Dave Samson/The Forum Fargo North’s Carter Zeller scores against Minot’s Grayson Schaeffer during the North Dakota Division AA state high school boys basketball tournament semifinals at the Bismarck Event Center on Friday, March 8, 2024.

BISMARCK – Fargo North came into the season as the defending state champions and ranked No. 1 in the state early, before losing five of six games in the middle of the season. Nonetheless, the Spartans rallied to advance to the state semifinals, and once there, the trio of Carter Zeller and the Sem brothers (Jeremiah and Matthew) proved too much for Minot High to overcome, defeating the Magicians 81-58 to advance to the Division AA state title game.

Fargo North jumped out to an early 18-4 lead, before Minot High battled back, led by eight points from Logan Conklin to pull the Magi back with four points midway through the first half.

The Spartans answered back, as Zeller scored the final six minutes of the half to put Fargo North up 36-24 at the break.

The second half was more of the same, as Minot High struggled to get the offense going, shooting only 44.8 percent in the second half to Fargo North’s 67.9 percent. A turning point in the second half was when Jeremiah Sem put up a highlight reel dunk with 7:17 left to make the score 58-47. The Spartans outscored the Magi 23-11 the rest of the game for the win.

Fargo North saw three players score at least twenty points in the contest. Zeller scored 26, while Jeremiah Sem added 22 and Matthew Sem scored 20.

Minot High also saw three players score in double figures in the game. Logan Conklin led the Magicians in scoring with 16 points, Payton Schell had 14, and Aric Winczewski added 12.

Minot High will play Fargo Davies in the third-place game today, after the Eagles fell to West Fargo Sheyenne 64-59 in the late semifinal.

The Mustangs will take on Fargo North in the state championship game.