North Dakota Division B Boys Basketball State Tournament Championship – Westhope-Newburg vs North Star

Recap

The top seeded North Star Bearcats entered the ND Division B Boys Basketball State Tournament Championship undefeated against fellow Division B teams. In their final matchup with a Division B team this season, they couldn’t keep up, leading for only 13 seconds as the #3 Westhope/Newburg Sioux claimed their first ever state championship, 65-52.

The Sioux outscored the Bearcats in all four quarters, leading 31-23 at the half and stretching the lead to as much as 20. Both teams shot equally well from the field, but the Sioux poured in 14 three-pointers, compared to North Star’s eight. Most impressively, Westhope/Newburg maintained their lead without their leading scorer, Walker Braaten, who was limited in the second half due to a back injury.

Braden Bailey took over in Braaten’s absence, leading all Sioux scorers with 26. Braaten still managed 14 points and Dayton Hawkins also reached double figures with 12, all from the three-point line. Dane Hagler once again led North Star with 25. Hagler was the only Bearcat with more than eight points in the championship contest.

Westhope/Newburg finishes their title run with a record of 26-2. Their only losses came to Bishop Ryan by a combined five points. Newburg did win a title by themselves previously in 1986. This is the first state B title in any configuration for Westhope. Westhope did win the State C title in 1954. North Star concludes their year as the runner-up, also with a record of 26-2.

BOX SCORE

NS       13     10    14     15     52

WN      17     14    18     16     65

SCORING

NORTH STAR- D. Hagler 25, P. Simon 8, K. Simon 6, Bisbee 6 Dilley 5, H. Hagler 2

WESTHOPE/NEWBURG – Bailey 26, Braaten 14, Dayton Hawkins 12, Dalton Hawkins 5, Tolstad 5, Artz 3

ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM: