North Dakota Preps

Who are your top candidates and why?

1. Ali Collins - 2 year all state - multiple state championships - can flat out play
2. Shaunna Knife - can shoot, handle the ball - great player
3. Sarah Feeney - Better than her sister is a very versital player
4. Morgan Dale - Does a lot - all stater - couldn't make it state with a lot aound her last year
5. Caitlyn Haring - average 9 points - 8 rebounds - 7 assists. - I think her stock will rise this year

You like Sarah better than Alex? I don't know, I thought Alex should have won it last year. I agree with you picks but I like Dale better than Shaunna because Dale did take them to state as a sophmore when Shaunna was at Belcourt and Shaunna had to switch to a better team to make it to state.

1. Ali Collins - 2 year all state - 3 state championships - seen her at WDA and STATE and agree can flat out play. Great defense, ball handling, shooting.
2. Morgan Dale - Took team to state as a sophmore but fell short last year - 1 year all state.
3. Shaunna Knife - 1 year all state - switch to Class B to go to win state and as a sophmore her team did not do well as Jamestown.
4. Sarah Feeney - Been in the shadow of her sister but 1 year all state, 2nd place at state, took lower place than Jamestown as a sophmore and wasn't the best on her team until this year. Agree, very versital.
5. Caitlyn Haring - I think she will do better this year and will be key for Fargo South. Also think she will climb up this ladder.

I think Sarah's injury may hamper her chances. Basketball is hard on the legs and if you go in hurt it may linger all year.

Let’s try breaking this down a little. Who is the best athlete? I have seen Knife touch the rim. Who understands the game the best? Feeney has grown up with the game? Who plays hard all the time including and especially defense? Who leads best? Which player would pass the ball to the player in better position to score on a fast break instead of taking the layoff herself? In other words, who plays team first and personal 2nd? For these questions, ignore how the team does.

In the history of ND Miss Basketball, has a player who transferred schools during her career ever won the award?

Lisa Perisien was up for it...she transfered from St. Johns to Belcourt...didnt win it though

EDC wrote:Let’s try breaking this down a little. Who is the best athlete? I have seen Knife touch the rim. Who understands the game the best? Feeney has grown up with the game? Who plays hard all the time including and especially defense? Who leads best? Which player would pass the ball to the player in better position to score on a fast break instead of taking the layoff herself? In other words, who plays team first and personal 2nd? For these questions, ignore how the team does.

that is a good quote EDC. with that said i would have to say that haring from south is my vote. she is the catalyst of that team and gets it going with her great defense, ability to rebound with great numbers, and great numbers in assists, and alot of steals.if haring can keep up with her play as of right now throughout the season she should be miss basketball.

I think you need to take leadership qualities into account. Which leader makes the other girls around them better. Championships follow great leaders. Assist, steals, rebounds are more important to the game than being able to touch the rim.

Eminence wrote:You like Sarah better than Alex? I don't know, I thought Alex should have won it last year. I agree with you picks but I like Dale better than Shaunna because Dale did take them to state as a sophmore when Shaunna was at Belcourt and Shaunna had to switch to a better team to make it to state.

1. Ali Collins - 2 year all state - 3 state championships - seen her at WDA and STATE and agree can flat out play. Great defense, ball handling, shooting.
2. Morgan Dale - Took team to state as a sophmore but fell short last year - 1 year all state.
3. Shaunna Knife - 1 year all state - switch to Class B to go to win state and as a sophmore her team did not do well as Jamestown.
4. Sarah Feeney - Been in the shadow of her sister but 1 year all state, 2nd place at state, took lower place than Jamestown as a sophmore and wasn't the best on her team until this year. Agree, very versital.
5. Caitlyn Haring - I think she will do better this year and will be key for Fargo South. Also think she will climb up this ladder.

Both Feeneys did not play very well in the state championship game last year. Bismarck high should have beaten Mandan by at leastr 10 each time they played them...but didnt.

Shaunna Knife has much more pottential than Dale. Dale is a good player, but is loosing her affect. Knife didnt HAVE to switch to a better team, she did to have a succesful high school career. Anyone would have done it if they were as good as her.

Collins and Dale are better than Knife. Both have better leadership qualities. Feeney's leadership will depend on how her season goes. Collins and Dale makes an average team, a state contender. Collins has led her team to State Championships. An All - Stater for two years. I don't see anything that Knife has done or accomplished more than Collins.

Knife is a good player and is on my top 5 but just not my top 2. I don't see the leadership qualities that Collins and Dale has infact Feeney may top her if she has leads her team to state. I think Schindler in Class B will be a good candidate also.

lovebball wrote:Shaunna Knife has much more pottential than Dale. Dale is a good player, but is loosing her affect. Knife didnt HAVE to switch to a better team, she did to have a succesful high school career. Anyone would have done it if they were as good as her.

My point exactly, Collins had several successful state championships without switching and at the top level.

Eminence wrote:

lovebball wrote:Shaunna Knife has much more pottential than Dale. Dale is a good player, but is loosing her affect. Knife didnt HAVE to switch to a better team, she did to have a succesful high school career. Anyone would have done it if they were as good as her.

My point exactly, Collins had several successful state championships without switching and at the top level.

I agree with that point. I think all of the players discussed are outstanding, but Collins has proven that she can make it work and win championships with the school she grew up with. Especially last year, when they weren't expected to win it all again. Even this year, I don't know if they will win it all again, but because of her they are a very serious threat.

scoobyx2 wrote:

Eminence wrote:

lovebball wrote:Shaunna Knife has much more pottential than Dale. Dale is a good player, but is loosing her affect. Knife didnt HAVE to switch to a better team, she did to have a succesful high school career. Anyone would have done it if they were as good as her.

My point exactly, Collins had several successful state championships without switching and at the top level.

I agree with that point. I think all of the players discussed are outstanding, but Collins has proven that she can make it work and win championships with the school she grew up with. Especially last year, when they weren't expected to win it all again. Even this year, I don't know if they will win it all again, but because of her they are a very serious threat.

I think I might have to correct you on that. Collins did not lead her team to state, the kelpeinski's did. Funny how you are talking about OTHER teams switching and not growing up with their school and Mandan
in the same paragraph. Mandan has been known for a long time to "recruit". Or as most people say "go there for the acedemics and just so happen to play sports". I think this may be the first year Mandan doesnt have a "new girl" are on the team. I think you are giving Collins way to much credit. She isnt an outstanding player like others...that is my opinion. She is a good player. I didnt agree on her awards at state last year. I would also have to disagree on you saying she can make it work and win championship, cause she deffinantley does not win them alone. She has a lot of help. Amundson is a great coach because last year they shouldnt have been champions, but were. It was pretty fun to watch them continuosly get better. I dont see them getting their 7th state championship just because they dont have enough talent coming back. They should be up there in the top 5. I really have no thoughts on Miss basketball because there is not a very strong senior class this year, but next year should be tough to choose. I dont think she will get miss basketball, but I may be wrong.

lovebball wrote:

scoobyx2 wrote:

Eminence wrote:

lovebball wrote:Shaunna Knife has much more pottential than Dale. Dale is a good player, but is loosing her affect. Knife didnt HAVE to switch to a better team, she did to have a succesful high school career. Anyone would have done it if they were as good as her.

My point exactly, Collins had several successful state championships without switching and at the top level.

I agree with that point. I think all of the players discussed are outstanding, but Collins has proven that she can make it work and win championships with the school she grew up with. Especially last year, when they weren't expected to win it all again. Even this year, I don't know if they will win it all again, but because of her they are a very serious threat.

I think I might have to correct you on that. Collins did not lead her team to state, the kelpeinski's did. Funny how you are talking about OTHER teams switching and not growing up with their school and Mandan
in the same paragraph. Mandan has been known for a long time to "recruit". Or as most people say "go there for the acedemics and just so happen to play sports". I think this may be the first year Mandan doesnt have a "new girl" are on the team. I think you are giving Collins way to much credit. She isnt an outstanding player like others...that is my opinion. She is a good player. I didnt agree on her awards at state last year. I would also have to disagree on you saying she can make it work and win championship, cause she deffinantley does not win them alone. She has a lot of help. Amundson is a great coach because last year they shouldnt have been champions, but were. It was pretty fun to watch them continuosly get better. I dont see them getting their 7th state championship just because they dont have enough talent coming back. They should be up there in the top 5. I really have no thoughts on Miss basketball because there is not a very strong senior class this year, but next year should be tough to choose. I dont think she will get miss basketball, but I may be wrong.

First bolded point, she was not playing with a Kielpinski last year, and she was first team all state, so really she did lead her team to state didn't she?

Second bolded point, I believe we had a 20 page discussion on this. The end result being that Mandan doesn't recruit, players go there to chase trophies. Why would Mandan turn away players that do this? Also, Collins grew up in Mandan, so what does "recruiting" have to do with her?

Third bolded point, who are the outstanding players? As far as I know, she has more D1 schools looking at her than every other Class A senior in the state. She also played in a summer all star game that the others didn't play in. So, what makes her less outstanding than the rest? The 3 state titles, or the 2 all state selections, or the D1 offers?

Fourth bolded point, umm, are you serious? No individual player can win a title. The Kielpinskis had each others, then Jessica had Aleshia, then Aleshia had Marlee. What is your point?

Fifth bolded point, they must have some talent coming back to be ranked 41st in the country. Would you not agree?

Sixth bolded point, if you have no thoughts on Miss Basketball, why are you posting in this topic? The topic is 2008-2009, not 2009-2010, so next year really doesn't matter.

Thanks Balla45. I thought I had posted on the wrong topic.

I played against Collins...she was extremely talented and quicker than anyone I ever faced in North Dakota with the exception of Privatsky. Also, she was a great leader, you can tell the Mandan team respects her and listens to her for direction. She deserves Miss Basketball hands down.

Ali Collins with 22 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, and 13 steals. The first triple double in school history, and only short of the quadruple double by 2 assists.

Not having seen her play, i can't give a true opinion, but any player, guy or girl, that can put up a stat-line like that has to be the real deal.

balla45 wrote:Ali Collins with 22 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, and 13 steals. The first triple double in school history, and only short of the quadruple double by 2 assists.

She would most def get my vote..

I agree that Ali is good but as the season progresses, Morgan Dale goes up my list she is averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds, and over 4 assists a game.

I agree. Dale is, and always has been, very impressive. Sigl from Bismarck is also having a great year. Along with the obvious Feeney, Haring, Collins, and Dale.

Gotta say, after watching Mandan play in Williston that they wouldn't be much of a team without Collins. She IS their offense and defense! Outstanding player--

Didn't Mandan just loose to Belcourt?