- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 394,567
- Reaction score
- 43
Mar. 23—RAPID CITY — For the second time in four years, the top individual honor awarded at the Class AA boys basketball tournament belonged to a Mitchell Kernel.
Markus Talley was named the Spirit of Su award recipient during halftime of Saturday's state championship game between the Kernels and Brandon Valley at the Summit Arena.
"It's an honor and just a great feeling to be recognized for an award like that," Talley said. "I honestly forgot about (the presentation) until we got out there and sat down, and I didn't know it was going to be me, so when I heard my name, it was exciting."
Talley is the third Kernel boys winner in the Class AA award's history, joining Brett Young (2009) and Caden Hinker (2022). Erin Olson (2003), Jeana Hoffman (2004), Macy Miller (2014) and Sawyer Stoebner (2024) won the award at the Class AA girls tournament representing MHS.
The honor is awarded annually to one senior player who exemplifies excellence on and off the court, with student-athletes recognized for athletic ability, sportsmanship, leadership, character and academic ability. The award exemplifies the life of SuAnne Big Crow. The Pine Ridge basketball player was killed in 1992 in a car crash while traveling to the Miss Basketball banquet in Huron. Winners receive a special quilt awarded to each honoree including colors and symbolism of all races of people, living together in beautiful harmony, as was SuAnne Big Crow's dream.
"He's everything that they look for in that award: athletic excellence, academically he goes above and beyond, he's a class act and treats everybody with respect and he's so good in the community," MHS coach Ryker Kreutzfeldt said of Talley. "I don't know what I would have done had he not won it, because I just can't imagine a more deserving player."
Talley was also named to the all-tournament team alongside fellow Mitchell senior Gavin Hinker. For the tournament, Talley played 93 of the 96 available minutes, posting 51 points on 16-for-31 shooting including 9-for-18 from 3-point range, along with 18 rebounds, seven assists and six steals. Hinker was on the court for 95 of the 96 minutes, logging 47 points on 17-for-31 shooting, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots.
Continue reading...
Markus Talley was named the Spirit of Su award recipient during halftime of Saturday's state championship game between the Kernels and Brandon Valley at the Summit Arena.
"It's an honor and just a great feeling to be recognized for an award like that," Talley said. "I honestly forgot about (the presentation) until we got out there and sat down, and I didn't know it was going to be me, so when I heard my name, it was exciting."
Talley is the third Kernel boys winner in the Class AA award's history, joining Brett Young (2009) and Caden Hinker (2022). Erin Olson (2003), Jeana Hoffman (2004), Macy Miller (2014) and Sawyer Stoebner (2024) won the award at the Class AA girls tournament representing MHS.
The honor is awarded annually to one senior player who exemplifies excellence on and off the court, with student-athletes recognized for athletic ability, sportsmanship, leadership, character and academic ability. The award exemplifies the life of SuAnne Big Crow. The Pine Ridge basketball player was killed in 1992 in a car crash while traveling to the Miss Basketball banquet in Huron. Winners receive a special quilt awarded to each honoree including colors and symbolism of all races of people, living together in beautiful harmony, as was SuAnne Big Crow's dream.
"He's everything that they look for in that award: athletic excellence, academically he goes above and beyond, he's a class act and treats everybody with respect and he's so good in the community," MHS coach Ryker Kreutzfeldt said of Talley. "I don't know what I would have done had he not won it, because I just can't imagine a more deserving player."
Talley was also named to the all-tournament team alongside fellow Mitchell senior Gavin Hinker. For the tournament, Talley played 93 of the 96 available minutes, posting 51 points on 16-for-31 shooting including 9-for-18 from 3-point range, along with 18 rebounds, seven assists and six steals. Hinker was on the court for 95 of the 96 minutes, logging 47 points on 17-for-31 shooting, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots.
Continue reading...
