toughest place to play

[Diamond D]

nativegolfer:  Hey man, I am not trying to argue with you.  I completely agree with you on what you said.  I think it is terrible what some 'fans' (whether mom, dad, brother, classmate) say when they are in the arena.  Personally I think many should get kicked out if they ridicule the players in any way.

It was just a warning because I had a coach tell me about how bad a team's fans were and I put his comments on this site and I got bashed on here like there was no tomorrow.  The PM's alone from people was nuts!

Nothing is worse than racial comments or any obscene comments to players from opposing fans.  It just shows how low people can go.

 

[rez01]

Being from Standing Rock and playing for them in 99-01. I'd have to say SR is a tough place to play. We were undefeated there for 7 years. If I remember their first loss at home in 7 years was against FW a year or 2 ago. It's a decent sized gym and big games always brings in huge crowds.

[GRIDIRON GURU]

Warwick Gym and Tolna Gym were always tough to play in when I played back in 92-95.  Warwick was three bleachers high and standing room only, the concessions stand was on the baseline of one of the baskets.  So you not only had to box out your opponent, you also had to box out the crowd.  They always tracked in snow also that made the floor very slippery! 

Tolna was also a small gym that had dedicated fans that let you know that they didn't like anyone but their own.  Taking the ball out of bounce on sidelines was tough, you heard it form the fans.  I felt if they boo'd me I must be doing something right!
 

I agree back in the 80's the old Warwick civic center down down, three bleachers high and you had to use a flashlight to tie your shoes.

Tolna was packed every game I would like to know what the longest winning streak Tolna had in their home court.

Michigan had no out of bounds, no bleachers, just a stage on one side, and a balcony on the other. The players benches where folding chairs on the court of play and you could not shoot a baseline three.

I always thought Mcville was a friendly place to play. We used to play in the Mcville invitational tourney back in the 80's That was a fun Tourney.

 

[Indians Alumni]

Indians Alumni... you're being a bit naive if you think that racism is not still a big issue. just look at the comments michael richards made and everything that stirred up. i agree with you completely about it being wrong. it shouldn't be happening, especially in a high school setting, but just to be real, racism still exists and unless it is addressed by our nation as a whole, it will always exist.

I am not naive, I guess being 6'7" and 335lbs it really isn't said to my face or within ear shots distance, I am stating that it is sad in this day and age that there is still alot of racism and that I hold ND in a better light than that!  I am proud to be from ND and I hope to eventually be back there soon, but when I hear that racism is still going on, it discusts me!

[Indians Alumni]

Now for the best atmosphere that a fella can play in is State Tournament!  I don't care where it is played, I am sure there is no other feeling like it!  I didn't have the pleasure of going to watch it last year.

Most consider it a vacation when their teams make it and take a 4 or 5 day weekend, and the whole town pretty much shuts down! 

[baller01]

Being from Standing Rock and playing for them in 99-01. I'd have to say SR is a tough place to play. We were undefeated there for 7 years. If I remember their first loss at home in 7 years was against FW a year or 2 ago. It's a decent sized gym and big games always brings in huge crowds.

I personally liked playing in Standing Rock. Nice court, friendly rims, it was just a good place to play.

[Indians Alumni]

Being from Standing Rock and playing for them in 99-01. I'd have to say SR is a tough place to play. We were undefeated there for 7 years. If I remember their first loss at home in 7 years was against FW a year or 2 ago. It's a decent sized gym and big games always brings in huge crowds.

I remember playing there back in 94 or 95, we played against the Austin Brothers, they were pretty good, the rims were a little bent, from dunking.

[InTheKnow]

I'd like to actually do a survery on gyms in North Dakota because I'd almost have to guarentee that Kulm has the smallest gym. If you have ever played there, you know it is very difficult to play good there. I don't think it is possible to shoot a 3 on the side because the 3 pt line ends up being the out of bounds line. There might be a little room there, but not much. The lighting is also dark in the gym. The rims are cool to shoot on because its almost like you are playing barn basketball. The gym is just too small.

Neche (in the North Border Co-Op) has the same thing. There is definately less then 6 inches between the sideline and the 3pt line and the half line i only around 10 ft from the 3pt line. When they had their big lineup in it was tough to play against their 1-3-1 trap. Just no space to spread out.

Another gym that had the space floor wise but was dark and a super low ceiling is the Adams Collisieum. You had to watch where you shot 3pters from or you would hit the large lights that hang really low. The floor also became slipery often because they usually packed in the place with only three rows.

[knights4]

It's true Neche is an awful place to play, another is Crystal every game is packed for boys game and its gotta be about 80 or 90 in there by the time varsity plays, and once your in your not allowed out because when the cold air hits the floor it practically turns it into ice. last year a kid was on a break-a-way at the end of the game to put them ahead and he slipped with nobody around him and the ball went out of bounds. 

[InTheKnow]

It's true Neche is an awful place to play, another is Crystal every game is packed for boys game and its gotta be about 80 or 90 in there by the time varsity plays, and once your in your not allowed out because when the cold air hits the floor it practically turns it into ice. last year a kid was on a break-a-way at the end of the game to put them ahead and he slipped with nobody around him and the ball went out of bounds. 

I loved shooting in Crystals gym though for some reason. Felt like i was five feet from the hoop on 3ptrs. Very true about the slipery floor. I played in the first game held in the crystal gym in YEARS back in the mid 90's. They played the JV game and it started to get slick at the end. After the first two and a half minutes of Varsity they had to postpone the game to another night because guys were falling all over the place. It just wasnt safe.

Same thing happened a few years later in Adams during the old Tri-County co-op. They finished the JV game and moved the varsity game to Edinburgh (where it should be played in the first place).

[PA42]

maybe there is something about gyms in the middle of nowhere but it seems like central valley would be a toug place to play. It's dead. Kind of dark and your in the middle of no where. kind of erie.

[shotcaller1]

playing against midkota at the gym in glenfield would be tough. its one a few tile floors and there's barely a foot between the out of bounds and and three on the wings. comin in there and playin when used to a court way bigger would be tough for any team that pushes the ball.

[knights4]

Do they still play varsity games in neche because the past two years we've played in Walhalla

[north_border_eagles2106]

there are no varsity games in neche anymore.  the last game was played in the 2004-2005 season against the minto rockets.  Since the high school all goes to pembina they have the varsity games in walhalla or pembina.  there is still games for the younger kids like elementary and maybe junior high.  they still practice in neche however. 

I would also agree the hardest place i've ever played in and won was the crystal gym.  if valley-edinburg has a good team which they did last year it is quite an accomplishment to win in that place.  cavaliers gym is one of the hardest based half on the crowd.  they have got in more players heads over the years then i can count.  even if they don't have a "great" team, kind of like last year they are one of the hardest teams to beat at home.  they had a 23 game home winning streak still going in the 2005 season which was snapped by..... north border. :D

[baseball]

boys topic i know but i just feel like throwing out there thats its been something like 3 years since the Steele-Dawson-Wing-Tuttle girls team has lost at home.  i know its a fact that they havent lost since co-oping with Tuttle and Wing

[region1 football]

the kulm gym was always a place that i dreaded playing...

[knights4]

there are no varsity games in neche anymore.  the last game was played in the 2004-2005 season against the minto rockets.  Since the high school all goes to pembina they have the varsity games in walhalla or pembina.  there is still games for the younger kids like elementary and maybe junior high.  they still practice in neche however. 

I would also agree the hardest place i've ever played in and won was the crystal gym.  if valley-edinburg has a good team which they did last year it is quite an accomplishment to win in that place.  cavaliers gym is one of the hardest based half on the crowd.  they have got in more players heads over the years then i can count.  even if they don't have a "great" team, kind of like last year they are one of the hardest teams to beat at home.  they had a 23 game home winning streak still going in the 2005 season which was snapped by..... north border. :D

Ya, if i remember right you guys did beat us last year in crystal, and by you guys i mean Zack Winkler, who would have gotten my vote for senior player of the year over Matt and Torre, i think Matt won because of what he did over his whole career not just last year.

[kissarmy74]

The Granville gym was another really small one.  The Balta gym had a very, very low ceiling.  You couldn't arch your shot too much.  But, the one that takes the prize for me is the Deering gym.  The floor was uneven.  The half line was the top of the key.  And there were two posts in the middle of the floor that supported the roof.  The Deering kids knew how to use those posts to set screens for them.

[hoopsstar2391]

I hate gyms that are smaller than normal, the ones that take away the baseline three pointers, and that are really short length wise.  There are two in my district, and we have to play at both places this year.  It just changes everything, and it really not cool.

[classb_fan00]

I don't like Kensal's gym at all. The floor is cracking. Stuff from the ceiling falls onto the court. The rims seem bouncier than normal.

[sportsguy2]

I don't like Kensal's gym at all. The floor is cracking. Stuff from the ceiling falls onto the court. The rims seem bouncier than normal.

Yeah, Kensal isn't a very nice gym. But I would have to say Kulm's gym is worse. Also the floors in Tappen and Medina are tough to play on. Also LMM needs a new floor.

[GRIDIRON GURU]

I don't like Kensal's gym at all. The floor is cracking. Stuff from the ceiling falls onto the court. The rims seem bouncier than normal.

Oh, man I forgot about Kensal, yeah that place is a hole.

 

 

[mdk23]

I don't like Kensal's gym at all. The floor is cracking. Stuff from the ceiling falls onto the court. The rims seem bouncier than normal.

Yeah, Kensal isn't a very nice gym. But I would have to say Kulm's gym is worse. Also the floors in Tappen and Medina are tough to play on. Also LMM needs a new floor.

I'm gonna have to disagree with you sportsguy2. I dont think LMM needs a new floor. What advantage would it bring? I bet if you ask any of the teams who have wood floors, they will tell you that they hate going to schools with tile floors. The way I see it is, if you've played on a tile floor for as many years as the kids from LMM have, it just adds to your homecourt advantage. Not to mention the cost of a wood floor would not make sense if you consider the life left of that school district. And my last point, I feel that kids who play on tile courts play better come tournament time because it is a treat for them to go to a place with a wood court. They look forward to playing at places like the Bubble in VC or the Civic Center in Jamestown. My advice to LMM, use the money to benefit your education, not your basketball teams. They've done fine on tile in the past, they will in the future.

[nativegolfer]

Anyone ever played at Grace City?  Is the town still there?

[GRIDIRON GURU]

Anyone ever played at Grace City?  Is the town still there?

Dang I forgot about Grace City too.  However I loved playing there. Concrete floor with a frost heave under the basket on the stage end so I could touch the rim during warm-ups.

I think its filled with grain now.