Apr. 4—MITCHELL — As humble and even-tempered on the basketball court as he is off of it, Markus Talley prefers to let his actions and accolades do much of the talking for him. For good reason, too.
Over three seasons as a varsity starter for Mitchell High School, Talley crafted a resume capable of speaking volumes on its own, filled with individual and team successes.
Among the highlights: State champion. Class AA player of the year. Spirit of Su award winner. Two-time state runner-up. Two-time first-team all-state selection. Two-time Eastern South Dakota Conference champion. 1,000-point scorer.
"He's exactly what you want. In my opinion, he's the most skilled high school player in the state, but you would never know it talking to him or watching his mannerisms," said MHS head coach Ryker Kreutzfeldt. "It's just so rare to find a kid who's so good, who's accomplished so much, but is still humble and wants to be coached and is OK being held accountable. He's just special."
This season alone, Mitchell's 6-foot-1 lead guard posted 17.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, three assists and 1.8 steals per game, as the Kernels went 20-4 and made a third straight appearance in the Class AA state championship game. Along the way, he collected all-state, all-conference and all-tournament honors for the second consecutive year, also earning class player of the year for his efforts.
"This season just kind of meant more," Talley said. "Just knowing it's my last time playing with the guys, I tried to give it 100% every time and not take anything for granted."
For cementing his legacy as an all-time Mitchell great with another standout season as a senior, Markus Talley earned the Mitchell Republic's 2025 boys basketball player of the year award.
The award is selected by the newspaper's sports staff via a point-based voting system that awards five points to the top player, four points to the second player on the ballot and so on. Talley garnered all four first-place votes and 20 total points, becoming just the third player to be recognized as Mitchell Republic boys basketball player of the year multiple times, joining fellow Kernel Mike Miller (1997 and 1998) and Bridgewater-Emery's Sawyer Schultz (2017, 2018 and 2019).
Kernels have now won four of the past five Mitchell Republic boys basketball player of the year awards, with Zane Alm in 2021 and Caden Hinker in 2022 alongside Talley. Overall, Mitchell student-athletes have now claimed the award nine times — Talley (twice), Mike Miller (twice), Hinker, Alm, Jade Miller (2012), Tucker Volesky (2011) and Jordan Miller (2008).
Other players receiving consideration for the 2025 award were Talley's Mitchell teammates Colton Smith and Gavin Hinker, Wessington Springs' Colby Flowers, Freeman's David Walter, Winner's Carter Craven and Parkston's Brycen Bruening.
On the same stage where his high school career came to a close — at the Class AA state tournament in Rapid City — Talley established his reputation as a player who performed his best when the lights were brightest.
"I'm calm, composed," Talley said of what defines his game. "I just try to make the right play every time."
Though not yet a focal point of the offense as a sophomore, Talley scored 41 total points across three tournament games in 2023. He eclipsed double digits in all three and paced Mitchell with 16 points in the state title game, a narrow loss to Yankton. Of course, he had much more in store as a junior in helping boost the Kernels to the 2024 Class AA state championship.
But sporting his trademark stoic demeanor and a subtle swagger, Talley saved some of his absolute best for his final go-around in black and gold.
"He ...
