Former Bison forward Grant Nelson earns Dakota Award

Another year in Tuscaloosa brought another deep tournament run for Grant Nelson.

After helping the Crimson Tide to the Final Four in his first season, the Devils Lake, North Dakota, native brought Alabama to the Elite Eight in his final season of college basketball.

The Bismarck Bobcats brought home the Robertson Cup as NAHL champions for the first time in 15 years.

Nelson and the Bobcats were honored with end of the year awards by the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Nelson was named the winner of the Dakota Award, which goes to North Dakotans who excel beyond the state’s borders.

The Bobcats swept the Non-School awards, with the team, coach Garrett Roth and goaltender Tomas Anderson earning awards.

Nelson won the Dakota Award for the second consecutive season. After spending his first three seasons at NDSU, the former North Dakota Mr. Basketball entered the transfer portal and ended up a crucial cog in the lineup for the SEC powerhouse in Tuscaloosa. Nelson started his college career at North Dakota State before transferring to Alabama.

It’s the first time the Dakota Award has gone to the same athlete two years in a row since Fargo runner Laura Roesler was honored in 2012 and 2013.

Nelson started 34 of 37 games for Alabama in his final season with the Crimson Tide. He averaged 11.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, shooting 52% from the field, 26% from three-point range and 67% at the free throw line.

He ranked fifth in the SEC in rebounding and 12th in blocked shots (1.2 per game) and posted seven double-doubles, including four in SEC play. Nelson scored in double digits 21 times, including five 20-point nights and a season-high 25 at Kentucky.

He ended his Crimson Tide career with seven NCAA tournament wins, which ranks second in school history.

Nelson helped Alabama to tournament wins over Robert Morris (90-81), St. Mary’s (80-86) and BYU (113-88) before the Crimson Tide’s season ended with a 85-65 loss to Duke in the Elite Eight.

He put up a double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks) in a 97-90 non-conference win over North Dakota in Grand Forks in December.

Other finalists for the Dakota Award included Abby Duchscherer of Alabama softball and Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm.

It was a record-breaking season for the Bismarck Bobcats.

On their way to their first Robertson Cup in 15 years, the Bobcats won 56 games, breaking their franchise record by nine. They won a franchise-record 47 regular-season games, including a record-long 13-game winning streak.

They overcame adversity in the postseason, dropping a pair of overtime games at home to begin their first-round best-of-5 series with Aberdeen before reeling off three straight wins, including a double-overtime win in Game 4.

After dropping their Central Division finals series opener, they won three straight, two on the road, to beat Austin and claim their first Central Division Cup since 2010.

Bismarck faced elimination again after dropping the opener of a best-of-3 Robertson Cup semifinal to Rochester before winning two in a row to reach the final, where they defeated Lone Star 4-2, clinching the second NAHL title in franchise history.

Other finalists for the award were Fargo Post 2 baseball and Wahpeton Post 20 Legion baseball.

Garrett Roth returned to the Bismarck Bobcats and led his former team to an NAHL title in his first season after taking over for Layne Sedevie.

Roth remains the Bobcats’ all-time leading scorer and has had his number retired.

He served as an assistant to Sedevie before spending four seasons as head coach of the Wichita Falls and Oklahoma Warriors, with the team moving to Oklahoma City after his second season with the team. He won his first NAHL title as a coach during the 2022-23 season.

The Bobcats roared off to a fast start and led the Central Division nearly all season before pulling away to clinch the title with a late-season franchise-record 13-game winning streak.

Other finalists were Chris Kappes of Wahpeton and Nick Eggman of Kindred.

Tomas Anderson was a workhorse in goal for the Bobcats.

The Andover, Minn., native led the NAHL in games played (45) and wins (37). He ranked second in goals-against average (1.533) and shutouts (eight) and was third in save percentage (.937).

He started every game in the postseason as the Bobcats faced a tough road in the playoffs, beating the teams with the third-, fourth- and second-highest points totals in the NAHL during the regular season.

After the season Anderson was named to the All-Central Division team, the All-NAHL team and was named NAHL League MVP.

Layton Jacobson of New Rockford was also a finalist.

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