MILLER — Spencer Fernholz was ready to walk away from basketball. 

In Nov. 2022, the Miller High School senior boys basketball player injured his knee for the second time in 17 months. The initial fear was he retore his ACL, which forced him to miss his entire junior season and he spent the ensuing months rehabbing his left knee. 

After the second knee injury, Fernholz was ready to step away from basketball and posted on Twitter: “I just want to thank all of my coaches and teammates for making my basketball career a memorable one. And with that being said, I will be forever stepping away from the game that I grew up loving since I was a little kid.”

Fernholz, however, received good news shortly thereafter when an MRI revealed a Grade 2 ACL sprain and he'd been cleared to play sometime in January. The MRI also breathed new life into Fernholz and his hopes to play one final season. 

“I was thinking I wasn’t going to play again, and then after I found out that I just sprained it changed my whole perspective,” Fernholz said. “Like just get your butt in the weight room and get that thing stronger so it doesn't happen again.” 

In May 2021, Fernholz initially injured his knee at an AAU tournament, when his opponent went up for a shot along the baseline. 

“I just tried to stop my momentum from going one way to contest a shot,” Fernholz said. “Right when I planted, I felt my knee go all sorts of directions and instantly knew I did something.”

Fernholz didn’t immediately get a doctor’s appointment and hyperextended it when he was helping his sister, Kadye, move into her new apartment in Kansas. 

“I felt it hyperextended and moved in directions that it wasn’t supposed to,” Fernholz said. “On my way home I called my mother and I was like I need to go see someone at the orthopedic institute about this because this is not something it should be doing.” 

Miller's Spencer Fernholz dribbles the basketball against James Valley Christian on Jan. 26 in Miller. (Kerry Van Zee-Hass / Courtesy Photo)

Fernholz later underwent two procedures — one for reconstruction surgery and one to clean up scar tissue. The rehabilitation process wiped away his entire junior season, and coupled with the Grade 2 ACL sprain, he missed the first nine games of his senior season. 

Fernholz was cleared to play in mid-January and made his season debut on Jan. 26 at home against James Valley Christian. Fernholz said he felt anxious and had some butterflies leading up to the contest “but right when I checked into the game that all went away after I touched the ball first time and then I was just game on.”

Fernholz checked into the game midway through the first quarter and logged his first high school basketball minutes since March 5, 2021 — a span of 692 days. 

As he checked in, the home crowd rose to their feet to applaud the long-awaited season debut. But Fernholz didn’t realize the warm reception until watching the film the next day. 

“That meant a lot because I know a lot of people this whole season were asking ‘Hey, when are you going to get back?’ ” Fernholz said. “Whenever I finally told them what day I was going to play, they were all pretty happy for me and that just made me feel loved in this community.”

Fernholz finished with 11 points against James Valley Christian. He added nine points, three rebounds and three assists in the next game against Wessington Springs on Jan. 28.

Against James Valley Christian, Fernholz showed off his athleticism and jumped off his left leg for a chasedown block. It was a microcosm of how Fernholz plans to play out this season. 

“I am going to play like I used to,” Fernholz said. “It didn’t feel bad at all and I am the type of kid that goes all out every game and just doesn’t really care what happened in the past.”

Fernholz, a 6-foot-3 forward/guard, was a member of the Pentagon Schoolers during the AAU season. He was receiving interest from college programs, including South Dakota State University, prior to the injuries derailing his career. 

Fernholz understands why colleges cooled off on recruiting him and is at peace with the realization he may never play college basketball. 

He’s also learned valuable life lessons during the past grueling several months. 

“I learned that whatever adversity is put in my way, not to just quit, to keep fighting and try to find something positive in the situation that you are in,” Fernholz said. 

Barr, Longie log 50-point performances 

Aberdeen Central’s Spencer and Flandreau Indian’s Malik Longie both scored more than 50 points in games this past week. 

On Jan. 24, Spencer Barr continued his torrid scoring pace, erupting for a career-high 51 points in an 84-82 double overtime victory over No. 4 Pierre at Golden Eagles Arena. The 5-foot-11 guard finished 17 of 27 from the field, 7 of 14 at the 3-point line and 10 of 13 at the foul line. 

Barr’s 51-point performance is tied with Rapid City Stevens’ Eric Piatkowski for the fourth highest individual scoring game in Class AA boys basketball history. Eric Kline holds the Aberdeen Central school record with 59 points, the highest individual scoring game in Class AA boys basketball history.

Barr was coming off a 35-point outing on Jan. 21, a 68-57 win over Brandon Valley. Against the Lynx, Barr shot 11 of 19 from the field, 5 of 8 from the 3-point line and 8 of 9 at the foul line. Barr will play college basketball next season at the University of Jamestown. 

On Jan. 28, Longie recorded 53 points in Flandreau Indian’s 91-54 win over Takini at the Dakota Oyate Challenge. Longie converted on 20 two-point field goal baskets on his way to the 53-point performance. 

Barr and Longie are the fourth and fifth South Dakota boys basketball players to score more than 50 points in individual games this season. 

Lower Brule’s Brian LaRoche Jr., Tiospaye Topa’s Kris Meeter and White River’s Joe Sayler have also scored more than 50 points in a game this season. 

Individual 50-point Games in 2022-23 Season

57 — Lower Brule’s Brian LaRoche Jr.

54 — Tiospaye Topa’s Kris Meeter

53 — Flandreau Indian’s Malik Longie 

51 — Aberdeen Central’s Spencer Barr 

51 — White River’s Joe Sayler

Sioux Falls Washington performs Lakota Flag Song at home game

The Lakota Flag Song was performed prior to Jan. 27’s Sioux Falls Roosevelt at Sioux Falls Washington boys basketball game. 

Todd Schlekeway approached Sioux Falls Washington Athletic Director Nate Malchow about performing the song, which is regularly performed at Native American schools, along with at Class A and Class B state basketball tournaments. 

Malchow got it approved through the administration and it was performed prior to tip-off between the Rough Riders and Warriors. 

“WHS has a Native American club and it will be great for Sioux Falls fans to experience this before tip-off since this is never played at the AA Tourney,” said Schlekeway, who played high school basketball at Class A Mobridge. 

Howard’s Trinity Palmquist sets school assist record

Trinity Palmquist broke Howard’s all-time career assist record on Jan. 23 against McCook Central/Montrose.

Palmquist recorded three assists in the victory and currently has 285 career assists, breaking the previous record set by Heidi Klinkhammer (275). 

Last season, Palmquist set the Howard single season assists record with 113. She also dished out 87 in 2021, the fourth most in a single season for the Tigers. 

Six players join 1,000-point club

Six players scored their 1,000th career points this past week. 

Freeman Academy/Marion’s Jada Koerner, Florence/Henry’s Caylin Kelly, Wolsey-Wessington’s Leah Williams, Sisseton’s Hannah Leverson, Potter County’s Tyler Simon and Sully Buttes’ Stevie Wittler each reached the milestone last week. 

Top performers

• Kris Meeter drilled 34 points, four 3-pointers and 25-footer at the buzzer to lift Tiospaye Topa to a 60-59 win over Wakpala on Jan. 28 at the Dakota Oyate Challenge. 

• Isaac Bruns led another balanced Dakota Valley scoring attack in a 71-50 win over Clark/Willow Lake on Jan. 28. Bruns recorded 23 points, eight rebounds and three 3-pointers. Jaxson Wingert added 17 points and eight rebounds. Randy Rosenquist Jr., logged 13 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. 

• Aiden Jensen logged a monster double-double to power Madison to a boys basketball win over Tiospa Zina, 74-48, at the Dak-XII/NEC Clash on Jan. 28. Jensen logged 41 points, 14 rebounds and four steals.

• White River’s Nic Marshall poured in 44 points to power White River to a win over St. Francis on Jan. 27. Marshall added eight assists and five rebounds.

• Pierre’s Lincoln Kienholz finished with 27 points and hit three 3-pointers in an 80-60 win over Harrisburg on Jan. 28. Harrisburg’ Jacoby Mehrman poured in a game-high 28 points. 

• Blake Volmer powered Winner with 24 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in a 66-48 win over Mount Vernon/Plankinton on Jan. 27. 

• De Smet’s Damon Wilkinson posted a 17-point and 15-rebound double-double in a 51-39 win over Canistota on Jan. 26. Wilkinson added 22 points, 11 rebounds and five steals in an 88-21 win over Colman-Egan on Jan. 27. 

• Sioux Falls O’Gorman’s Matthew Eng recorded 29 points and seven 3-pointers in a 68-64 overtime victory over Pierre on Jan. 27.

• Lower Brule’s Brian LaRoche Jr., poured in 38 points to lead the Sioux to a 78-58 win over Marty at the Dakota Oyate Challenge on Jan. 27. 

• Crazy Horse’s Noah Iron Horse scored 25 points and hit three 3-pointers in a 71-55 win over Omaha Nation, Neb., on Jan. 27 at the Dakota Oyate Challenge. 

• Ethan’s Maddy Bartscher netted 28 points and five 3-pointers in the Rustlers’ 61-54 win over Howard on Jan. 27. 

• Megan Reiner recorded 29 points and seven steals in Tripp-Delmont/Armour’s 48-40 win over Burke on Jan. 27. 

• Tea Area’s Mara Grant finished 11 of 12 from the field for 27 points in a 64-38 victory over Madison on Jan. 27. Grant added seven rebounds and six steals. 

• Lower Brule’s Gavin Thigh tossed in 34 points and five 3-pointers in a 113-43 win over Takini at the Dakota Oyate Challenge on Jan. 26. 

• Quentin McBride Jr. scored 28 points and hit five 3-pointers as Crow Creek rallied past Stanley County on Jan. 26. Stanley County’s Broch Zeeb posted a game-high 34 points and collected eight rebounds.

• Isaac Bruns recorded 26 points and five rebounds in Class A No. 1 Dakota Valley’s 73-57 win over Class A No. 3 Sioux Falls Christian on Jan. 26. 

• Dell Rapids’ Brayden Pankonen recorded 25 points as the Quarriers defeated Vermillion, 69-48, on Jan. 26. 

• Rapid City Christian’s Olivia Kieffer recorded 31 points in a 73-29 win over Hot Springs on Jan. 26. 

• Beresford’s Tate VanOtterloo finished with 24 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and five steals in a 61-50 win over Flandreau on Jan. 26. 

• Bon Homme’s Chapin Cooper logged 29 points and six steals in a 63-30 win over Andes Central/Dakota Christian on Jan. 26. 

• J.T. Rock recorded 30 points, nine rebounds, five blocked shots and four 3-pointers in Sioux Falls Lincoln’s win over Sioux Falls Washington on Jan. 26. 

• St. Thomas More’s Caleb Hollenbeck logged 30 points, eight rebounds and four 3-pointers in a 55-42 win over Spearfish on Jan. 24. 

• Colome’s Joseph Laprath netted 26 points and six 3-pointers in a 66-24 win over Bennett County on Jan. 24. 

• Mount Vernon/Plankinton’s Reed Rus stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, 11 assists, nine steals and eight rebounds in a 76-40 win over Wagner on Jan. 24.

• Faith’s Jackson Schauer tossed in 28 points and four 3-pointers in a 66-48 win over Potter County on Jan. 24. 

• Potter County’s Alex Tanner logged 25 points and 11 boards in a loss against Faith. 

• Redfield’s Jerron Haider logged 26 points in a 65-42 victory over Hitchcock-Tulare on Jan. 24. 

• Cooper Long recorded 28 points and hit three 3-pointers to lift Lyman to a 59-52 win over Jones County on Jan. 24. 

• Wagner’s Ashlyn Koupal finished with 36 points, seven rebounds and six 3-pointers in a 74-55 win over Mount Vernon/Plankinton on Jan. 24. 

• Avon’s Courtney Sees posted 27 points, nine rebounds and four assists in a 65-58 victory over Burke on Jan. 24. 

• Hamlin’s Kami Wadsworth shot 11 of 14 from the field in a 27-point performance against Aberdeen Roncalli, a 72-38 win on Jan. 24. 

• Dawson Hoffman tossed in 27 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a 64-61 overtime win over Parkston on Jan. 24. 

• Andes Central/Dakota Christian’s Halle Olson piled up 22 points, 10 blocked shots and nine rebounds in a 70-67 win over Wessington Springs on Jan. 24. 

• De Smet’s Damon Wilkinson posted another monster double-double with 25 points and 14 rebounds in a 56-36 win over Castlewood on Jan. 23. 

• Lyman’s Skyler Volmer and Mak Scott combined for 45 points and 15 rebounds to pace Lyman to a 73-45 win over Colome on Jan. 23. Volmer finished with 24 points and eight boards, while Scott logged 21 points, seven rebounds and four 3-pointers.