The South Prairie-Max Royals girls basketball team gather and celebrate with their Region 3A Championship Plaque after their victory on Thursday night, Feb. 26. Nathan Beitler/MDN

If it was going to be any year, in any season, with any team, it was going to be this one.

The South Prairie-Max Royals and the Rugby Panthers girls’ basketball teams have only met in play six times over the years, and only three times in post-season play. Over the past 15 years, the Rugby Panthers, under the guidance of girls basketball head coach Jen Brossart, have had nine region championship appearances. Last year, they won their sixth region title.

The South Prairie-Max Royals on the other hand, have only had one other region championship appearance during the 2024 tournament.

During their first ever season of play, the Royals girls’ basketball team ended with a record of 2-19. Heading into the game on Thursday night, Feb. 26, under the direction of new head coach Cory MacIver, the Royals have a record of 22-1.

The Royals have worked hard all season, pushing themselves offensively and defensively to get themselves ready for the post-season. And ready they were.

Like most of the regular season, the Royals swept through the first two rounds of the 2026 NDHSAA Region 3A Girls Basketball Tournament. They took down the Stanley Blue Jays in the quarterfinals with a decisive 85-44 victory and beat out the Bottineau Stars in a similar 72-38 victory in the semifinals. Heading into the tournament championship, the Royals had to face off against the defending champion Rugby Panthers, and their stellar regular and post-season performance told them that they were ready.

Like many of their games this season, the Royals were off to a slow start. The Panthers took and kept the lead through the early minutes of the first quarter, leading by as much as five at 7-2, but it was not long before the Royals settled into their high-scoring routine. The Royals worked their way back up to 15-7 lead before the end of the first quarter.

The Royals continued their masterclass on the court through the second quarter, more than doubling their own score while keeping the Panthers in low double-digits. The Royals led with a score of 37-15 at half time.

Once the Royals found their groove on the court, they were nigh unstoppable. The Royals nearly doubled down on their efforts once again in the third quarter, earning an additional 25 points while allowing the Panthers just 11. The fourth quarter was much slower for both teams, but the Panthers were able to outscore the Royals for the first time during the game at 7-9.

But due to the Royals’ dominance during the first three quarter of play, South Prairie-Max walked away Thursday night with their first Region Championship title.

“We started out rough like we sometimes do, but when we are able to knock them down, that’s when we get going,” said Royals’ head coach Cory MacIver.

Though the championship title was the Royals’ primary goal of the night, they were able to walk away with other accolades on the night as well.

At the conclusion of the game, the NDHSAA presented the 2026 Girls Basketball Region 3A Awards. Seniors Skotti Beck, Abby Mikkelson, Brianna Rose and Maycie Talbott as well as junior Rylee Routledge were named members of the All Region Team for their efforts this season.

Skotti Beck also walked away with the Senior Athlete of the Year awar, and Royals’ coach Cory MacIver earned the region Coach of the Year.

Though the Royals have finally earned their first region title, there is still more for them to do. With their win, the Royals will make their way to the State Class A Girls Basketball Tournament to try and close out their season on another win.

“We still have three more games to go,” said Coach MacIver