K-HEART SPORTS – MONDAY – 02/12/24
MINOT, ND – A few changes in this week’s Class A and B Basketball polls. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NDAPSSA).
Class A Girls Basketball Poll
Team (1st Place Votes) Record Polling Points Last Week
1. Thompson (15) 19-0 75 1
2. Bottineau 19-2 54 2
3. South Prairie-Max 18-2 49 3
4. Devils Lake 15-5 20 5
5. Nedrose 17-3 13 4
1. Thompson (15) 19-0 75 1
2. Bottineau 19-2 54 2
3. South Prairie-Max 18-2 49 3
4. Devils Lake 15-5 20 5
5. Nedrose 17-3 13 4
Others receiving votes: Shiloh Christian (17-4), Kindred (15-5), Valley City (15-5), Carrington (15-5)
Class A Boys Basketball Poll
Team (1st Place Votes) Record Polling Points Last Week
1. Kindred (13) 18-0 73 1
2. Devils Lake (2) 16-1 62 2
3. Four Winds-Minnewaukan 12-4 39 3
4. Grafton 13-3 30 4
5. Beulah 15-2 20 5
1. Kindred (13) 18-0 73 1
2. Devils Lake (2) 16-1 62 2
3. Four Winds-Minnewaukan 12-4 39 3
4. Grafton 13-3 30 4
5. Beulah 15-2 20 5
Others receiving votes: Shiloh Christian (13-5)
Class B Girls Basketball Poll
Team (1st Place Votes) Record Polling Points Last Week
1. Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich (9) 20-1 138 2
2. May-Port-CG (5) 19-2 135 1
3. Bowman County (1) 18-2 125 4
4. Central McLean 20-1 105 3
5. Maple River 18-3 95 5
6. Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier 17-4 71 7
7. Sargent County 18-3 48 6
8. Kenmare-Bowbells 16-6 41 8
9. T-G-U 18-4 28 9
10. Washburn 18-3 24 10
1. Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich (9) 20-1 138 2
2. May-Port-CG (5) 19-2 135 1
3. Bowman County (1) 18-2 125 4
4. Central McLean 20-1 105 3
5. Maple River 18-3 95 5
6. Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier 17-4 71 7
7. Sargent County 18-3 48 6
8. Kenmare-Bowbells 16-6 41 8
9. T-G-U 18-4 28 9
10. Washburn 18-3 24 10
Other receiving votes: St. John (13-3), Benson County (16-5)
Class B Boys Basketball Poll
Team (1st Place Votes) Record Polling Points Last Week
1. North Star (7) 16-1 130 2
2. Glen Ullin-Hebron (2) 17-1 123 5
3. Bishop Ryan (3) 16-2 117 3
4. Bowman County (3) 15-1 115 1
5. Westhope-Newburg 16-1 107 4
6. Hankinson 14-2 68 6
7. Sargent County 13-4 59 7
8. Wilton-Wing 15-2 54 9
9. Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier 13-3 27 10
10. Linton-HMB 14-3 16 8
1. North Star (7) 16-1 130 2
2. Glen Ullin-Hebron (2) 17-1 123 5
3. Bishop Ryan (3) 16-2 117 3
4. Bowman County (3) 15-1 115 1
5. Westhope-Newburg 16-1 107 4
6. Hankinson 14-2 68 6
7. Sargent County 13-4 59 7
8. Wilton-Wing 15-2 54 9
9. Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier 13-3 27 10
10. Linton-HMB 14-3 16 8
Other receiving votes: Williston Trinity Christian (14-3), Garrison (14-4), Nelson County (12-4), North Border (12-4)
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MSU MENS BASKETBALL
MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – The Minot State men’s basketball team got a 36-point performance from the bench, but fell 72-68 to the Saint Cloud State Huskies at the MSU Dome on Super Bowl Sunday in NSIC action as the Huskies finished on a 20-0 run. The 15h-ranked Beavers (18-6 overall, 13-5 NSIC) had three players score in double figures, led by Caleb Van De Griend, who had 15 points. Jalen Cook tacked on 14 points and six rebounds off the bench and Connor Hollenbeck chipped in as well with 10 points. Minot State did an excellent job taking care of the basketball, dishing out 10 assists while turning the ball over five times. Individually, Ben Bohl dished out the most for the Beavers with three assists. After jumping out to an 11-8 advantage, Minot State went on a 7-0 run with 13:20 left in the first half to increase its lead to 18-8. The Beavers then lost some of that lead, but still entered halftime with a 36-31 advantage. Minot State did most of its first-half damage in the paint, scoring 22 of its 36 points close to the basket. Following intermission, Minot State kept widening that lead, expanding it to 57-50 before going on a 6-0 run, finished off by Kameron Givens’ jumper, to grow the lead to 63-50 with 7:13 to go in the contest. Saint Cloud State then asserted control, outscoring the Beavers 22-5 the rest of the way to hand Minot State the 72-68 loss. Minot State got a boost from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for 14 of its 32 total points.
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MSU WOMENS BASKETBALL
MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – The Minot State women’s basketball team went into the half beating Saint Cloud State 22-19, but could not hang on in the second half and fell 57-54 to the Huskies at the MSU Dome on Super Bowl Sunday in NSIC action. The Beavers (8-19 overall, 5-13 NSIC) had two players score in double figures, led by Jaime Skeggs, who had 15 points. Lorelei McIver added 10 points, seven rebounds and two steals and Sydney Gustavsson added nine points, seven rebounds and three steals. Minot State out-rebounded Saint Cloud State 39-36 in Sunday’s game, paced by seven boards from Emily Srejma. The Minot State defense held Saint Cloud State shooters to only 33.8 percent from the field.
After falling behind 4-0, Minot State went on a 10-0 run with 7:22 left in the first quarter, culminating in a three from Skeggs, to take a 10-4 lead. The Beavers then added two points to that lead by the end of the period and entered the quarter break with a 14-6 advantage. Minot State relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down two shots to account for six of its 14 points. Minot State kept its first quarter lead intact before going on a 6-0 run starting at the 5:26 mark in the second period, highlighted by a bucket from Gustavsson, to increase its lead to 22-13. The Huskies cut into that lead, but the Beavers still enjoyed a 22-19 advantage heading into halftime. Minot State dominated in the paint, scoring four of its eight points close to the basket. Minot State continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 7-0 run, punctuated by a three from McIver, to expand its lead further to 31-21 with 5:43 to go in the third. Saint Cloud State responded to seize a 43-40 lead entering the fourth quarter. Minot State played well near the basket, scoring 10 of its 18 points in the paint. Saint Cloud State kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing a 51-45 advantage before Minot State went on a 5-0 run, finished off by Ashley Wacha’s jumper, to shrink the deficit to 51-50 with 3:17 to go in the contest. Saint Cloud State responded and outscored the Beavers the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 57-54. Minot State took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring eight of its 14 points in the paint.
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MSU WOMENS HOCKEY
MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – Back to round out the second game of a back-to-back at Maysa Arena, the Minot State women’s hockey team was in search of the sweep over the Assiniboine Community College Cougars. The Beavers are coming off a thrilling 1-0 overtime win the night before, with another win in mind. Minot State (18-10-1) did just that with a 3-0 win over Assiniboine (13-2-1) and handing their second regulation loss of the season. It was another feisty battle, as the competitive nature did not waiver. The Beavers were grinding for pucks and did everything they could to get the upper edge on Assiniboine in all facets, all that to go along with forcing key turnovers. They were rewarded with a couple of fortunate bounces to go their way. They were opportunistic as well, as Minot kicked off the scoring showing great patience on a breakaway goal for the ice breaker. That goal at eight minutes exactly would be the only marker of the first period. Early in the second, the Beavers snuck one in past the goalie pad 21 seconds into the period. Then at 12:04, a costly errant pass by the Assiniboine defenseman allowed one of the Beavers top shooters to take advantage and beat the goalie on the glove side. Despite a heavy push by a deflated Cougars squad, that was all the scoring that would take place and the final would remain at 3-0 at the end of the third.
The captain Riley Ball had herself a night, scoring two of the three Beaver goals. She moves up the goal list adding her sixth and seventh on the year. Kaitlyn Snyder was also the recipient of her sixth. Haylie Biever was a brick wall today in a sensational performance. She stopped all 30 shots that came her way, with plenty of them being high danger chances. It is also her second shutout of the weekend, with a shutout streak that now sits at 121:06. The Beavers pick up a huge weekend sweep over Assiniboine Community College, a sweep that was not easy by any means. In their first two meetings with Assiniboine under affiliation of MSU Athletics, both resulted in Beaver wins. Minot State will be back on home ice next weekend to wrap up the regular season. The University of Jamestown Jimmies will be back to battle the Beavers in what should be another hard-fought series. Puck drop is slated for February 16 and 17, with Senior Day festivities taking place during Saturday’s game.
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TWINS-TRADE
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A day after losing to Minnesota in salary arbitration, utilityman Nick Gordon was traded from the Twins to the Miami Marlins on Sunday for left-handed reliever Steven Okert. Gordon, a 28-year-old outfielder, second baseman and shortstop, hit .185 last season with two homers and seven RBIs in 34 games, down from .272 with nine homers and 50 RBIs over 136 games in 2022. He fractured his right shin when he fouled off a pitch from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Dylan Covey on May 17. Gordon was sidelined until Sept. 15, when he started a six-game rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A St. Paul. He had a .250 batting average with 15 homers and 80 RBIs in three seasons with the Twins. Gordon was awarded a $900,000 salary on Saturday rather than his request for $1.25 million. He is a half-brother of former Marlin Dee Strange-Gordon and a son of former All-Star pitcher Tom Gordon. Okert was 3-2 with a 4.45 ERA in 64 relief appearances last year for the Marlins, striking out 73 and walking 24 in 58 2/3 innings while allowing nine home runs. The 32-year-old is 12-9 with a 3.70 ERA in six seasons with San Francisco (2016-18) and Miami (2021-23). Okert agreed last month to a one-year contract for $1,062,500. He is eligible for free agency after the 2026 season, and Gordon is eligible after the 2027 season.