toughest places to play

Share your stories of the towns, teams, and players of the past.

Postby J-Rod34 » Wed Sep 06, 2006 7:00 pm

Watford City is a tough place to play in. Williston has a wonderful facility for hosting a regional tourney and makes for a neutral site, but can also be tough to play at.
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Postby letsgosox » Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:26 pm

scruffy wrote:Its impossible to play them on neutral courts unless they would all be in Bismarck or Fargo.  Seating capacity IS an issue.  The last time I checked  baskets are ten feet high in every gym.  Some say the open court behind the baskets are hard to get used to, but guess what ...its that way where the state tournaments are held .  If my team is the better one, I'm confident we will win on any floor..MENTAL TOUGHNESS!

So you are saying that there is no such thing as home court advantage?? Having a game to go to a state tournament being played on your home court that you play on almost every single day of the year wouldnt help you?? The last two times that i can remember that Trinity lost the district was to Glen Ullin and Killdeer, and guess where those games were played....not at Trinity, in HAZEN...coincidence?? I do understand that there is no other place to have these regional games played, but it makes me angry when you Trinity PARENTS act like it makes no difference where these games would be played. I am by no means a "Trinity Hater". I think that Trinity's athletes are some of the most respectful and sportsman like athletes around. I wish that some of the parents would act like that too instead of acting like they are a step above everyone else. What a hypercritical thing to say that teams should have "mental toughness" You are talking about kids from all social classes from towns of about 500 people. Not just the rich kids and good athletes of a town of 20,000 people. Arguing against this topic is a losing battle. There is no way to say it is right to have a team that has higher enrollment, a bigger pool of players to choose from, and a team that has better facilities than everyone else in the state, still should have all the advantages over the small town schools.
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Postby baseball » Thu Sep 07, 2006 4:35 pm

y cant they hold the regionals where DSU plays?????
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Postby letsgosox » Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:13 pm

baseball wrote:y cant they hold the regionals where DSU plays?????

DSU's gym holds about 1000 less people then trinitys gym
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Postby baseball » Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:33 pm

I know Shiloh's region does it...plays regionals in the bismarck CC but the championship at Mary. why cant trinity do that?
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Postby scruffy » Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:51 pm

Letsgosox, a couple of things.  Number one, I don't think the districts are as important as the regional tournament.  That is the one to win.  A few years back the regional was held in Beulah.  That year Mott-Regent had by far the best team in the area, and guess who went to state.  Trinity did..  Number two...  In the early nineties when when Trinity went  Class "B" the tournaments were held at Trinity, but no one complained about home court advantage because Trinity could not compete.  It took five years before they contended for a regional title.  Home court was never brought up until after their third regional title.  The girls team finished second in the region like four or five years in a row while the tournament was held at Trinity..  The tournament was moved to DHS.. and PRESTO...Trinity went to state.  Number 3...Trinity is not a large school.  We are the third or fourth largest in District # 14, smaller then Beulah, Hazen, and about the same size as Killdeer.  Last year at the state "B" tournament, Trinity was the only the fourth or fifth largest school competing.  We have been very lucky to have the quality of team that we've had recently, but that to comes in cycles. It will turn around Trinity will be ok, but not dominant in the near future.  Finally, I dont think its just Trinity kids who are mentally tough.  There are quality kids in every program, and I hope they dont come in with the perception that they don't have a chance to win because of where a game is played.  Finally, It doesn't matter if Dickinson has 20.000 people (we don't) because our high school still only has 150 kids.....
Last edited by scruffy on Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby ndfbfan » Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:40 pm

I'm not going to argue your points. I am going to say that the point brought up by the others is that it is nice being able to play that last game at home. No travel involved, a familiar place etc..... In football it is the same, however, in football you have to earn the right to play on your homefield with a chance to go to state. If the regional tournament were held in Beulah, and they went to the state tournament, don't you think people would say the same thing??? Only playing on a neutral court would eliminate any of this. I understand in that region, it is not possible. Teams have come to realize that they way to the state tournament is through Dickinson Trinity, and I don't forsee that changing anytime soon.
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Postby scruffy » Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:46 pm

Back in the 80's and early 90's when there was the old district 28 with Beulah in it, the tournaments were held in Beulah.  Killdeer, Halliday and the other schools always grumbled about "home court" advantage for the Miners.  It was the same issue, there was nowhere else to hold the tournament because of seating capacity.  I guess things never change...
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Postby letsgosox » Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:48 pm

Trinity high school may have only 150 kids in it, but it is a select 150. They are kids that can afford to go there or kids that have something to offer the school in which they get a scholarship. You brought up a good point about Trinity not being dominant in the nineties and noone complained about home court advantage because beulah, a larger school, was more dominant, but enough people complained about Beulah being too big they ended up going class A. One reason Trinity is so dominant, other than they have the best coaches and facilities(which is not a bad thing, a credit to the Trinity Administration, boosters, and athletic director), is that the good athletes of Dickinson see Trinity's teams year after year making state tournaments and winning championships. These good athletes of the Dickinson community, which may not be 20,000, more like 15,000, but it still outweighs a town of 500 people. See when you have a higher population in a given area, there is a better chance that there are more athletes in that area. In the past 7-8 years there has been about 3 good, evenly matched teams every year. They go back and fourth in the season, but when tournament time comes one team always has an edge. The edge being Trinity with home court.
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Postby ndfbfan » Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:50 pm

scruffy wrote:Back in the 80's and early 90's when there was the old district 28 with Beulah in it, the tournaments were held in Beulah.  Killdeer, Halliday and the other schools always grumbled about "home court" advantage for the Miners.  It was the same issue, there was nowhere else to hold the tournament because of seating capacity.  I guess things never change...

I remember the regionals being played in Minot in the early 90's. Played at the Civic Audotorium. Maybe before that they were played in Beulah?? Not quite sure. That would have been 93-94 that I can remember.
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Postby letsgosox » Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:51 pm

scruffy wrote:Back in the 80's and early 90's when there was the old district 28 with Beulah in it, the tournaments were held in Beulah.  Killdeer, Halliday and the other schools always grumbled about "home court" advantage for the Miners.  It was the same issue, there was nowhere else to hold the tournament because of seating capacity.  I guess things never change...

Bigger school=more money=bigger facilities
Well does anyone want to start holding fundraisers so DSU can get a 5,000 seat facility?? that would solve this whole mess. :D
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Postby letsgosox » Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:55 pm

baseball wrote:I know Shiloh's region does it...plays regionals in the bismarck CC but the championship at Mary. why cant trinity do that?

This years region 7 championship game attracted over 3000 fans. that could fill up the DSU's gym twice. There is just no other option in the west than to play at Trinity. Unless dickinson is planning a civic center that is the way it will always have to be.
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Postby boysbballfan » Fri Sep 08, 2006 7:37 pm

I agree with you completely except for the point that they control their enrollment, a school isn't for sports its for a good education so i'm sure they wouldn't deny someone the opportunity for a good education.
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Postby letsgosox » Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:27 pm

boysbballfan wrote:I agree with you completely except for the point that they control their enrollment, a school isn't for sports its for a good education so i'm sure they wouldn't deny someone the opportunity for a good education.

Correct me if i'm wrong but i dont think i ever mentioned them denying anyone. I just said that the kids that go there are either from families that can afford it or kids that have something to offer the school, then they would get a scholarship.
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Postby scruffy » Sat Sep 09, 2006 4:35 am

Trust me, Trinity is scratching for students like any other school in the area, yet we continue to get smaller.  We have no scholarships for extra curricular activities. The only aid we have, which is very limited is for those who struggle financially, and then its mainly in the area of work study programs. When our committee's meet, sports is generally not on the agenda.
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Postby dix06 » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:43 pm

I no that trinty has came and talked to a couple of good athletes parents about coming to trinty. When Chris Petroff moved into dickinson trinty had people at his door and were encourenging them to come to dickinson trinty
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Postby vballfan06 » Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:21 pm

Let me go on record as definitely NOT being a trinity fan! But, I must have to say they have layed the groundwork for success---and alot of that has come from their kids and the time they've put in the gym in the offseason, and it really doesn't seem that there's as much of that in smaller class B schools anymore---at least not like there is in class A towns.  You can tell by their skills that those kids have spent time in the gym and weight room---boys basketball, girls basketball, football, volleyball...doesn't matter. They've put in the time.  So, to beat 'em, you have to match that. Kids need to be gym rats period.
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Postby xcolt90 » Thu Feb 15, 2007 10:06 am

I would say Trinity

 

Richardton Taylor would argue that this year.

 

 
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Postby cornerback*22 » Mon Feb 19, 2007 6:40 am

the toughest place to play is definetly belcourt, not because of the fans but because of crappy refs, and a dark gym
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Postby bbjay » Wed Feb 21, 2007 7:03 am

Minot Ryan is a tough gym to play at...always packed with a pretty rowdy student section.
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Postby dukefan32 » Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:56 pm

bbjay wrote:Minot Ryan is a tough gym to play at...always packed with a pretty rowdy student section.

I agree, they're student section is called the "Lion Crazies." It's sooooo loud at the games.
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Re:

Postby chevyman11 » Fri Nov 16, 2007 8:26 pm

scruffy wrote:Letsgosox, a couple of things.  Number one, I don't think the districts are as important as the regional tournament.  That is the one to win.  A few years back the regional was held in Beulah.  That year Mott-Regent had by far the best team in the area, and guess who went to state.  Trinity did..  Number two...  In the early nineties when when Trinity went  Class "B" the tournaments were held at Trinity, but no one complained about home court advantage because Trinity could not compete.  It took five years before they contended for a regional title.  Home court was never brought up until after their third regional title.  The girls team finished second in the region like four or five years in a row while the tournament was held at Trinity..  The tournament was moved to DHS.. and PRESTO...Trinity went to state.  Number 3...Trinity is not a large school. We are the third or fourth largest in District # 14, smaller then Beulah, Hazen, and about the same size as Killdeer. Last year at the state "B" tournament, Trinity was the only the fourth or fifth largest school competing.  We have been very lucky to have the quality of team that we've had recently, but that to comes in cycles. It will turn around Trinity will be ok, but not dominant in the near future.  Finally, I dont think its just Trinity kids who are mentally tough.  There are quality kids in every program, and I hope they dont come in with the perception that they don't have a chance to win because of where a game is played.  Finally, It doesn't matter if Dickinson has 20.000 people (we don't) because our high school still only has 150 kids.....


2 words-PRIVATE SCHOOL!!!!

as for their gym, the baskets are hard to get use to. all the schools in SW ND have baskets that are mounted to the wall, or have walls a couple feet behind the baskets. trinity's gym doesnt, so it throws your depth perceptoin off. yes its good to have these baskets in preparation for state, but i dont think its fair for the other teams just because its on trinity's home floor. ive played both on trinity's baskets, and on the wall mounted ones, and if it was up to me to pick which to play on, i would pick trinity's-dont ask me why. I just wish that there was a different gym with the same style of baskets available. the only issue with me is it being trinity's own floor.
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Re: toughest places to play

Postby baseball » Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:00 pm

the wall behind the hoop or no wall should not effect a shooter. you look at the hoops not at the wall, if you use the wall not being there to say why you didnt shoot well thats just a bad excuse for a bad shooter. i understand thats not your reason for disliking it since you would rather play on a floor like that. i feel the same way you do aobut it tho that i would rather play on a floor without mounted hoops.
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Re: toughest places to play

Postby old lineman » Sat Nov 17, 2007 10:10 am

No place tougher to play 1980's Hillsburo tile floor, guys that didn't make mistakes. Putting you to a slow death beating you 42-38. Eddy is still the KING.
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Re:

Postby Nodak Guy » Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:04 pm

baseball wrote:
classb_fan00 wrote:Kulm isn't an easy place to play by any means.

Kulm is a very tough place to play because if your offense is based on spacing, definately not the place you want to play.  Is Kulm also the only gym with a double halfline in the state?



Kulm might be bad, but Rhame is even worse. The school closed a few years back, but you are ever out in the SW ND area, you have to check it out. The out of bounds line is about 3 inches from the wall, and the FT line doubles as the half court line. Also, the three point line only runs from FT line extended to FT line extended. Plus, they usually get the worst refs out of Bowman, because any ref in their right mind is going to Dickinson or South Heart or Hettinger to officiate. It's crazy, but is also a blast trying to figure out how to play it.
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