Izzo: The last Class B basketball tournaments as we know them tip off today

North Dakota will return to its past next year with the introduction of three-class basketball.

It signals a return to a time when towns like Grandin, Tokio and Arthur won state championships. While it's not expected that those towns will bring home titles when three-class basketball returns in March of 2024, the hope is there for some change from the status quo of the last decade.

This is the swan song as we know it for the Class B tournaments.

This year's Class B has three teams that will move up to the new Class A in Central Cass, Thompson and Rugby. It's probably no coincidence either those are the top three seeds in this year's event.

The Class B has its Cinderella in Garrison, who already slayed the proverbial giant in Shiloh Christian, meaning no private schools reached this year's Class B. The Troopers are already state heroes for doing that. Anything they do this weekend is gravy.

And that's a major reason of why change is coming. Fans and certain administrators wanted to see the bigger schools and private schools out of Class B.

NORTH DAKOTA THREE-CLASS BASKETBALL STORIES

1. Izzo: Three-class basketball is coming to North Dakota. Now what?
2. Izzo: Time for North Dakota high school basketball to embrace the future and go to three classes
3. Three-class basketball in North Dakota getting closer to a reality
4. North Dakota three-class basketball proposal receives changes, eyes passage next month

Now that's the case. What is left in its stead? You will have truly small schools competing in Class B, but with the Class A tourney happening at the same time, will people still care?

We don't know the answer. But it's a risk that North Dakota schools we're willing to take. So soak it up this week and in two weeks time in Bismarck.

Because things will never be the same again.