2023-2024 Class A State Basketball Polls

[Sorenson23]

First Poll
Monday November 27th
1. Thompson (12) 0-0 84
2. Wahpeton (6) 0-0 72
3. Grafton 0-0 43
4. Northern Cass 0-0 39
5. Watford City 0-0 15
Others Receiving Votes: Devils Lake, Bottineau, Central Cass, South Prairie-Max

[maddog1971]

When was the last time you did not see Kindred Girls in a state poll? Been quite a few years.

[Flip]

When was the last time you did not see Kindred Girls in a state poll? Been quite a few years.

They weren't in the last Class B poll last season.

[WalkingStick]

When was the last time you did not see Kindred Girls in a state poll? Been quite a few years.

They exited the Top 10 in the 1/9/23 poll…received votes sparingly after that but not in Top 10 of Class B since that poll

[maddog1971]

That goes to show you that high school sports goes in cycles. For long time Kindred was at the top quite a bit but now the current coaching staff has run most girls out of the program so they only have 14 girls in the whole program. I think they have 5 or 6 Coaches for 14 girls.

[packers21]

That goes to show you that high school sports goes in cycles. For long time Kindred was at the top quite a bit but now the current coaching staff has run most girls out of the program so they only have 14 girls in the whole program. I think they have 5 or 6 Coaches for 14 girls.

I wouldn't say whats going on in Kindred is bc of cycles, they have kids to continue to be good. They just moved out or don't play. I still think they will be decent this year.

[maddog1971]

That goes to show you that high school sports goes in cycles. For long time Kindred was at the top quite a bit but now the current coaching staff has run most girls out of the program so they only have 14 girls in the whole program. I think they have 5 or 6 Coaches for 14 girls.

I wouldn't say whats going on in Kindred is bc of cycles, they have kids to continue to be good. They just moved out or don't play. I still think they will be decent this year.

A school like Kindred does not need to be playing 7th and 8th Girls on Varsity. They will be fine and win some games. Some good young talent that can play.

[WalkingStick]

Not the worst thing in the world to have some JH athletes playing up on JV/Varsity...even in the bigger schools; build a future and get them prepared early.

I saw Wahpeton had an 8th grader on their roster...along with a few other Class A teams.

Was Kindred the type of school that should have moved up their JH girls about 8 years ago...I think that worked out rather well for them in 2017, 2018 & 2019.

Didn't Kindred's boys have some 8th graders on Varsity in recent years too?

[BasketballMind]

Unless it is a true difference maker for the varsity team, leave JH kids in JH.

[maddog1971]

Unless it is a true difference maker for the varsity team, leave JH kids in JH.

I am 100% in line with you. Yes. You might have one kid every once in awhile that is a true difference and can play at that level. But that means defense as well as offense. Knows basketball and the game. I am tired of watching young kids play that shoot it every time they touch it... yep they hit some but really in the end what is it helping. You lose your Seniors and team players. Team chemistry is a big deal and it is forgotten to many times.

And Yes Abby Duchscherer is a once in a life time type player for Kindred. She was really good at the GAME of basketball.

[Flip]

That goes to show you that high school sports goes in cycles. For long time Kindred was at the top quite a bit but now the current coaching staff has run most girls out of the program so they only have 14 girls in the whole program. I think they have 5 or 6 Coaches for 14 girls.

14 girls in the program and 6 are 8th graders. I don't think that is a healthy way to run a program.

[Flying Wallenda]

That goes to show you that high school sports goes in cycles. For long time Kindred was at the top quite a bit but now the current coaching staff has run most girls out of the program so they only have 14 girls in the whole program. I think they have 5 or 6 Coaches for 14 girls.

14 girls in the program and 6 are 8th graders. I don't think that is a healthy way to run a program.

DON'T WORRY!! With the new 3 class plan (which was put together in order to benefit the small schools in ND and had nothing to do with DL/VC/Wahp/Watford CIty/Turtle Mt wanting to be the top dogs), all programs will be overflowing with kids in short order!

[UncleRico]

I don't understand why the problem is so hard for the powers that be to identify.

A friend has a daughter at Liberty JH in West Fargo (Sheyenne feeder), and he forwarded me the email the parents got recently. There were 102 JH girls in Volleyball this fall. This winter there are 17 girls out for JH basketball. They were begging more girls to come out for BB.

Sure, all the AAU teams, private lessons, skill trainings and all-star travel teams are great for the top 10% of kids. It's their passion and that's great. There is no denying that these kids are way more advanced in Jr. High than they used to be. But the reality is that today's youth BB culture, especially for girls, is just too much for the majority of the girls. For most girls, basketball is not the end all, be all in their lives. And under the current model, either you are one of the advanced ones, or you just don't fit in real well because there is a girl 2-4 years younger than you that is and she will be getting the minutes, not you.

I don't see this changing anytime soon because the money machine that youth sports has become is not going away anytime soon.

[packers21]

I don't understand why the problem is so hard for the powers that be to identify.

A friend has a daughter at Liberty JH in West Fargo (Sheyenne feeder), and he forwarded me the email the parents got recently. There were 102 JH girls in Volleyball this fall. This winter there are 17 girls out for JH basketball. They were begging more girls to come out for BB.

Sure, all the AAU teams, private lessons, skill trainings and all-star travel teams are great for the top 10% of kids. It's their passion and that's great. There is no denying that these kids are way more advanced in Jr. High than they used to be. But the reality is that today's youth BB culture, especially for girls, is just too much for the majority of the girls. For most girls, basketball is not the end all, be all in their lives. And under the current model, either you are one of the advanced ones, or you just don't fit in real well because there is a girl 2-4 years younger than you that is and she will be getting the minutes, not you.

I don't see this changing anytime soon because the money machine that youth sports has become is not going away anytime soon.

How come they are all willing to do put in the same extra work for the same results in VB?

[UncleRico]

I don't understand why the problem is so hard for the powers that be to identify.

A friend has a daughter at Liberty JH in West Fargo (Sheyenne feeder), and he forwarded me the email the parents got recently. There were 102 JH girls in Volleyball this fall. This winter there are 17 girls out for JH basketball. They were begging more girls to come out for BB.

Sure, all the AAU teams, private lessons, skill trainings and all-star travel teams are great for the top 10% of kids. It's their passion and that's great. There is no denying that these kids are way more advanced in Jr. High than they used to be. But the reality is that today's youth BB culture, especially for girls, is just too much for the majority of the girls. For most girls, basketball is not the end all, be all in their lives. And under the current model, either you are one of the advanced ones, or you just don't fit in real well because there is a girl 2-4 years younger than you that is and she will be getting the minutes, not you.

I don't see this changing anytime soon because the money machine that youth sports has become is not going away anytime soon.

How come they are all willing to do put in the same extra work for the same results in VB?

I'd say they don't. That's the point. Many play JO volleyball but its far less of an "all-star" atmosphere than BB, in my opinion. Tons of top VB players playing for "local" teams almost every weekend in the spring in Fargo. I'm not aware of many girls doing private volleyball lessons weekly for years.

Maybe they exist, but I don't see many 8th or 9th graders being impact players in Volleyball at the varsity level, either.

[packers21]

I don't understand why the problem is so hard for the powers that be to identify.

A friend has a daughter at Liberty JH in West Fargo (Sheyenne feeder), and he forwarded me the email the parents got recently. There were 102 JH girls in Volleyball this fall. This winter there are 17 girls out for JH basketball. They were begging more girls to come out for BB.

Sure, all the AAU teams, private lessons, skill trainings and all-star travel teams are great for the top 10% of kids. It's their passion and that's great. There is no denying that these kids are way more advanced in Jr. High than they used to be. But the reality is that today's youth BB culture, especially for girls, is just too much for the majority of the girls. For most girls, basketball is not the end all, be all in their lives. And under the current model, either you are one of the advanced ones, or you just don't fit in real well because there is a girl 2-4 years younger than you that is and she will be getting the minutes, not you.

I don't see this changing anytime soon because the money machine that youth sports has become is not going away anytime soon.

How come they are all willing to do put in the same extra work for the same results in VB?

I'd say they don't. That's the point. Many play JO volleyball but its far less of an "all-star" atmosphere than BB, in my opinion. Tons of top VB players playing for "local" teams almost every weekend in the spring in Fargo. I'm not aware of many girls doing private volleyball lessons weekly for years.

Maybe they exist, but I don't see many 8th or 9th graders being impact players in Volleyball at the varsity level, either.

They definitively do, have seen multiple girls not go out for GBB bc they are doing VB all winter/summer. I would say VB is worse than GBB IMO.

[UncleRico]

Not in my town. I've probably had no less than 6-8 parents tell me their daughter is sick of BB and doesn't want to play anymore in the last 6 months. Some of those are still playing because they were urged to do so, but some have quit too.

Not a big deal. Interesting to hear your perspective.

[packers21]

Not in my town. I've probably had no less than 6-8 parents tell me their daughter is sick of BB and doesn't want to play anymore in the last 6 months. Some of those are still playing because they were urged to do so, but some have quit too.

Not a big deal. Interesting to hear your perspective.

Agreed, was interesting to hear yours as well. Either way, GBB is suffering.

[Sorenson23]

Second Poll
Monday December 4th
1. Thompson (19) 2-0 95
2. Northern Cass 0-0 51
3. Watford City 1-0 42
4. South Prairie/Max 3-1 38
5. Wahpeton 1-1 19
Others Receiving Votes: Bottineau (1-1), Devils Lake (0-0), Central Cass (0-0), Carrington (2-0), Turtle Mountain (2-0).

[WalkingStick]

Interesting Tuesday Results
Kindred over Wahpeton 76-65
Devils Lake whomps Turtle Mountain 89-44
Watford City loses to #2B Bowman County 53-39

[Flip]

Interesting Tuesday Results
Kindred over Wahpeton 76-65
Devils Lake whomps Turtle Mountain 89-44
Watford City loses to #2B Bowman County 53-39

DL had 61 points at half. I think they should be the favorite. I can't wait to see the DL/Thompson games. That will be a clash of styles.

[WalkingStick]

Interesting Tuesday Results
Kindred over Wahpeton 76-65
Devils Lake whomps Turtle Mountain 89-44
Watford City loses to #2B Bowman County 53-39

DL had 61 points at half. I think they should be the favorite. I can't wait to see the DL/Thompson games. That will be a clash of styles.

DL just proved that they likely are the #1 team.
Wahpeton just proved that they were highly overrated early on this year.
and...Bowman proved they are very, very good in Class B cause Watford City is no slouch.

Might be DL vs. the field for both genders this winter

[justplayalready]

Not in my town. I've probably had no less than 6-8 parents tell me their daughter is sick of BB and doesn't want to play anymore in the last 6 months. Some of those are still playing because they were urged to do so, but some have quit too.

Not a big deal. Interesting to hear your perspective.

Agreed, was interesting to hear yours as well. Either way, GBB is suffering.

Jamestown was top 5 in state in VB, with only a handful of underclassmen...GBB is not even a JV roster with 0 Sr and 2 Jr...

[Flip]

Interesting Tuesday Results
Kindred over Wahpeton 76-65
Devils Lake whomps Turtle Mountain 89-44
Watford City loses to #2B Bowman County 53-39

DL had 61 points at half. I think they should be the favorite. I can't wait to see the DL/Thompson games. That will be a clash of styles.

DL might win it all, but they shouldn't be the favorite right now. They lost to Bottineau tonight. The Stars led from start to finish. They have some talented girls on that team.

[WalkingStick]

Interesting Tuesday Results
Kindred over Wahpeton 76-65
Devils Lake whomps Turtle Mountain 89-44
Watford City loses to #2B Bowman County 53-39

DL had 61 points at half. I think they should be the favorite. I can't wait to see the DL/Thompson games. That will be a clash of styles.

DL might win it all, but they shouldn't be the favorite right now. They lost to Bottineau tonight. The Stars led from start to finish. They have some talented girls on that team.

Class A has several good teams that are being underrated early...and some that are being overrated early.


Wahpeton - should drop out of poll IMO
Northern Cass - not impressive against Valley City's JV (well their Varsity minus starters)
Central Cass - maybe tonight was game of season and being flat...wasn't impressed vs. Lisbon

Devils Lake - Should move up
Bottineau - has shown to be solid...win tonight over DL
Kindred - definitely looked good in G1
Shiloh - has played some close games but sits 2-0

This poll will be a revolving door as the season continues.