Kari Gibb/MDN Bottineau’s Conner Guss (5) drives for the hoop while Beulah’s Philip Weidner (24) defends the lane on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at the second Division A Boys Basketball State Qualifier game at the Minot Auditorium.

The 2024-2025 Division A Region 3 and Region 4 Boys Basketball Tournaments concluded on Thursday, March 13, and the champions from those tournaments moved on to the state tournament automatically.

The second and third place teams from each region would need a win in the state qualifying rounds of play on Saturday, March 15, at the Minot Auditorium for the chance to move on and play in the state tournament this week.

The winners between Killdeer and Turtle Mountain Community High School and Bottineau and Beulah would advance.

R4-3 Killdeer 63, R3-2 Turtle Mountain 46

The state qualifying matchup between the Cowboys from Region 2 and the Braves from Region 3 started when Killdeer won the tip and Turtle Mountain Community High School scored the first points.

That 2-0 lead was the last time the Braves led in the first half.

While the team traded baskets, missed shots and turnovers- it was Killdeer that hit 12-31 in the first half compared to 9-29 for TMCHS. Each team pressed and trapped throughout the first half as well with the Cowboys causing more Braves turnovers.

Killdeer built a 19-14 lead in the first quarter that got wider for a 36-23 lead at the half. One of the larger statistical edges for the Cowboys was from the charity stripe where Killdeer was 11-12 from the free throw line compared to 4-8 for the Braves.

TMCHS kicked off the second half with a defensive effort that kept the Cowboys from finding the hoop for the first half of the third quarter. Despite the defensive play by the Braves, it was just as hard to hold onto the ball and score for TMCHS as well.

The second half of the third quarter favored the defensive efforts by TMCHS but not enough on the offensive side to narrow the gap as much as was needed. Killdeer maintained the 48-38 lead with eight minutes to play.

The combination of offensive rebounds by Killdeer and slippery fingers by TMCHS players leading to turnovers kept the Cowboys in front down the fourth quarter stretch. The Braves had a shot to narrow the gap to five points midway through the final eight minutes only to see Killdeer bounce back.

Killdeer was led by Cooper Bang with 16 points wile Jaxon Reese scored 14 in the win. Jekori Dahlen scored ten points as well for the Cowboys.

Killdeer had a solid edge in rebounding with 49 boards compared to 36 for TMCHS. The Cowboys had the edge in free throw shooting as well going 12-15 from the charity stripe compared to 4-11 for the Braves.

The Braves were led by Easton Peltier with 15 points while Wes Davis added 12 for TMCHS in the effort.

R4-2 Beulah 58, R3-3 Bottineau 55

The second place Miners from Region 4 played the third place Braves from Region 3 for a shot at the state tournament and Beulah started the game with the shooting edge to the tune of an 18-15 lead going into the second quarter of play.

Bottineau smoothed the first quarter jitters and found their tempo. The Braves outscored the Miners 10-7 in the second with both teams tied at 25-25 at the half.

Both teams made nine baskets in the first half of play with four each from the arc. Both teams were 3-5 from the free throw line. The Braves held the edge in rebounding 18-11 while Beulah only had five turnovers compared to ten for Bottineau.

The third quarter was a battle of game styles, tempos and will power by each team. Beulah had pesky defense with steals while Bottineau worked the inside game with stronger players in the paint. Half way through the third, the score was tied 34-34.

The inside game plan adjustments by the Braves gave Bottineau the edge through the third quarter as they built a 39-34 edge with one quarter to play for the state qualifying win.

Both teams had stingy defense to start the final quarter with no scoring for the first two minutes before the Miners cut into the four point lead. With 5:32 left to play, Beulah hit two shots- one 2-pointer and one 3-pointer- to take a 40-39 lead.

The Miners continued the 11-0 run to the 46-39 lead with 4:31 to play. With the 49-41 lead for Beulah, Bottineau called a timeout at the 3:01 mark of the fourth quarter with possession of the ball. Fouls began for Bottineau and Beulah made the shots as the clock ticked on.

In the end, a missed rebound on free throws combined with enough shots made from the charity strip gave the win to Beulah. Despite the 32-23 edge in rebounding for the Braves, the Miners had only seven turnovers compared to 20 for Bottineau.

The Miners were led by Brayden Schirado with 22 points and eight rebounds in the win. Tucker Keller added 16 points while Benny Schirado tallied 11 for Beulah.

Bottineau was led by Conner Guss with 14 points and six rebounds while Landyn Grant added 11 points and Bud Wilkie nabbed ten rebounds in the effort.

Beulah will attend the state tournament this week.