March 12, 2020
Plaza seeks first State Class B Berth
By Jerry W. Kram
The last time Plaza went to a North Dakota State Basketball Tournament, Eisenhower was still president and small schools competed in Class C. Now, 60 years later, the North Shore-Plaza Wildcats are on the verge of becoming the first Plaza team to play in the North Dakota Class B Boys Basketball Tournament.
Plaza won the Class C Title in 1959 and placed second in 1960. Makoti, now a part of North Shore, won the Class C title in 1962. It’s been a long dry spell since then, and the Wildcats hope to make history when they take on the New Town Eagles for the Region 8 Boys Basketball Championship at the Four Bears Event Center Thursday night.
The Wildcats had to get past the District 16 champions, the Powers Lake Ranchers, to reach the final. The Wildcats jumped out to a big lead in the second quarter, but had to hang on to win a single point victory 57-56. In reaching the championship, the Wildcats avenged a 70-62 loss to the Ranchers in early February and a 65-48 loss in December. They hope that history will repeat itself as they also have two losses to the Eagles this season.
The first quarter of the semifinals saw NSP jump out to a four point lead, but the Ranchers answered with a bucket and a three pointer to go up 5-4. The Wildcats retook the lead and then found themselves up 9-5, just to see the Ranchers come back again to make the score 11-9. The first quarter ended in a draw at 14-all.
Plaza won the Class C Title in 1959 and placed second in 1960. Makoti, now a part of North Shore, won the Class C title in 1962. It’s been a long dry spell since then, and the Wildcats hope to make history when they take on the New Town Eagles for the Region 8 Boys Basketball Championship at the Four Bears Event Center Thursday night.
The Wildcats had to get past the District 16 champions, the Powers Lake Ranchers, to reach the final. The Wildcats jumped out to a big lead in the second quarter, but had to hang on to win a single point victory 57-56. In reaching the championship, the Wildcats avenged a 70-62 loss to the Ranchers in early February and a 65-48 loss in December. They hope that history will repeat itself as they also have two losses to the Eagles this season.
The first quarter of the semifinals saw NSP jump out to a four point lead, but the Ranchers answered with a bucket and a three pointer to go up 5-4. The Wildcats retook the lead and then found themselves up 9-5, just to see the Ranchers come back again to make the score 11-9. The first quarter ended in a draw at 14-all.
