North Dakota Preps

As the subject says, what gym do you think is the toughest place for a team to go into and win in? What place has the loudest and most annoying fans?
Also, this can include Class A and GBB. I'm just curious.

Lisbon fans are always trying to get into opposing players' heads.

I've always thought that Lisbon was one of the quietest places to play. They have a very nice gym, but it usually seems pretty empty.

I'm guessing we're discussing homecourts, but I'll offer another option. The Devils Lake Sports Center any time Four Winds is playing there during a tournament. They absolutely fill the place to the rafters with their crowd and it makes for an electric environment.

4mrnative wrote:I'm guessing we're discussing homecourts, but I'll offer another option. The Devils Lake Sports Center any time Four Winds is playing there during a tournament. They absolutely fill the place to the rafters with their crowd and it makes for an electric environment.

I very much agree. The DLSC is a second home court for 4winds. The place is packed and makes for a very hostile environment for any team facing the Indians. From the chanting and yelling durring free throws to students running onto the floor durring the game you don't know what will happen. They usually have at least half of the seats filled with their fans. Another place that gets roudy is St. John. Hard place to play when the crowd gets into it. I remember playing there many years back they had to stop selling tickets because it was standing room only durring the B Squad game.

d_fense wrote:I've always thought that Lisbon was one of the quietest places to play. They have a very nice gym, but it usually seems pretty empty.

That is ridiculous to say Lisbon has a nice gym. It is well below average.

district2fanog wrote:

d_fense wrote:I've always thought that Lisbon was one of the quietest places to play. They have a very nice gym, but it usually seems pretty empty.

That is ridiculous to say Lisbon has a nice gym. It is well below average.

What makes it well below average? It has a good playing surface, room around the court, nice bleachers, and pretty good concession stand.

Please explain.

d_fense wrote:

district2fanog wrote:

d_fense wrote:I've always thought that Lisbon was one of the quietest places to play. They have a very nice gym, but it usually seems pretty empty.

That is ridiculous to say Lisbon has a nice gym. It is well below average.

What makes it well below average? It has a good playing surface, room around the court, nice bleachers, and pretty good concession stand.

Please explain.

These are all things I would say about Oak Groves gym. But the Grovers gym seems a little dark with the brown bleachers and the rims are way to soft.

Region 1 Gyms/Sports Centers...and small discription...listed in somewhat of an order
Central Cass & Kindred are probably two of the best...size, lighting & concession stands are solid...raucous student sections
Northern Cass - slight lack in size but still tough to pass up...raucous student sections...slightly below CC & Kindred in "standards"
Oak Grove - good size, concessions can be solid (depends on night)...yes rims are soft (but not as much as in past).
Hankinson, Milnor, Forman all have pretty solid gyms/sports centers that probably lead the way in D1
Richland - new gym...better than the old
Lidgerwood is better then Wyndmere in many areas but both are solid gyms.
Lisbon - Good size, decent lighting and solid concessions
Enderlin - Good size...just a tough place to play.
North Sargent - Small...can lead to great atmosphere though when full
Maple Valley - Small...can lead to great atmosphere though when full
Fairmount or Campbell - too small and poor lighting...slight safety issues in Campbell

Just my take on things as I've been in every gym (been awhile for Lidgerwood but its still better than Wyndmere). Too bad Oakes left region cause I really liked their gym...would have been #3 on this list behind CC & Kindred

Probably not enough history to back it up as a tough place to play yet. However, the Ellendale High School gym is an extremely nice venue for Class B basketball. If you like the Oakes gym, which I agree is very nice, you will love the Bird Cage in Ellendale. Great concessions as well. Probably as unique a floor as you will find in the state. Pretty cool.

When I played, probably the best atmospheres were when we played at Bishop Ryan and at Leeds. There used to be so many people in the Leeds gym it was unreal. It was loud and kind of hostile the whole time. Ryan was similar to that.

Sticks11 wrote:When I played, probably the best atmospheres were when we played at Bishop Ryan and at Leeds. There used to be so many people in the Leeds gym it was unreal. It was loud and kind of hostile the whole time. Ryan was similar to that.

Up until about 2010, Ryan's atmosphere was incredible. The gym had a lot of wood around with the bleachers and stage and was half dimly lit. It had a cool feel too it, and it got packed. The students caused a lot of issues. Then they stopped going to state all the time, and the sellouts stopped. Now, the remodel job has basically killed the atmosphere.

True North Dakota Class B atmosphere took place in Cavalier last night when Grafton came to town
all the way up from JH then C-squad to JV and Varsity....what a night of ball, it was truly electric!!!!

The atmosphere at the Central Cass @ Oak Grove game on the 23rd of January was pretty solid. The gyms was over-packed and loud...venture to guess there was around 800+ people there that night.

http://www.wday.com/sports/3663312-5-oa ... city-crowd

Now I don't think OG should be on the toughest places to play...it can be for some but as a whole its probably not in the Top 10.