North Dakota Preps

you mentioned purinton for all state doesn't have any outstanding stats just thinking of 2 guys with some better stats in nuisma from Strasburg or blakoski from medina spelling is wrong on both of them

Stats are always going to play a part of the All-State selection process. But as years go by, districts are getting weaker and therefore strength of schedule is becoming more of an issue. Some teams choose to "beef up" their schedule by going outside their respective region to play tougher teams. This effects stats tremendously, not to mention wins and losses. Individual stats will go down, but team strength usually goes up. Also, as mentioned earlier, some teams have more talent across the board so stats are spread out vs. a "one horse team". I know of a number of districts that have one or two teams at the top and then a significant drop off. When I look at players, I like to compare them when they are playing against "like" teams. "Good" players will get their points, "great" players will get the "wins". I like to watch a player and see their defensive assignments. Can they shut down a good player. If you look at points, when do they get them, mop up time or crunch time and who is guarding them when they get them. 2 cents.

Any candidates from Region 5?

Zac Scmidt from Flasher was Region Athlete of the Year.
Christian Thompson from Wilton-Wing led the region in scoring while getting chased most games and had to be close in steals.
Andrew Hartman from Shiloh was one of the best post players I watched all year on a good, solid team, and could knock down the 3 ball as well. I would choose him before Cieslak from Hazen.

They would be my top 3. None should be a 1st teamer, but should be considered for 2nd team.

Selecting the All State team has to be tough, although Im pretty sure they get it right 80% or more of the time, which is pretty good considering the difficulty. There are so many variables, as mentioned. It may be a one horse team, but that one horse is probably getting double and triple teamed consistency, we have no idea what those players would do on a team with multiple other viable weapons. Conversely it is hard to project the performance of great players currently on good teams if they were on one horse teams. The one thing I know for sure is that there will be deserving players not making the team, it happens every year. But there has to be a limit or the honor becomes less valuable.

Oh and the whole 1st team vs 2nd team discussion, after the top 3-4 players who are generally no brainers, is so subjective it really is moot point. In my opinion, it is about making sure the best 15 or so players in the state are recognized as All State athletes.

IMO this is an extremely hard year to vote for all state... I'd say there are about 7 to 8 obvious ones.. And the next 7 to 8 are a toss up.. Lots of very good players that are all very equal to one another.. Some have better stats and others have better all around games. I'd hate to be a voter for this, because no matter what, you will leave very deserving players off..

1st Team
Bussman
Heidelbaugh
Holte
Robbins
Mund

I thought Duke from DLB would be a no brainer. Watched some of DLB's games and Holte is physically gifted but Duke carried that team and kept them together. Not necessarily a first team although I think he is more talented than most of them I just wouldn't think they'd put him with holte on first team. Holte had a crazy four year career but I think Duke is a much better basketball player. Definitely should be a second team selection though.

How much did Duke prosper because Holte was on the court. Holte is a monster and his influence made Duke the player he was. Without Holte I don't think Duke is even on anyone's radar, with that being said, with Holte on the court maybe you have a point, Scottie Pippen to MJ?
I guess Duke shouldn't be penalized for playing alongside a monster like Holte.

I agree with Noles here, Duke is a nice player and definitely an all region guy, but don't think I can put him as all state, but he does have an outside chance, Region 6 all staters should be Holte Austin Lee from Berthold , and Heidlebaugh from Rugby, usually don't see more than 3 from a region as there are only 15 spots to be filled. And I would put Hunter Braaten also ahead of Duke in Region 6.

The more I watched I just felt that Duke helped Holte prosper more than anything. In big games where a person as physical as Holte checked him he shied away and Duke stepped up and carried the load. That really surprises me tjat you would put Lee and Braaten ahead of him. Watched him in AAU and he really impressed me as well. I could see Lee being ahead of him because of statistics but hes obviously not going to have stellar stats having a Mr. Basketball Candidate on his team. A lot of people think hes the best next level player in Region 6 also.

And I dont think Scottie pippen to mj is a very good comparison. He definitely wasnt the player he was just because of holte. Seems to me he had to make quite the sacrifice to make the team good. If holte wasnt on his team. I think he could be a 25 avg. Kinda like Alex bloms was to Dan Yale. Bloms may have been a better player but had to sacrifice with the freak yale was physically and how weak a lot of class b teams are.

There isn't many kids in Class B to defend 6 4 250 pound beast

Put holte and duke on a class A team with much more competition to be played against and duke would flourish IMO and holte would be exposed.

jtdc492 wrote:Any candidates from Region 5?

Zac Scmidt from Flasher was Region Athlete of the Year.
Christian Thompson from Wilton-Wing led the region in scoring while getting chased most games and had to be close in steals.
Andrew Hartman from Shiloh was one of the best post players I watched all year on a good, solid team, and could knock down the 3 ball as well. I would choose him before Cieslak from Hazen.

They would be my top 3. None should be a 1st teamer, but should be considered for 2nd team.

I would go:
1. Zack Schmidt (Flasher)- Senior athlete, very tough to keep out of the paint, doesn't run out of energy.
2. Taylor Krenz (Flasher)- 1,500 career points, one of the states best shooters, had around 70 3s.
3. Christian Thompson (Wilton-Wing)- Creative scorer, benefits from being his teams only true scorer, puts up good stats.
4. Andrew Hartman (Shiloh)- Shilohs best player, does everything well, does not have great stats tho.

These would be the only 4 that I think would even have a slight chance. Region 5 usually only gets one or no all state players so I would be surprised if they get more than one.

I disagree on the class A comment, Holte holds his own and is capable of competing, duke becomes a 1 dimensional situational outside shooter. Take it from someone who has coached at that level and played and coached at the class b level, Duke does not prosper in the class A game, bismarck type defenses eat him alive due to the physicality of how defense is played in the WDA and at Class A tourney time.
Mute argument I guess because we will never know, if I am picking a team and hole and duke are standing there, 10 times out of 10 I take Holte.

We all have our own opinions I guess I just have seen them play a lot this year and I wouldn't at all. Holte cant dribble, pass, and plays very little defense. Duke is much more of an all around player and mid range game is one of the best in the state. We will see though. Hope to see them both in the Lions Game and you will see then.

And to be honest if you pick Holte 10 times out of 10, you will likely lose every time you play the team that has Duke.

Raindrops5 wrote:And to be honest if you pick Holte 10 times out of 10, you will likely lose every time you play the team that has Duke.

I don't think Duke will make either the Lions game or All-State

So Holte can't pass ,shoot dribble or play defense . Then you didn't see many of their games. There wasn't anyone that could stop Holte if he was passed the ball . They win the region if he was passed the ball more than 6 times the second half in the championship game.

Wow. Misjudged talent is all I can say.

And there is no way that there are 12 seniors in the state that are Better than Duke. I dont know how this is even an argument. How can you not see that kids talent?

Duke is talented? Yes...but there are very talented players in the State. Just as talented as Duke! If you can't see that than you don't get out much. Will Duke make the Lion's All-Star game...IMO yes. Because other players will go and play in the Shrine Game...that will open up some spots for Duke and other players

Raindrops5 wrote:And there is no way that there are 12 seniors in the state that are Better than Duke.

All State is not limited to seniors and I could quickly name more than 12 players who are, in my opinion, better all around players than Chris Duke.

I would be very surprised if Duke made the Lions game - possibly as an alternate - or as someone else has already said - if other kids choose the Shrine game over Lions.
Not so surprised if he was 2nd team all-state - but Region 6 was loaded with potential all-staters - just a matter of who the media knew more about.
Heidlebaugh - 1st team, Holte - 1st team - Then very legitimately Austin Lee, Hunter Braaten, Brody Bosch, and Chris Duke. Not all of them will make it on All-state. And if it comes down to numbers in the end, Lee and Braaten had better numbers than Duke this year - not sure about Bosch.

I was talking about the all star game referring to seniors. And IMO there isn't 12 that are better hes 6 ' 5" with very good handles, sees the court well, shoots exceptionally well and has improved getting to the hole tremendously and guarded the best player every game. You dont see that in ND. The all state could be determined on stats and he obviously doesnt have as good as stats as someone who was the only one on their team because he had a Mr. Basketball candidate on the team along with others on the team who were also solid.