Senior Marial Deng has been one of the linchpins in Four Winds/Minnewaukan’s success. (Photo by Cameron Carlson)
It was looking like No. 1 would play No. 2 in Division A boys’ basketball this weekend.
The No. 1 team will still play in that matchup — but it’s a different squad than it was a week ago.
That’s because Kindred, previously ranked No. 1, lost 65-46 to No. 3 Central Cass on Tuesday. The Vikings fell to No. 3, while Central Cass slid up to No. 2.
Four Winds/Minnewaukan is now the No. 1-ranked team in Division A boys’ basketball. The Indians were overwhelmingly voted into the top spot in the poll released Wednesday, as voted on by the NDAPSSA. They received 16 out of 17 first-place votes, with 85 overall points. Central Cass received the remaining first-place vote.
FW/M has an 8-1 record, with seven wins in a row entering this weekend. It’ll play Kindred in the Devils Lake Youth Activities Shootout on Saturday. Originally, Kindred looked like the favorite in that matchup, with the Indians ranked No. 2 — but now it’s FW/M with a target on its back.
Kindred’s loss was its first of the season after an 8-0 start. The Vikings are the defending state champions.
Devils Lake will also host Kindred on the first day of the shootout this Friday. A rivalry has broken out between Devils Lake and Kindred in recent years; the teams met in each of the last two state championship games. Devils Lake took it in 2024, while Kindred won on a buzzer beater in 2025.
Kindred also took a regular-season game from Devils Lake last season.
Transcending sports, though, Devils Lake had the most recent triumph over Kindred. The schools met in the Division AA football semifinals. The Firebirds won a thriller in overtime after a missed kick, en route to winning the first football state title in school history.
The star wide receiver on that Kindred team, Brooks Bakko, is also the primary scorer for the Vikings’ basketball team. He’s averaging nearly 30 points a game, along with roughly 10 rebounds. Bakko likely still lives in Devils Lake’s nightmares; he tipped in the buzzer beater in the state title game last March.
Devils Lake is unranked right now, having lost four of its last five. The Firebirds are 3-3 in region play. They still have another matchup with FW/M scheduled for Feb. 10.
And the Indians, while they’ve had a lot of success this season, are yet to play the most grueling portion of their schedule. As of Wednesday, they’ve played only one region game — an 86-61 win over Devils Lake. From Jan. 30 to Feb. 12, they’ll have a stretch of six consecutive region games, worth a total of 11 points in the standings.
In that sense, FW/M’s season has hardly started yet.
Barring any weather-related cancellations, this weekend’s shootout should bring plenty of excitement and drama to the Devils Lake Sports Center.
In the Division A girls’ poll, South Prairie-Max became the unanimous No. 1 for the first time this season. The Royals have won 11 in a row since their season-opening loss to Carrington.
Region 2 foe Thompson moved from No. 4 to No. 2 after beating Turtle Mountain and Valley City in the girls’ shootout in Devils Lake. Turtle Mountain got the short end of the stick, falling from No. 3 out of the top five despite playing a competitive game with Thompson.
Another Region 2 team, Carrington, moved up to No. 5. The Cardinals are scheduled to play Devils Lake on Jan. 27 and Feb. 2. They’ve won six in a row to improve to 8-3 overall and 5-1 in region play.
It was business as usual in the Division B polls, with the New Rockford-Sheyenne boys at No. 5 and the Benson County girls still the unanimous No. 1. Central McLean is the unanimous No. 1 on the boys’ side.
Division A boys’ basketball
- Four Winds/Minnewaukan (16) – 83 points (Previous: 2)
- Central Cass (1) – 67 points (Previous: 3)
- Kindred – 46 points (Previous: 1)
- Shiloh Christian – 34 points (Previous: 4)
- Beulah – 23 points (Previous: 5)
Received votes: Devils Lake, Grafton
Division A girls’ basketball
- South Prairie-Max (17) – 85 points (Previous: 1)
- Thompson – 65 points (Previous: 4)
- Valley City – 43 points (Previous: 2)
- Hazen – 34 points (Previous: 5)
- Carrington – 18 points (Previous: NR)
Received votes: Carrington, Kindred, Wahpeton
Division B boys’ basketball
- Central McLean (17) – 85 points (Previous: 1)
- Our Redeemer’s – 60 points (Previous: 2)
- (T3) Hankinson – 44 points (Previous: 3)
- (T3) Ray – 44 points (Previous: 4)
- New Rockford-Sheyenne – 15 points (Previous: 5)
Received votes: Wilton/Wing, Bishop Ryan, Medina-Pingree/Buchanan, Midway/Minto, Oakes
Division B girls’ basketball
- Benson County (17) – 85 points (Previous: 1)
- Flasher – 65 points (Previous: 2)
- Central McLean – 44 points (Previous: 3)
- LaMoure-Litchville/Marion – 39 points (Previous: 4)
- Hatton/Northwood – 12 points (Previous: NR)
Received votes: Kenmare/Bowbells, Tioga, Glenburn
