Rugby High School freshman Levi Wentz (No. 21) takes a jump shot while Stanley High School senior Ashton Peterson (No. 2) attempts to block during their quarterfinals match of the 2026 NDHSAA Region 3A Boys Basketball Tournament on Monday, Mar. 9, at the MSU Dome. Nathan Beitler/MDN

The Rugby High School Panthers came into their quarterfinals game of the 2026 NDHSAA Region 3A Boys Basketball Tournament against the Stanley Blue Jays as the favorites. The Panthers had a record of 13-8 on the season coming into the game on Monday afternoon while the Blue Jays had a season record of 4-17.

Though their regular season record were vastly different, the Panthers had their work cut out for them though their first round of district play.

Both teams struggled through through the first quarter of play. Though the Panthers took an early 4-0 lead in the leading minutes of the game, the Blue Jays slowly worked their way up to a tie at the end of the quarter at 9-9.

The two teams stayed neck and neck for most of the second quarter of play as well through to a 20-19 lead for the Panthers, but with less than three minutes remaining in the half, the Panthers went on a 12-point score streak that gave them a strong edge over the Blue Jays heading into half time. The score was 32-23 at the end of the second quarter.

Junior Benjamin Hynek led the Blue Jays in scoring thought the first half with eight points to his name while the Panthers were led by sophomore Brayden Solem with seven. For the first half of the game, the Panthers led with their sheer numbers. The Blue Jays earned a higher score percentage than the Panthers, but the number of shots taken by the Panthers let them brute force their way to a lead. The second half of the ball game was largely the same.

The Blue Jays turned up the pressure through the third quarter of play, outscoring the Panthers 9-14. The fourth quarter saw the Blue Jays work their way back up to a close game at just a two-possession deficit. Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, the Panthers went on another scoring streak, capped off by two two-handed slam dunks by junior Brody Berndt in two back-to-back steals.

The Panthers ended their night with a decisive 62-51 victory over the Blue Jays, earning themselves a spot in the Region 3A semifinals where they will take on the first-seeded Turtle Mountain Community High School Braves beginning at 5:30 p.m.