M/P-B finishes seventh with 58-41 win over Warwick at state

Maxwell O'Neill, The Jamestown Sun, N.D.
Updated ·3 min read

Mar. 18—BISMARCK — The goal for every high school basketball team in the state is to end their season with a win, in the seventh-place game of the 2023 NDHSAA State Tournament, the Medina/Pingree-Buchanan Thunder did just that. The Thunder got a 68-51 win over Warwick on Saturday, March 18, at the Bismarck Event Center.

"It feels great to end the season with a win," Thunder head coach Bob Young said. "We had such a good year, not without its challenges, but a great year, to top it off with a win at the state tournament is just great for our kids, our communities and our program."

The Thunder (22-6) opened the game up on a 20-7 run and took their largest lead of the first half at 31-14. The Warriors (19-9) struggled to climb back in the second half despite only being outscored 34-31. The two biggest differences in this game for the Thunder were their ability to shoot the three ball and stay out of foul trouble. The Thunder shot 33% from three, including leading scorer Josh Moser shooting three-for-six, part of a 29-point day for the senior. The Warriors only had one player draw fouls in this one as Mark Fassett Jr went 3-for-4, through the entire game.

For the first time this tournament, the Thunder had three players in double digits as Moser led with 29, followed by Rylen Wick with 21 and Gage Magstadt with 10. The three combined to shoot 20-for-42 from the field and 13-for-15 from the free-throw line. Both teams struggled with turnovers but succeeded in scoring off those turnovers as the Thunder turned it over 11 times and the Warriors turned it over 10 times. Both teams scored 11 points off those turnovers.

Young said his message after this game was very reflective.

"I just told them that I was proud of them," Young said. "I thanked my seniors for a great time. I've coached them kids for a long time, Josh Moser, Sawyer Wanzek and Adam McClellan, they're all really important to me. I told them how much I cared about them and how much of a fun, enjoyable ride it was this season, it was absolutely awesome."

WHS 51, M/P-B 68

WHS: 7 13 16 15 — 51

M/P-B: 20 14 19 15 — 68

Points leaders:

WHS: Mark Fasset Jr 17, Elijah Feather Jr 10, Dalton Joramo 10, Dorvan McKay Jr 4, Marcus Joramo 4, Jason Lenoir 4, Kelsin Cavanaugh 2

M/P-B: Josh Moser 29, Rylen Wick 21, Gage Magstadt 10

Assists leaders:

WHS: Fassett Jr 2, D. Joramo 1, Feather Jr 1

M/P-B: Moser 3, Wick 2, Sawyer Wanzek 2, Magstadt 1, Adam McClellan 1

Leading rebounders:

WHS: Lenoir 6, M. Joramo 4, Feather Jr 4, McKay Jr 2

M/P-B: Moser 8, Magstadt 8, Wanzek 7, Wick 4, McClellan 4, Gage Hoffman 1, Mark Thomas 1

Full Bracket Below:

Day One:

#2 Shiloh Christian 69 vs. RD2 Powers Lake-Burke Central 38

#3 Beulah 48 vs. RD3 Medina/Pingree-Buchanan 31

#1 Central Cass 58 vs. RD1 Warwick 46

#4 Thompson 48 vs. #5 Des Lacs Burlington 55

Day Two:

RD2 Powers Lake-Burke Central 64 vs. RD3 Medina/Pingree-Buchanan 62

RD1 Warwick 67 vs. #4 Thompson 83

#2 Shiloh Christian vs. #3 Beulah, 6:30 p.m.

#1 Central Cass vs. #5 Des Lacs-Burlington, 8:15 p.m.

Day Three:

RD3 Medina/Pingree-Buchanan 68 vs. RD1 Warwick 51

RD2 Powers Lake-Burke Central 61 vs. #4 Thompson 72

#3 Beulah vs. #5 Des Lacs-Burlington, 6 p.m.

#2 Shiloh Christian vs. #1 Central Cass, 8 p.m.