 earlier this season...PSP Network (psp.network ) is again livestreaming all tournament games...Bismarck is hosting the Class A Tournament, March 7-9
#1 Minot High (20-1 Overall; 15-1 WDA)
Head Coach: Dean Winczewski (16th year)
Key 2023-24 Wins: Fargo Davies, WF Sheyenne, Bismarck High, Century (2)
Record vs. Top 4 W. Region seeds: 5-1
Longest season win streak: 13
Longest season losing streak: 1
Players to watch: Logan Conklin, Sr.; Aric Winczewski, Jr.;
Payton Schell, Jr.
Points Per Game Average: 73.2
Points Allowed Per Game Avg: 52.7
Team FG%: 46.1 (Opponents: 36.0)
Team 3PFG%: 32.6 (Opp: 30.7)
Team FT%: 63.0 (Opp: 65.8)
Team Rebounds PG Avg: 40.6 (Opp: 28.5)
Team Leaders: PPG: Logan Conklin, 17.9; RPG: Grayson Schaeffer, 7.9; APG: Aric Winczewski, 4.4; STPG: Conklin, 1.4; BPG: Payton Schell, 1.2; FG%: Schell, 53.3; 3PFG%: Schell, 42.2; FT%: Schell, 78.6
2022-23 W. Region Tournament Rewind: Runner-up: (Won vs. Williston; won vs. Jamestown; Loss vs. Century)
#2 Bismarck High (16-5 Overall; 14-2 WDA)
Head Coach: Jordan Wilhelm (9th year)
Key 2023-24 Wins: Minot High, Century (2)
Record vs. Top 4 W. Region Seeds: 5-1
Longest season win streak: 12 (current)
Longest season losing streak: 3
Players to watch: Andre Austin, Jr.; Jack Shaffer, Jr.; Teysean Eaglestaff, Sr.
Points Per Game Average: 82.5
Points Allowed Per Game Avg: 64.1
Team FG%: 41.6 (Opponents: 42.7)
Team 3PFG%: 32.6 (Opp: 29.1)
Team FT%: 61.1 (Opp: 62.7
Team Rebounds PG Avg: 41.4 (Opp: 36.7)
Team Leaders: PPG: Andre Austin, 16.2 RPG: Jack Shaffer, 6.5; APG: Austin, 5.0; STPG: Austin, 1.9; BPG: Weston Scott, 0.4; FG%: Shaffer, 59.5; 3PFG%: Grady Swanson, 41.5; FT%: Ross Fischer, 78.6
2022-23 W. Region Tournament Rewind: Did Not Place (Loss vs. Legacy; Won vs. TMCHS; Loss vs. Jamestown)
#3 Century (16-5 Overall; 11-5 WDA)
Head Coach: Darin Mattern (15th year)
Key 2023-24 Win2: Mandan (2)
Record vs. Top 4 W. Region Seeds: 2-4
Longest season win streak: 10
Longest season losing streak: 2 (current)
Players to watch: Isaiah Schafer, Sr.; Drew Kempel, Jr.; Kale Schommer, Sr.
Points Per Game Average: 73.5
Points Allowed Per Game Avg: 58.2
Team FG%: 45.2 (Opponents: 40.6)
Team 3PFG%: 32.6 (Opp: 29.1)
Team FT%: 67.0 (Opp: 67.4)
Team Rebounds PG Avg: 35.5 (Opp: 31.1)
Team Leaders: PPG: Isaiah Schafer, 19.0; RPG: Drew Kempel, 6.0; APG: Kempel, 3.9; STPG: Kempel, 1.7; BPG: Ajura Spears, 0.3; FG%: Kempel, 52.0; 3PFG%: Garrett Nissley, 39.6; FT%: Schafer, 92.1
2022-23 W. Region Tournament Rewind: 1st (Won vs. TMCHS; Won vs. Legacy; Won vs. Minot High)
#4 Mandan (10-11 Overall; 8-8 WDA)
Head Coach: Brandon Schafer (11th year)
Key 2023-24 Wins: Bismarck High
Record vs. Top 4 W. Region Seeds: 1-5
Longest season win streak: 2 (three times)
Longest season losing streak: 3
Players to watch: Hudsen Sheldon, Jr.; Brylee Bearstail, So.
Points Per Game Average: 69.0
Points Allowed Per Game Avg: 71.3
Team FG%: 42.9 (Opponents: 44.0)
Team 3PFG%: 33.5 (Opp: 33.3)
Team FT%: 64.5 (Opp: 68.8)
Team Rebounds PG Avg: 30.8 (Opp: 38.3)
Team Leaders: PPG: Hudsen Sheldon, 20.9; RPG: Sheldon, 5.5; APG: Sheldon,5.6; STPG: Sheldon, 4.1; BPG: Rylee Bearstail, 0.5; FG%: Sheldon, 52.0 3PFG%: Brylee Bearstail, 44.2; FT%: Sheldon, 68.5
2022-23 W. Region Tournament Rewind: Did Not Place (Loss vs. Jamestown; Won vs. Williston; Loss vs. Legacy)
#5 Dickinson (12-9 Overall; 8-8 WDA)
Head Coach: Dan Glasser (9th year)
Key 2023-24 Wins: Century, Mandan
Record vs. Top 4 W. Region Seeds: 2-6
Longest season win streak: 4
Longest season losing streak: 2
Players to watch: Boston Cranston, So.; Damon Glasser, Jr.; Dante Oyugi, Sr.
Points Per Game Average: 75.0
Points Allowed Per Game Avg: 70.7
Team FG%: 42.7 (Opponents: 51.2)
Team 3PFG%: 35.5 (Opp: 29.7)
Team FT%: 65.7 (Opp: 61.3)
Team Rebounds PG Avg: 34.9 (Opp: 35.1)
Team Leaders: PPG: Boston Cranston, 18.0; RPG: Damon Glasser, 6.0; APG: Cranston, 3.0; STPG: Dante Oyugi, 1.9; BPG: Glasser, 0.7; FG%: Cranton, 48.0; 3PFG%: Cranston, 40.1; FT%: Cranston, 74.0
2022-23 W. Region Tournament Rewind: Did not qualify for the quarterfinals
#6 Legacy (12-9 Overall; 11-9 WDA)
Head Coach: Jason Horner (11th year)
Key 2023-24 Win: West Fargo Sheyenne
Record vs. Top 4 W. Region Seeds: 0-8
Longest season win streak: 2 (3 times)
Longest season losing streak: 4
Players to watch: Lucas Kupfer, Sr.; Parker Falcon, Jr.; Joathan Roubideaux, So.
Points Per Game Average: 69.8
Points Allowed Per Game Avg: 66.4
Team FG%: 48.0 (Opponents: 42.9)
Team 3PFG%: 36.5 (Opp: 30.0)
Team FT%: 66.7 (Opp: 62.8)
Team Rebounds PG Avg: 31.1 (Opp: 34.5)
Record when leading at Halftime: 8-4
Record when trailing at Halftime: 0-7
Record when tied at Halftime: 2-0
Record when scoring 70 or more points: 7-2
Record when scoring 69 or fewer points: 3-9
Record when allowing 70 or more points: 6-4
Record when allowing 69 or fewer points: 5-6
Record in games decided by 5 points or less: 0-5
Team Leaders: PPG: Parker Falcon, 21.2; RPG: Lucas Kupfer, 8.1 APG: Kupfer, 3.0; STPG: Kupfer, 1.7; BPG: Kupfer, 1.2; FG%: Kupfer, 58.8; 3PFG%: Falcon, 47.5; FT%: Falcon, 81.3
2022-23 W. Region Tournament Rewind: 3rd (Won vs. Bismarck High; Loss vs. Century; Won vs. Mandan)
Last West Region Tournament Championship: None
Last Class A Championship: None
#7 Jamestown (7-14 Overall; 5-11 WDA)
Head Coach: Jason Carroll (1st year)
Key 2023-24 Wins: Mandan
Record vs. Top 4 W. Region Seeds: 1-7
Longest season win streak: 2 (twice)
Longest season losing streak: 7
Players to watch: Dalton Lamp, Sr.; Thomas Newman, Jr; Noah Meissner, Sr.
Points Per Game Average: 66.5
Points Allowed Per Game Avg: 80.3
Team FG%: 42.7 (Opponents: 46.2)
Team 3PFG%: 31.1 (Opp: 37.0)
Team FT%: 67.7 (Opp: 67.8)
Team Rebounds PG Avg: 34.0 (Opp: 36.0)
Team Leaders: PPG: Dalton Lamp, 16.7; RPG: Jack Van Berkom, 5.7; APG: Lamp, 3.2; STPG: Lamp, 2.0; BPG: Van Berkom, 1.0; FG%: Thomas Newman, 57.6; 3PFG%: Lamp, 37.9; FT%: Noah Meissner, 83.3
2022-23 W. Region Tournament Rewind: 4th (Won vs. Mandan; Loss vs. Minot High; Won vs. Bismarck High)
#8 Williston (6-14 Overall; 3-13 WDA)
Head Coach: Daved Lundeen (6th year)
Key 2023-24 Wins: --
Record vs. Top 4 W. Region Seeds: 0-8
Longest season win streak: 3 (current)
Longest season losing streak: 7
Players to watch: Isiah St. Romain, Sr.; Bridger Johnson
Points Per Game Average: 62.1
Points Allowed Per Game Avg: 72.5
Team FG%: 40.5 (Opponents: 44.8)
Team 3PFG%: 28.8 (Opp: 34.4)
Team FT%: 69.3 (Opp: 64.4)
Team Rebounds PG Avg: 32.8 (Opp: 34.1)
Team Leaders: PPG: Isiah St. Romain, 22.9; RPG: St. Romain, 6.6; APG: Bridger Johnson, 2.5; STPG: St. Romain, 3.1 BPG: Jaeden Wilson, 0.7; FG%: Austin Hodenfield, 57.9; 3PFG%: Br. Johnson, 38.9; FT%: Br. Johnson, 84.8
2022-23 W. Region Tournament Rewind: Did Not Place (Loss vs. Minot High; Loss vs. Mandan)