The Westhope/Newburg varsity basketball team (Westhope, ND) will host a conference game against Drake/Anamoose (Drake, ND) today at 7:15 PM.

Matchup Details:

• Teams: DAHS (Co-op) vs. WNHS (Co-op)
• Date & Time: Friday, January 24, 2025, at 7:15 PM
• Location: Westhope/Newburg High School (Westhope, ND)
• Live stream: Watch Here
• Live stream: Watch Here

Drake/Anamoose vs. Westhope/Newburg: A Tale of Two Teams

The 2024-2025 basketball season has seen varied results for two schools in North Dakota—Drake/Anamoose and Westhope/Newburg—each carving out their distinct paths on the court. The contrast between these two teams reflects not only in their win-loss records but also in their offensive and defensive stats, leadership, and performance against common opponents. Let’s take a closer look at both teams and how they compare.

Team Records & Performance

• Drake/Anamoose (24-25 Season)
  • Overall: 3-7
  • District: 1-3
  • Home: 0-4
  • Away: 1-1
  • Neutral: 2-2
  • Win Percentage: 30%
  • District Win Percentage: 25%
  • Points For (PF): 469
  • Points Against (PA): 597

Despite facing tough competition this season, Drake/Anamoose has had their fair share of struggles. They hold a 3-7 overall record and have yet to gain a significant foothold at home, sitting at 0-4. Their district play has also proven challenging, with only one win from four district games. Nevertheless, they remain competitive, putting up an average of 46.9 points per game.

• Westhope/Newburg (24-25 Season)
  • Overall: 9-2
  • District: 3-1
  • Home: 3-0
  • Away: 6-2
  • Win Percentage: 81.8%
  • District Win Percentage: 75%
  • Points For (PF): 883
  • Points Against (PA): 594

In stark contrast, Westhope/Newburg has been on a dominant run, with a 9-2 overall record. Their district performance is also impressive, with three wins from four district matchups. With an average of 80.3 points per game, they have demonstrated explosive offense, which has been key to their success. They’ve been particularly strong on the road, with a 6-2 record away from home.

Team Scoring Averages & Stats

• Drake/Anamoose:
  • Offensive output has been limited with an average of 46.9 points per game. Unfortunately, they struggle in maintaining consistency across quarters, which has impacted their scoring.
• Westhope/Newburg:
  • They lead with a robust 80.3 points per game, with an explosive first half that averages 45.5 points across the first two quarters. Their ability to close out games is also notable, as they score an average of 13.2 points in the fourth quarter.

Statistical Breakdown

• Drake/Anamoose
  • Points per Game: 46.9
  • Rebounds per Game: 32.0
  • Assists per Game: 20.4
  • Steals per Game: 13.5
  • Blocks per Game: 2.8
• Westhope/Newburg
  • Points per Game: 80.1
  • Rebounds per Game: 32.0
  • Assists per Game: 20.4
  • Steals per Game: 13.5
  • Blocks per Game: 2.8

Both teams are tied in key areas like rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game, with both teams performing admirably in these categories. However, the significant difference is the points per game, where Westhope/Newburg outperforms Drake/Anamoose by a considerable margin.

Team Leaders

• Drake/Anamoose:
  • Walker Braaten: 27.5 PPG, 4.0 SPG, 1.1 BPG
  • Hunter Tolstad: 9.4 RPG
  • Will Artz: 4.9 APG
• Westhope/Newburg:
  • Walker Braaten: 27.5 PPG, 4.0 SPG, 1.1 BPG
  • Hunter Tolstad: 9.4 RPG
  • Will Artz: 4.9 APG

Both teams are led by the impressive Walker Braaten, who excels both offensively and defensively, leading his team in scoring, steals, and blocks. His contribution is pivotal for Drake/Anamoose, while also being a force for Westhope/Newburg.

Head-to-Head Comparison with Common Opponents

Looking at their performance against common opponents provides further insight into the teams’ capabilities.

• Drake/Anamoose:
  • Win: 1
  • Losses: 3
  • Notable Results: Victory over Berthold (61-35)
• Westhope/Newburg:
  • Win: 3
  • Losses: 0
  • Notable Results: Dominant victory over Berthold (86-33)

Westhope/Newburg has been undefeated against common opponents, while Drake/Anamoose has struggled, securing only one win from four encounters.

Upcoming Matches

Drake/Anamoose’s remaining games, such as those against Harvey, Mohall/Lansford/Sherwood, and Glenburn, will be crucial in determining whether they can bounce back. Westhope/Newburg also faces some stiff competition, including upcoming games against Surrey and Towner-Granville-Upham.

Conclusion

The contrasting seasons of Drake/Anamoose and Westhope/Newburg reflect the different trajectories of their basketball programs this year. Westhope/Newburg’s consistent dominance across all aspects of the game has made them a formidable contender, while Drake/Anamoose, despite some key individual performances, faces an uphill battle to improve their record. However, the competition in the upcoming games could bring surprises as both teams look to finish the season strong.