New Rockford-Sheyenne’s Kage Walford (20), Thomas Allmaras (14), Bennett Meier (5). (Photo courtesy of New Rockford Transcript)
No. 8 New Rockford-Sheyenne, Warwick and Nelson County all took home wins on the first day of the District 4 Boys’ Basketball Tournament on Friday in New Rockford.
The host Rockets, seeded No. 1, dismantled No. 8-seeded Hatton/Northwood 80-39. They had four players in double figures with Thomas Allmaras’s 18 points, Easton Simon’s 17, Easton Benz’s 14 and Kailar Jacobson’s 10.
In the second game of the day, No. 5-seeded Warwick beat No. 4-seeded Larimore 56-49. During the regular season, the Warriors had two close games against the Polar Bears, with a 57-54 win and a 58-57 loss.
Warwick trailed 17-9 after the first quarter but outscored Larimore 23-9 in the second quarter to take a six-point lead at halftime. Elijah Feather Jr. scored 27 points, and Anthony Touche Jr. had 13.
NR-S and Warwick are now set to play each other on Monday in the District 4 semifinals. They faced off once during the regular season and the Rockets won 73-53. The winner advances to Tuesday’s district championship, while the loser moves to a Tuesday region qualifier game.
In the third of four games on Friday, No. 7-seeded Nelson County upset No. 2-seeded Griggs/Midkota. It was a 58-57 barnburner. The Chargers trailed 18-8 after the first quarter, 36-31 at halftime and 49-48 after the third quarter. A 10-8 fourth quarter in their favor was the difference.
Zane Anderson led Nelson County with 19 points, while Jaxson Joramo had 12 and Axel Anderson had 10. They narrowly offset a 28-point performance by G/M’s Brady Haugen.
During the regular season, the Titans beat the Chargers 48-38.
In the final game on Friday, No. 6-seeded Benson County lost to No. 3-seeded May-Port-C-G, 81-71. The Wildcats got 18 points from Aiden Rodriguez, 17 from Holdyn Jacobson, 14 from Paxton Neppl and 13 from Grant Haagenson. Bricker Johnson led the Patriots with 31 points.
Benson County will now face G/M in a loser-out game on Monday. Nelson County will play May-Port-C-G in the second semifinal game, with the winner playing in the district title game against the winner of NR-S vs. Warwick.
Four of the eight teams will make the Region 2 tournament: the two participants in the championship game, plus the two winners of the region qualifier games.
H/N and Larimore start things off on Monday at 3 p.m. at New Rockford-Sheyenne High School, with the other loser-out game and the two semifinal games to follow.
