Tayt Vincent continues to surround himself with strong basketball communities. 

Vincent, a Sioux Valley High School and Augustana University graduate, is a first-year assistant coach for the Custer High School girls basketball team. A lifelong East River resident, Vincent was intrigued by starting his coaching journey somewhere away from home and Custer, a community with a strong basketball tradition, was the perfect fit. 

“The history of Custer basketball runs really, really deep,” Vincent said. “The first day I walked into that gym and I saw names that my dad (Bill) has talked about and all those great teams that Custer has had and that’s on the boys side. The girls side has had some success over the years, too. The basketball history of that town — to me as a basketball enthusiast — that drew me there.”

Tayt Vincent is no stranger to traditional basketball powerhouses. He played for his father at perennial Class A contender Sioux Valley, finishing as the Cossacks’ all-time leader in points, assists, 3-pointers made, steals and was a three-time all-stater. He played for coach Tom Billeter at Augie and was a member of last season’s NCAA Division II Sweet 16 team.

Vincent’s first coaching stop took him to Custer, where legendary coach Larry Luitjens amassed a state-record 748 wins, five state championships and coached numerous all-state players. 

“To be in that gym that’s had so many wins on the coaching side of things, and getting to start my career there in coaching … I don’t really know if there’s a better place to start,” Vincent said.  

The son of two coaches, Vincent seemed destined to be one as well. In addition to Bill coaching basketball, he’s also a track and field and cross-country coach. Tayt’s mom, Jill, is Sioux Valley’s volleyball coach. 

Tayt assisted with the Pentagon Schoolers during the summer months. Vincent, however, started as a biology major at Augustana University and quickly realized that wasn’t for him. 

So did his college coach.  

“Coach Billeter was right,” Vincent said. “Day one he said ‘You know you are going to be a coach?’ He was definitely right. You can’t take that out of me.”

Tayt naturally leans on his father for guidance and coaching ideas. The father and son communicate on a daily basis, with their conversations regularly centering around hoops.

“When I run into something, I am definitely giving my dad a call first and asking him what he would do against this or that,” Vincent said. “We are scouting. I am looking at teams for him at times. We are always tossing ideas back and forth.”

This season, the Custer girls basketball team is 7-1 after holding off Platte-Geddes at the Sacred Hoops Classic on Jan. 7 in Mitchell. The Wildcats’ lone loss was against White River at the Lakota Nation Invitational and they have a big game Tuesday against Class A No. 3 St. Thomas More. 

“The one loss we had was a really good learning experience for us and off of that we have been building,” Vincent said. “We still have a long way to go, but I think we can really bring things together and keep surprising some people.”

An early-season highlight for Vincent was the LNI, a 48-team boys and girls basketball tournament in Rapid City each year before Christmas. The event also features a number of activities with thousands of student-athletes packed into the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center for five days. 

“The number of people they bring in, the teams they bring in and the passion that the players and the coaches are coaching and playing with … it’s really hard to match that,” Vincent said. 

Vincent’s first season at Custer is also reinforcing that high school basketball in South Dakota is hard to match.

“I am just really excited that I get the opportunity and I am thankful for the state of South Dakota and the basketball we have,” Vincent said. “The small communities. The big towns. It’s across the state. It’s basketball through and through. The blizzards may bump things back and move things around, but it doesn't matter in the end. It seems like every community across the entire state of South Dakota comes together and basketball really brings us together.”

Rapid City Christian’s Olivia Kieffer reaches 2,000 career points

Rapid City Christian’s Olivia Kieffer joined South Dakota’s 2,000-point club on Jan. 7. 

The Comet senior netted 36 points to reach the milestone against Shiloh Christian in Bismarck, North Dakota, becoming the 34th girl in state history to reach the mark. 

Kieffer, a University of South Dakota signee, currently has 2,014 career points and is 31st on the state’s all-time scoring list. 

The St. Thomas More girls basketball team celebrates head coach Brandon Kandolin's 400th career win after defeating Sturgis on Jan. 5. (Courtesy Photo)

St. Thomas More girls basketball coach Brandon Kandolin records 400th career win

St. Thomas More girls basketball coach Brandon Kandolin recorded his 400th career win on Thursday as the Cavaliers defeated Sturgis 61-35. Kandolin has guided the STM girls basketball team to seven state championships.

White River’s Joe Sayler erupts for career-high night against Kadoka Area

Joe Sayler erupted for a career-high 51 points to power Class B No. 1 White River to an 88-53 win over Kadoka Area on Thursday. 

Sayler nailed a school-record 13 3-pointers, dished out six assists and collected five rebounds. The state record for most 3-pointers in a game is 14 by Bison’s Josh McKinstry in 2017.

The 51 points were five shy of tying the White River school record for most points in a game, set by Louie Krogman in 2006. 

Sayler currently has 2,192 career points, which is No. 19 on the state’s all-time boys basketball scoring list. 

Top Performers

• St. Thomas More’s Caleb Hollenbeck poured in 32 points, including six 3-pointers, in the Cavaliers 63-26 win over Belle Fourche on Tuesday.

• Keegan Hett (26) and Dawson Kautzman (21) combined for 47 points to lead Harding County to a 75-35 win over McIntosh on Thursday.

• Vermillion’s Brooke Jensen posted 34 points, four rebounds and four 3-pointers in the Tanagers 62-34 win over Class A No. 4 Tea Area on Monday.

• Highmore-Harrold’s Treyton Knox recorded 26 points and 13 rebounds in the Pirates 60-39 win over Stanley County on Tuesday. 

• Jackson Eisemann (22) and Michael Wald (20) combined for 42 points to pace Mobridge-Pollock to a 60-36 win over Potter County on Tuesday.

• Ryann Barry powered Class AA No. 3 Pierre with 30 points and six 3-pointers in the Governors 59-41 win over Sioux Falls Lincoln on Thursday.

• Abby Aslesen (20) and Kate Connor (17) combined for 37 points to pace Howard to a 62-49 win over Sanborn Central/Woonsocket on Thursday.

• Jaelyn Huntimer (32) and Addalyn Steffensen (23) combined for 55 points to lead Arlington past De Smet, 77-65, for a girls basketball win on Thursday. De Smet’s Jada Burke had 23 points and 10 rebounds in the losing effort.

• A trio of Waubay/Summit players led the Mustangs to a 72-39 win over Langford Area on Thursday. Jackson Wohlleber led the Mustangs with 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five steals, while Jonathan Johnston had 24 points. Damon Opdahl added 14 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.

• The trio of Isaac Bruns (26), Randy Rosenquist (15), and Jaxson Wingert (13) helped Class A No. 1 Dakota Valley outlast LeMars, Iowa 60-55 on Thursday.

• Huron’s Reilyn Zavesky poured in 27 points and seven rebounds in the Tigers 61-57 win over Brookings on Thursday.

• Jones County’s Cooper Feddersen posted 14 points and 22 rebounds in the Coyotes 52-36 loss to Philip on Thursday.