South Dakota 2,000 Club got first member in 1951

        There are now more than 70 boys and girls who have scored at least 2,000 points during their high school basketball careers in South Dakota. But no player in state history had yet reached that monumental total as the 1951 season was concluding.

        The State Class B Tournament was held in Mitchell and a 6-foot-6 senior from Kadoka was threatening to become the first South Dakota prep to reach the milestone.

        The Kougars arrived at the Corn Palace with their star center Stanton Uhlir (left) having already amassed 1,931 points. He needed 69 more in Kadoka’s three tournament games in order to get to 2,000. That turned out to be no problem.

        Uhlir netted 92 points, including 50 in one game, as Kadoka took sixth place.

        Finishing his career with 2,023 points, Uhlir became the first documented member of the state’s 2,000 Club. That set in motion an 11-year period in which a dozen more players joined Uhlir. They were Milt Sorenson (2,480 points) of Wakonda in 1953, Dale Hall (2,325) of Ravinia in 1954, Jerry Wingen (2,333) of Canova in 1956, Terry Slattery (2,074) of Salem St. Mary in 1956, Don Jacobsen (2,825) of Lake Norden in 1957, Bob Swanhorst (2,402) of Cresbard in 1957, Cliff Albee (2,051) of Cresbard in 1957, Phil Miedema (2,040) of Hitchcock in 1958, LaMoine Torgerson (2,381) of Forestburg in 1959, Jim Dyer (2,256) of Willow Lake in 1960, Dave Fischer (2,049) of Wall in 1961, and Ron Bertsch (2,012) of St. Lawrence in 1961.