MINOT, ND – The WDA baseball coaches have released their pre-season poll. Five teams receive a first place vote. Dickinson won the regular season title last year. In the WDA Tournament last year, Bismarck Century defeated Minot High in the championship.

 

 

Team (First Place Votes)
1. Minot High (2)
2. Dickinson (4)
3. Bismarck Century (2)
4. Bismarck Legacy (1)
5. Jamestown (1)
6. Mandan
7. Williston
8. Bismarck St. Mary’s
9. Bismarck High
10. Watford City

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WOLVES-SUNS

 

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 29 points, Kevin Durant had 16 points and eight rebounds in his home debut and the Phoenix Suns won their third straight game, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-100. The Suns are 4-0 with Durant in the lineup. The teams are in the middle of the Western Conference playoff race, fighting to stay in the top six so they don’t fall to the play-in tournament. The Suns remain 4th while the Wolves dropped to 7th. Durant — playing in his first home game with the Suns since being traded from Brooklyn in February — missed his first six shots from the field. He finished 5 of 18, hitting a couple of important 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter. Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 31 points. Karl-Anthony Towns added 25. The Timberwolves had a four-game winning streak snapped. The Timberwolves host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

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WILD-AVALANCHE

 

DENVER (AP) — Frederick Gaudreau scored two short-handed goals, Filip Gustavsson stopped 39 shots, and the Minnesota Wild beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2. Marcus Johansson and Sam Steel also scored for the Wild, who improved to 16-1-4 in their last 21 games moved three points ahead of Colorado and Dallas atop the Central Division. Bowen Byram and Lars Eller scored for the Avalanche, who lost for just the 10th time in their last 34 games (24-7-3). Alexandar Georgiev finished with 25 saves. The Wild play at Vegas on Saturday night.

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TWINS-ROYALS SEASON OPENER

 

KANSAS CITY – The Twins and Royals will waste no time kicking off their 2023 American League Central schedules with an opening weekend matchup. The two clubs are in different eras, with Minnesota firmly in “win-now” mode after re-signing star shortstop Carlos Correa and bolstering the rotation this offseason following last year’s disappointing finish. Kansas City is developing its young talent, headlined by Bobby Witt Jr., at the Major League level and hopes to take a step forward after a 97-loss season in 2022. Newly aquired Pablo Lopez starts for Minnesota against Zack Greinke for the Royals. First pitch is set for 3:10 pm.