Thunder get another district victory; win rematch of state tourney teams

Medina/Pingree-Buchanan secured their fifth consecutive win in their District 2 debut for 2023-24, defeating Napoleon/Gackle-Streeter by a final count of 63-51 in Medina Friday, January 12.

Four days later, the Thunder played the Warwick Warriors in a rematch of last year's seventh place game at the 2023 State "B" Tournament in Bismarck. Like the previous result, this one also went to M-P-B, 64-44.

Senior forward Rylen Wick got off to a slow start with four first quarter points against N-G-S, but carried play for the final 24 minutes to finish with 31 for the victorious Thunder. He went 5-for-6 from the foul line in the game.

Good supporting efforts came from Terek Kinzell with 11 points, and Chase Ova added 10. M-P-B hit five threes in the game, two each coming from Wick and Ova.

Napoleon/G-S dropped to 0-1 in District 2 and 4-6 in all games, and got a team-high 20 points from junior guard Tristan Schaffner. Trevor Moos also had 12 points for the Imperials.

Gage Magstadt had his turn to be the showstopper against Warwick. After just two points against N-G-S, the 6'4" senior forward got going with 19 points. Ova had 14 points in the win, trailed by 12 from Wick, and Kinzell's trio of three-balls gave him another 11-point night.

The bulk of the Warriors' scoring came from two players, as Elijah Feather Jr. went for 16 points and Dalton Joramo 14. After last year's triumphs, Warwick now is in a rebuilding phase, currently standing at 2-9 for the season.

The Thunder's record now stands at 7-3, pending a Thursday, January 18 district game with Kidder County at Medina.

Two key District 2 road games come up tonight (January 22) against the undefeated Linton-HMB Lions and Friday with LaMoure/Litchville-Marion in the Loboes' den.

District 2 Boys Basketball

M-P-B 63,

Napoleon/Gackle-Streeter 51

at Medina

N-G-S 13 15 12 11 51

M-P-B 15 22 15 11 63

M-P-B: Rylen Wick 31, Terek Kinzell 11, Chase Ova 10, Gage Hofmann 4, Roper Foerderer 3, Gage Magstadt 2, Mark Thomas 2.Totals: 24 FG, 10-16 FT, 16 fouls. Three-pointers: Wick 2, Ova 2, Kinzell. Fouled out: Foerderer.

N-G-S: Tristan Schaffner 20, Trevor Moos 12, Braxton Ryum 7, Joren Jangula 6, Carter Haas 4, Eli Heflin 2. Totals: 21 FG, 7-14 FT, 14 fouls. Three-pointers: Moos, Ryum.

Nondistrict Boys Basketball

M-P-B 64, Warwick 44

at Warwick

M-P-B 21 11 19 13 64

Warwick 8 11 9 16 44

M-P-B: Magstadt 19, Ova 14, Wick 12, Kinzell 11, Foerderer 4, Hofmann 2, Thomas 2. Totals: 22 FG, 12-18 FT, 9 fouls. Three-pointers: Kinzell 3, Magstadt 2, Ova 2, Wick.

Warwick: Elijah Feather Jr. 16, Dalton Joramo 14, Evan Black 6, Marcus Joramo 6, Anthony Touche 2. Totals: 16 FG, 8-12 FT, 16 fouls. Three-pointers: Feather 2, D. Joramo, Black.