North Dakota Preps

This is my opinion based off what I've seen in summer camps and last year
In no particular order
Brad Heidlebough - Rugby
Alex Weston - North Star
Tanner Bernhardt - RUGBY
Davis Koppinger - ORCS
John Reiten - ORCS
Dalton Steede - ORCS
Ben Talley - ORCS
Jared Will - Ryan
Stefan Stubbs
Feel free to add more this is all I've seen

I had been looking forward to see Weston dunk one in a game this year, but doesn't look like it will happen. I've seen him dunk in open gym, but he had never done it in a game.

ClassBforlife wrote:This is my opinion based off what I've seen in summer camps and last year
In no particular order
Brad Heidlebough - Rugby
Alex Weston - North Star
Tanner Bernhardt - RUGBY
Davis Koppinger - ORCS
John Reiten - ORCS
Dalton Steede - ORCS
Ben Talley - ORCS
Jared Will - Ryan
Stefan Stubbs
Feel free to add more this is all I've seen

Stefan Stubbs move out of state.

Where was the Stubbs kid from? And where did he go?

Nodak Guy wrote:Where was the Stubbs kid from? And where did he go?

From Tioga...went to Glendive, MT

Brady Bender of New England is pretty impressive in the air. Wyatt Carr of Hazen can 360. Casey Walcker of Beulah still is the only 8th grader I have ever seen windmill. Trayvonn McKay of Four Winds is also really impressive in the air.

Anthony Olsen from Lamoure. Only 5'10

Nolan Hovland from Rugby had a decent two-handed slam in the Langdon Area game.

Kvilvang from NorthStar had one tonight. Nothing great one hand threw it down. More than most can do.

Tronis McKay, FWM, put one down with 2 hands vs Carrington.

Davis Koppinger from ORCS had a two hander against white shield tonight

ClassBforlife wrote:Davis Koppinger from ORCS had a two hander against white shield tonight

I saw the highlight. I don't think you can call that a dunk. Haha

I don't mean what I'm about to say in a discouraging way, in fact if any aspiring "dunker" sees this, I hope you take this as an encouragement.
Now, I think it's pretty fruitless to decide who the best dunker in class B basketball because none of them are good dunkers
The dunks that have happened this season, so far as I am aware, are not great dunks. Has there even been anything in the half court? Or on the fast break anything more than a little slam or even worse a fingertip dunk? Maybe I haven't given enough time into this season, and I'm basing this solely on this season, but I wouldn't call it good dunking, I'd call it dunking.

The original poster mentioned four guys from Our Redeemer's, I haven't heard about a dunk from them yet this season. You would think that with four people who can dunk you'd expect a slam at least once in 5 games played.

I'm not saying they can't dunk, or any of the other people who has played summer ball and dunked or posted videos to social media of them lobbing can't dunk, but playing above the rim in a varsity setting is tough, and that's why I wouldn't call people who fit in that group a good dunker.

I haven't seen every game or heard all the news, so maybe it's happened and it'll flip my switch about discussing this, but until I see a fast break dunk thrown with a little more power or a dunk off a backdoor or any of those 6'5+ guys dunk it in the post I don't think this is a conversation worth having, because no real dunkers exist in Class B.

Again, don't take this as an attack on anybody, I would love for everyone who aspires to play above the rim to work on it, build up their confidence and their verticals. Or if there is a real dunker hiding in Class B, I would love to be proved wrong

Broncos811 wrote:I don't mean what I'm about to say in a discouraging way, in fact if any aspiring "dunker" sees this, I hope you take this as an encouragement.
Now, I think it's pretty fruitless to decide who the best dunker in class B basketball because none of them are good dunkers
The dunks that have happened this season, so far as I am aware, are not great dunks. Has there even been anything in the half court? Or on the fast break anything more than a little slam or even worse a fingertip dunk? Maybe I haven't given enough time into this season, and I'm basing this solely on this season, but I wouldn't call it good dunking, I'd call it dunking.

The original poster mentioned four guys from Our Redeemer's, I haven't heard about a dunk from them yet this season. You would think that with four people who can dunk you'd expect a slam at least once in 5 games played.

I'm not saying they can't dunk, or any of the other people who has played summer ball and dunked or posted videos to social media of them lobbing can't dunk, but playing above the rim in a varsity setting is tough, and that's why I wouldn't call people who fit in that group a good dunker.

I haven't seen every game or heard all the news, so maybe it's happened and it'll flip my switch about discussing this, but until I see a fast break dunk thrown with a little more power or a dunk off a backdoor or any of those 6'5+ guys dunk it in the post I don't think this is a conversation worth having, because no real dunkers exist in Class B.

Again, don't take this as an attack on anybody, I would love for everyone who aspires to play above the rim to work on it, build up their confidence and their verticals. Or if there is a real dunker hiding in Class B, I would love to be proved wrong

Man are you WAYYYYYYY off here

packers21 wrote:Man are you WAYYYYYYY off here

That's fine. But care to tell me where and how? Have I missed a guy who dribbles through the lane and dunks over somebody?
I'm not impressed with out of game dunks either, if that's what you're talking about. And if that's the case we'll just have to disagree on what makes a dunker.

Broncos811 wrote:

packers21 wrote:Man are you WAYYYYYYY off here

That's fine. But care to tell me where and how? Have I missed a guy who dribbles through the lane and dunks over somebody?
I'm not impressed with out of game dunks either, if that's what you're talking about. And if that's the case we'll just have to disagree on what makes a dunker.

You do not think there are any guys in the entire state (class b) that can dunk? In game ?

What is funny is the people that are negative have no idea what playing above the rim is. There are way more athletic kids who can throw down than ever. But there are also more kids ready to stop them. This crap about going up in the lane and dunking in traffic is bs. Not many college players in ND do it. If you are Al Dvorak then fine. Otherwise hush it.

It is Class A, but the Williston kid dunks in traffic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1lanOxBXgA

I'm confused about the definition of a dunk. This clip is from last years state tournament. At about the one minute mark of the clip two "above the rim" baskets are made. I'm wondering if either meet anyone's definition of a dunk. They were not in traffic obviously.

balla45 wrote:It is Class A, but the Williston kid dunks in traffic.

Eikens is a FREAK, probably the best talent in the state and he's only a freshman. He dunk with authority through the lane in traffic and on ppl.

uspsrt wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1lanOxBXgA

I'm confused about the definition of a dunk. This clip is from last years state tournament. At about the one minute mark of the clip two "above the rim" baskets are made. I'm wondering if either meet anyone's definition of a dunk. They were not in traffic obviously.

Both were awesome dunks, Chrest from Cavalier also had a hard two handed slam at state last year.

uspsrt wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1lanOxBXgA

I'm confused about the definition of a dunk. This clip is from last years state tournament. At about the one minute mark of the clip two "above the rim" baskets are made. I'm wondering if either meet anyone's definition of a dunk. They were not in traffic obviously.

I would call those good dunks. Its a slam with some power behind it, which I think a dunk needs to have on the fast break. If I were to name someone the best at dunking in Class B it'd probably be Heidlebough.

I guess my only problem, and the reason for my rant is the terminology. The word dunker to me means someone who has the ability to change the momentum of the game and of the crowd by doing something flashy. Get people screaming, not just cheering. And maybe North Dakota's Class B has a different benchmark of what that might be, but I've only lived here for a couple years.

I played and coached in the greater twin Cities area where on your varsity team most people were able to dunk, but there was on a couple teams true dunkers. They catch an alley-oop after the opening tip or on the fast break they windmill. I'm not seeing that.
I suppose it's probably cultural though.

Broncos811 wrote:

uspsrt wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1lanOxBXgA

I'm confused about the definition of a dunk. This clip is from last years state tournament. At about the one minute mark of the clip two "above the rim" baskets are made. I'm wondering if either meet anyone's definition of a dunk. They were not in traffic obviously.

I would call those good dunks. Its a slam with some power behind it, which I think a dunk needs to have on the fast break. If I were to name someone the best at dunking in Class B it'd probably be Heidlebough.

I guess my only problem, and the reason for my rant is the terminology. The word dunker to me means someone who has the ability to change the momentum of the game and of the crowd by doing something flashy. Get people screaming, not just cheering. And maybe North Dakota's Class B has a different benchmark of what that might be, but I've only lived here for a couple years.

I played and coached in the greater twin Cities area where on your varsity team most people were able to dunk, but there was on a couple teams true dunkers. They catch an alley-oop after the opening tip or on the fast break they windmill. I'm not seeing that.
I suppose it's probably cultural though.

Ya prob won't see that type of dunk in class b, but a dunk in class b will bring that same type of reaction

Broncos811 wrote:

uspsrt wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1lanOxBXgA

I'm confused about the definition of a dunk. This clip is from last years state tournament. At about the one minute mark of the clip two "above the rim" baskets are made. I'm wondering if either meet anyone's definition of a dunk. They were not in traffic obviously.

I would call those good dunks. Its a slam with some power behind it, which I think a dunk needs to have on the fast break. If I were to name someone the best at dunking in Class B it'd probably be Heidlebough.

I guess my only problem, and the reason for my rant is the terminology. The word dunker to me means someone who has the ability to change the momentum of the game and of the crowd by doing something flashy. Get people screaming, not just cheering. And maybe North Dakota's Class B has a different benchmark of what that might be, but I've only lived here for a couple years.

I played and coached in the greater twin Cities area where on your varsity team most people were able to dunk, but there was on a couple teams true dunkers. They catch an alley-oop after the opening tip or on the fast break they windmill. I'm not seeing that.
I suppose it's probably cultural though.

I dont know if a person would call it culture vs style of play and simply true vertical capability plus length and timing....dunking is an art IMO but first you have to be able to get up "hops" even if your taller... otherwise it dont seem like a real Dunk

I definately think it is cultural. But culture comes from the environment we live in and how we adapt. We don't have the talent pool that you'd find in the Twin Cities area or down south. Could you imagine if we expected are players to play like NBA players? We would find the game so boring, no one would watch. So as a result, we lowered our standards and what we see in person that excites us is very different than what excites you when your on TV.