The Turtle Mountain varsity basketball team from Belcourt, ND, will host a home non-conference game against Four Winds/Minnewaukan from Fort Totten, ND, on Friday, January 17, 2025, at 1:30 PM.
Matchup Details:
- Teams: Four Winds/Minnewaukan (CO-OP) vs. Turtle Mountain (TMHS)
- Date: Friday, January 17, 2025
- Time: 1:30 PM
- Live stream: Watch Here
- Live stream: Watch Here
- Location: Turtle Mountain, Belcourt, ND
Four Winds/Minnewaukan and Turtle Mountain: A Midseason Basketball Analysis
As the 2024–2025 high school basketball season unfolds, two North Dakota teams—Four Winds/Minnewaukan and Turtle Mountain—show contrasting paths through their campaigns. Here, we analyze their performance, scoring trends, and common opponents to gain insight into their strengths and challenges.
Season Performance Overview
Four Winds/Minnewaukan
- Record: 5-3 (0-1 in district)
- Home Record: 3-1
- Away Record: 2-2
- Win Percentage: .625
- Total Points For (PF): 502
- Total Points Against (PA): 484
Turtle Mountain
- Record: 2-9 (0-1 in district)
- Home Record: 1-3
- Away Record: 1-5
- Neutral Record: 0-1
- Win Percentage: .182
- Total Points For (PF): 599
- Total Points Against (PA): 819
Four Winds/Minnewaukan shows a solid start with a winning record, leveraging strong home performances. Turtle Mountain, on the other hand, struggles to find momentum, highlighted by a low win percentage and challenges both home and away.
Scoring Trends
Four Winds/Minnewaukan has averaged 62.8 points per game. Their ability to maintain consistent scoring across matchups highlights a balanced offensive approach.
Turtle Mountain averages 54.5 points per game, with quarter-by-quarter scoring trends showing strong second and third-quarter performances (20.0 and 23.0 points, respectively). However, their fourth-quarter average drops to 13.0, indicating potential fatigue or late-game struggles.
Common Opponents
Both teams have faced several common opponents, including Beulah, Central Cass, Devils Lake, Rugby, and Dunseith.
- Four Winds/Minnewaukan’s Record: 2-2
- Turtle Mountain’s Record: 1-4
Notable Results:
- Four Winds/Minnewaukan narrowly lost to Beulah (52-48), while Turtle Mountain fell by a larger margin (62-38).
- Against Devils Lake, both teams struggled, with Four Winds/Minnewaukan losing 74-35 and Turtle Mountain 83-39.
- Four Winds/Minnewaukan claimed a strong victory over Rugby (79-59), while Turtle Mountain has yet to face them.
These outcomes reflect Four Winds/Minnewaukan’s ability to compete more effectively against shared opponents, showcasing their edge in head-to-head comparisons.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Four Winds/Minnewaukan:
- Strengths: Effective home record (3-1), consistent scoring average, and solid performances against common opponents.
- Weaknesses: Struggles in district play (0-1) and occasional offensive dips in challenging matchups.
Turtle Mountain:
- Strengths: Competitive second and third quarters in games, indicating potential for mid-game resilience.
- Weaknesses: Defensive challenges, as shown by high points against (819), and an inability to close out games, reflected in their fourth-quarter scoring drop.
Upcoming Challenges
Four Winds/Minnewaukan:
They face key games against Devils Lake (2/11/25), Standing Rock (2/21/25), and Shiloh Christian (2/22/25). Maintaining their offensive consistency and improving district performance will be critical.
Turtle Mountain:
With games against Rugby (1/28/25) and Des Lacs-Burlington (2/3/25), Turtle Mountain must address defensive vulnerabilities and focus on sustaining late-game efforts to secure victories.
Conclusion
While Four Winds/Minnewaukan demonstrates a promising season trajectory, Turtle Mountain must overcome significant hurdles to turn their campaign around. Both teams’ performances against common opponents and in upcoming matchups will be crucial in defining their seasons and district standings.
