Tickets will be punched and hotel operators will be flooded with calls beginning late Thursday as champions will be crowned in eight regions across North Dakota, while a new state champion will be crowned next week in Minot.
Defending state champion Linton was derailed in its bid to win back-to-back titles for the second time in school history when the Lions were ousted from the Region 3 tournament on Monday. LaMoure, which will take on Kidder County for the Region 3 championship tonight in Jamestown, defeated Linton 59-45 to advance in the tournament.
Ten of the 11 teams receiving votes in the final Class B state poll are still in the hunt for a state tournament berth.
Top-ranked North Star will tangle with Carrington for the Region 4 tournament Thursday at the Devils Lake Sports Center.
The Bearcats are coming off a pair of impressive wins earlier in the tournament, while the Cardinals have used late rallies to win its two previous tournament games.
That game is scheduled to tip off at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Starkweather-Munich will take on New Rockford-Sheyenne in the third-place game of the Region 4 tournament in Devils Lake.
The winner of the Region 4 tournament will take on the winner of the Region 8 tournament in the first round of the state tournament, which begins March 18 at the MSU Dome on the campus of Minot State University.
Mandaree and New Town will battle Thursday for the Region 8 championship.
No. 2-ranked Fargo Oak Grove will take on Central Cass in the Region 1 championship Thursday in Fargo, while Cavalier and Thompson will square off the the title in Region 2.
Other championship pairings include Shiloh Christian taking on Turtle Lake-Merceer for the Region 5 title, while Berthold and Minot Ryan will battle for the Region 6 championship. Beulah and Dickinson Trinity will compete for the right to represent Region 7.
Region Tournament Championship Matchups
Region 1
Central Cass vs. Fargo Oak Grove
Region 2
Cavalier vs. Thompson
Region 3
Kidder County vs. LaMoure
Region 4
Carrington vs. North Star
Region 5
Shiloh Christian vs. Turtle Lake-Mercer
Region 6
Berthold vs. Minot Ryan
Region 7
Beulah vs. Dickinson Trinity
Region 8
Mandaree vs. New Town
State Tournament Pairings
Region 1 vs. Region 6
Region 3 vs. Region 5
Region 2 vs. Region 7
Region 4 vs. Region 8
