Kidder County's Adam Randall named Mr. Basketball
Only two North Dakota high schools can boast having Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball winners in the same season.By: Scooter Pursley, Associated Press
- Kidder County senior Adam Randall
BISMARCK — Only two North Dakota high schools can boast having Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball winners in the same season.
On Saturday, Kidder County became the first Class B school with that honor when Adam Randall was chosen Mr. Basketball for 2010.
Randall received six first-place votes and 48 points to edge out Fargo North’s Nik Savageau. The Spartan guard actually received more first-place votes (seven), but finished with 46 points.
Turtle Lake-Mercer-McClusky’s Grant Singer was third with two first-place votes and 29 points. Mandan’s Bryan Kielpinski received 12 points.
Randall’s recognition follows by a week that of Kidder County’s Eli Benz, who won the 2010 Miss Basketball award. They join Fargo North’s Tyler Koenig and Carissa Jahner as the only classmates winning the award in the same season. Koenig and Jahner won in 2003.
That has the townsfolk buzzing.
“The talk of having two candidates named was a great honor (for the town),” Randall said.
Divide County is the only other Class B school with Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball winners. Rob Stefonowicz won in 1990 and Brenna Stefonowiz in 1994.
The Mr. Basketball award is presented annually to the top boys basketball player in the state as determined through voting by the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.
Randall, a 6-foot-4 forward, averaged 26.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.2 steals. He is the third straight Class B player to win the award after a 12-year run by Class A players.
“His natural basketball talent is unbelievable, but he’s also put a lot of time into the game,” Kidder County coach Paul Olson said. “When you’re blessed with that ability, and you put a lot of time into the game, and you’re concerned about the team aspect, you are a great player.”
Randall, like Benz, led the Pirates to the state Class B tournament. It was the boys’ first trip to state in 19 years.
Of all the postseason honors, Randall said getting to state was the thing that most pleased him and that he will remember most.
“That was the biggest thing,” he said. “Ever since we won the region, everyone has been talking about the game. All the support is great.”
Statistics for other finalists as chosen by the NDAPSSA:
r Kielpinski, a 6-7 center, averaged 16.6 points and 8.2 rebounds. He shot 62 percent from the field.
r Savageau, a 5-11 guard, averaged 20.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.5 steals.
r Singer, a 6-1 forward, averaged 24.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.6 steals.
Tags: adam randall, mr. basketball, sports, basketball, preps
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