He's one of the all-time great shooters in high school and college basketball in South Dakota. He scored over 2000 points in high school, and then 3000 points in college. From growing up in Aberdeen, SD, attending Aberdeen Central high school, and then Northern State University - Eric Kline is a name that needs no introduction.
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Craig Mattick:
Welcome to another edition of In Play. I am Craig Mattick. Today's guest, one of the all-time great shooters in high school and college basketball in South Dakota. He scored over 2000 points in high school, but then became more deadly beyond the three point arc in college and scored more than 3000 points. A hometown boy done good for Aberdeen, Aberdeen Central and Northern State University. He's Eric Kline. And Eric, welcome to In Play.
Eric Kline:
Thank you, Craig. It's good to be here.
Craig Mattick:
You were the superintendent of Aberdeen Christian last year, but now you got a new position. You're still in Aberdeen, but now you're the director of the Northern Academy at Northern Stadium, Aberdeen. So tell me what's that new job all about?
Eric Kline:
Yeah. So it's been great being a part of the Aberdeen community for 50 years. Spent almost the last decade at Aberdeen Christian as the superintendent. And before that, almost 20 years in the public school as a teacher and coach and administrator. And now, most recently, the director of the Northern Academy right here on the campus of Northern State University. And it is a creative idea to encourage students who are taking their dual credit classes. So they get credit both in their high school requirements as well as in their forward thinking into college, but to take those courses on campus under the director's office, we're calling it the Northern Academy.
And so students who take their dual credit classes on campus will be on my roster. And I'm going to have their back. I'm going to be able to mentor and encourage and be a part of their lives and help them have a positive early college experience with hopes to inspire them to be able to continue in their life goals for their college and career aspirations. And so we're seeing a trend of many kids taking dual credit. It's a very popular program. But very few students are actually coming on campus to do that. And we want to reverse that trend because we know that community is important, belonging is important, and to be able to have them on campus and for me to be able to mentor and encourage them, I'm really looking forward to that opportunity to work with young adults.
Craig Mattick:
You have been involved with education since you graduated from Northern back in the mid-nineties. Is the education profession in your family?
Eric Kline:
No. From my awareness, I may be the first one to step in that arena. And I was inspired by a mentor of mine that is a teacher in the Sioux Falls School District, Troy Wanner. He was at Northern as a college student and he'd work at the local YMCA. And he would be there in the early mornings when I'd be getting on my bicycle to come down to the Y to spend the day in the gym working out. And he was there. And he took me under his wing, taught me a few basketball skills, were able to play one-on-one basketball together.
And he just became a good friend. And I noticed that he was going to be in the teaching profession and I just was inspired by him, and it really meant a lot to me to be able to help kids. And he was a coach. And one of the things that I did in high school was coach youth basketball. And that was another thing that really I saw, hey, I really like working with kids. I like to inspire and encourage. And so yeah, that's what I've been doing for most of my life.
Craig Mattick:
I heard about this YMCA thing when you were growing up there, Eric. About, you had a three ring binder and you were keeping track of your shots in practice. Now where did that come from?
Eric Kline:
I don't really remember where I got the idea to keep track of my shots. It may have been just something that I wanted to keep track of as I set some goals. And Troy may have been one that inspired me on that as well. But I also remember watching a video on Steve Alford. Steve Alford was a guard for Indiana, and he had a shooting workout. And I remember watching those tapes and learning from Steve and then putting some of those principles together as I would go to the Y and do my individual workouts. And just that accountability of saying, "Hey, I want to make six out of 10 from this spot and I'm going to keep track of it." And it was just something that helped me, I guess, be accountable.
Craig Mattick:
So you're an eighth grader at Aberdeen Central. We're talking like 1987. The Golden Eagles, by the way, they had a pretty good year that year. In fact made it to the state AA tournament to the championship game for the first time in 10 years. And Aberdeen Central would lose to Brookings by one when you're an eighth grader. But how hard were you working at your basketball skills as you're an eighth grader at the time?
Eric Kline:
Well, I tell you, I remember starting to be real intentional about my individual workouts back when I was nine and 10 years old. I just had this passion to be a part of basketball and I loved the game, and I was heading to the Y at a very young age early in the morning to do my workouts. And even as an eighth grader, I was heading to the Y to workout on a Friday night and I would go over to the civic arena where my dad would be watching the games of Aberdeen Central, and I'd come up there and the game would be just about over and I'd stand up in the balcony and look out on the floor and I always said, "You know what? I'd really like to be playing as a freshman."
And who inspired me for that was Eric Piatkowski. He came to town, Rapid City Stevens, playing Aberdeen Central. And I noticed he was a freshman playing ball and I'm like, "Hey, if Eric can do it, I can do it." And so there was that fire to set some goals and be a part of Golden Eagles basketball from a very young age.
Craig Mattick:
Well, you did play then as a freshman. And of course, you went to the state tournament and back to the championship game. And this time, Aberdeen Central won it. But Terry Small was the head coach for Aberdeen Central. What did he see in you at that young age?
Eric Kline:
It's interesting, now that I'm working on the campus in Northern, there's an old gym called Dakota Hall and my office is right down the way from Dakota Hall, and I remember being a part of the summer leagues where Terry Small and Bob Olson would organize the basketball camps and some summer leagues. And so I would go to those leagues and I was playing ball and rubbing shoulders with the guys. And it was great that coach Small gave me a shot as a ninth grader to be able to play on the Golden Eagles basketball team, and certainly his great memory's been able to win a state championship.
Craig Mattick:
That was 1987. It was 10 years since Aberdeen had won a state basketball title. Who were some of the old other teammates on that championship team when you were a freshman?
Eric Kline:
Jeff Mack and Dan Hock, and there was Eric Donat was on that team. And so those names are the ones that come to mind right away. Jeff Oaks was on that team. We had the Adams Brothers. And yeah, it was a good group of guys.
Craig Mattick:
Well, your sophomore year, you get back to the state tournament finals, but a name that you just mentioned, Eric Piatkowski and Rapid City Stevens got in the way. And that was at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, wasn't it that year?
Eric Kline:
We did. We came back to get back to the championship game against Rapid City Stevens. Eric's a senior. And it was a hard fought game all the way through. And I had a chance to win the game on a three point shot, got a great screen and came out, had a good look at the basket, felt good about the shot and it went in and out and we got second.
Craig Mattick:
It's one of those times where it's pretty rare, not a lot of players can say they've been to four straight state tournaments here as a freshman and a sophomore. You got to the championship game. So what was the expectations coming in as your junior year with Aberdeen Central eventually making the state tournament again?
Eric Kline:
Yeah. I know it was our expectation to win. And we were as competitive as anybody to be able to do so. And that junior year, I remember getting beat in the semi-finals. And so we weren't able to make to championship game, but then we were able to play this, I think, three overtime game versus Brandon Valley in the third and fourth place game. And so here this championship game is coming up, but they had to wait for three overtimes for us this barn burner game against Brandon Valley, but it was just back and forth. And we ended up-
Craig Mattick:
Well, you put up 47 points in that game, Eric.
Eric Kline:
Yeah. Yeah. We ended up losing. We ended up getting fourth place that year.
Craig Mattick:
When you talk about the state tournament, you still hold four scoring records at the state AA basketball tournament. And one of those is the most points in a consolation, and that was the 47 points that you scored against Brandon Valley. But what's crazy, Eric, you did it again your senior year, another 47 points, and that was in the third place game.
Eric Kline:
Yeah. So here we come back for the senior year, and we're excited. And one of our key players, Chad Snow, got a knee injury just before the state tournament. And so we were down with one of our best players. And so we went into the tournament optimistic but missing Chad, which was tough. And we again got beaten at semi-final game and ended up playing Watertown in our senior year, and ended up winning that last game and getting third place.
Craig Mattick:
Overall, you scored 2025 points in high school, four straight AA tournaments. You won just one state title and that was when you were a freshman. How did you adjust those last three years at Aberdeen Central knowing that your opponents, they were going to be focusing on you wherever you were on the court? How were you able to accept that and try to beat that strategy of the opposing teams?
Eric Kline:
And that's where I give the credit to my teammates and coach Small and coach Olson. They ran a particular motion offense and they also ran an offense that allowed us to get up and down the court. And I always joked that we really didn't need the shot clock back then because we really flew up and down and it was kind of a fast break offense, and we ran a motion offense. And so they really worked hard with us on movement without the basketball and setting screens for each other. And without my teammates, they were amazing. I mean, they were looking to set screens for me as I was... And then they'd teach us to read screens. You'd read the defender, you'd curl that screen if the defender did this or you'd fade away if they did that.
And so through this motion offense, and then my teammates, and what I really see is a selflessness of their willingness to get me open. And I worked hard without the ball to get open, but I couldn't have got open without all of those screens. That's for sure.
Craig Mattick:
Who was your favorite player to go up against in high school? I suppose Piatk would've been one of them.
Eric Kline:
Yeah, Eric Piatkowski. Scott Beckstrand was another with Sioux Falls Lincoln. And Mitchell had Scott Morgan and Marty Jacobson. There were just some really tremendous athletes all through the state of South Dakota and especially in the ESD.
Craig Mattick:
You think about it today, all these traveling teams in the summer and AAU teams, they didn't have anything like that when you were in high school. I mean, what were the summers like?
Eric Kline:
Some of those traveling teams were just getting started, because I remember Eric Piatkowski's dad, I believe, if my memory's correct, put together a traveling team with Larry Luitjens. And so we got a group of us from around the state, and we went out to Arizona and played a tournament, and Las Vegas. But that was our junior year. But it was a really big deal. No, it wasn't very common. So our summers for me were in the gym by myself and with Chad Snow. I mean, we would go in and workout. But a lot of days just in the gym by yourself, shooting them up and doing the workouts, charting your shots and conditioning, staying in condition and getting ready for that next season.
Craig Mattick:
How did you stay motivated in that burning out?
Eric Kline:
That's a good question, because I started so young being very intentional about the game. And by the grace of God, your good friends, good coaches, my parents and just encouragement, and then watching others. I knew other people were playing. So if I wanted to compete, I was going to have to play too. But I do know that once I finished up with college, I never played again. And I didn't play Church League or City League Ball. And I think when you talk about how did you do it without burning out, I think I met my capacity by the time I was done with my senior year at Northern.
And of course, I ended up with two knee surgeries in the off seasons during my college days, and I had sprained my ankle so many times that it's just like my body said, "Hey, you know what? It's time to move on to other things. And it had just been a beautiful experience and I give lots of thanks for it." But I do think that that capacity in me for the intensity of which I committed to basketball did come to that closure my senior year at Northern when we made it to the final four in the national tournament, but weren't able to make that championship game. And my body and my emotions, I think, said, "You know, well done. You're done now."
Craig Mattick:
The most points you scored in a high school game was 59. That was against Huron. Was it just a great feeling that you had? Just kept shooting and everything just went in.
Eric Kline:
That night against Huron, I remember coach Small coming in the locker room after the game and it was another barn burner again. We were up and down the court in high school basketball, scoring 80 points, 90 points. I mean, that's in 32 minutes. That's quite a feat. And I had no idea. I had no idea. He said something like, "Did you know how many points we had?" I mean, I didn't. It was just one of those competitive games, and then you think 59 points, it's like, "How did that happen?"
Craig Mattick:
Well, Bob Olson is the coach at Northern State in Aberdeen. Northern was an NAIA school at the time when you are a senior in high school. Everybody thought maybe you'd be staying at Northern, but you chose Augustana. What was going through your mind whether to go to Northern, stay home in Aberdeen, or go play at Augustana?
Eric Kline:
Yeah. Great question. I remember going to the Nike camp the summer of my junior year, where supposedly they invite the top 100 kids in the nation to go to Princeton, New Jersey. And you spend some time in the classroom learning about life, and then you spend time in the afternoon playing ball. And I got there. And I realized that there was just no way I was going to play Division One basketball. You got Jason Kidd, Chris Webber. You've got these all stars, and you're just standing there saying, "Wow, look at them, do what they do." And the point of the Nike camp was encouraging you to stay in your home state, get an education, go do something for your community because, of the 100 guys here, there's only going to be just a few that are going to go into that NBA.
So it was really a cool experience to be able to have people mentoring you saying go get that education, stay in your state. And I was also watching high school basketball state tournaments, and Jordre... I'm trying to remember his name.
Craig Mattick:
Was it Kyle?
Eric Kline:
Kyle Jordre went to Augustana.
Craig Mattick:
Yeah.
Eric Kline:
And I just really admired his play. And I was like, "Hey, Kyle went to Augustana." And then I signed early. And so I was kind of inspired by Kyle and he went to Augustana and I thought, "I'm going to go give this a try." So really sometimes when I think now, I think, "Did I sign too early? Did I make that decision just like..." Because I went to that Princeton camp and they were encouraging you. And so I don't know. It's hard to say. But I have no regrets. I'm glad that I went. I'm glad that I experienced it. And I'm glad that as I finished up that first year, and I'm like, "You know what? I'm not sure I want to continue with basketball." I lost some of my drive.
And thanks to my wife. She said, "You know, played a long time. Why don't we go talk to coach Olson?" And so we came and talked to coach Olson and he said, "We sure welcome you back."
Craig Mattick:
Oh, sure.
Eric Kline:
He said, "But you got to earn a spot." And as soon as he said that you got to earn a spot, it's just like the pilot light got lit and the fire was back and I was excited to go do it.
Craig Mattick:
That first time though, you're with Augustana, Augie comes to Wachs Arena there in Aberdeen and you're playing for Augie to take on Northern and there are 6,000 fans there in the arena to see you play. What was that like?
Eric Kline:
I think it was awkward for me. When I think back of just what that felt like, and if my memory is correct, I think Northern whooped us.
Craig Mattick:
Yes, they did. They won both games that year.
Eric Kline:
And so I think it did feel a little awkward, like, "This is your hometown, and here you are coming back to play." And yeah, I do think I felt a little awkward.
Craig Mattick:
So the decision to actually go back to Aberdeen, to go to Northern, occurred when you were at Augie?
Eric Kline:
Yeah. I think I was about halfway through my freshman year and I was just like, "Man, I just don't know if... Should I just stay? Should we just keep going to school? Am I done playing ball?" I just felt a little bit off. And so yeah, we decided to just give it a try and come back here. And it was just an amazing three years being here at Northern on campus, and the community support. And it just was a beautiful experience. We were able to win a lot of basketball. We really had a close-knit group of guys that loved each other and had each other's back. And we valued what we did.
We didn't take it for granted. We knew that there were little people watching us. We knew that the community was there to cheer us on. And it was an honor. I mean, it really was just really special for all of us.
Craig Mattick:
It is amazing how many three point shots you attempted, whether in practice, in high school, in college. Curious, did you ever try to see how many three point shots you could make with your eyes closed? Because you had the shot, it was almost automatic. Were you able to do it with your eyes shut at all?
Eric Kline:
Never. I never tried that. And again, I look at the number of attempts I had too, and it's like, yeah, I made a lot of them, but I missed a lot of them too. And I'm always humbled by my teammates' willingness to put their trust in me and also to get me open and to give me the opportunity to shoot that many shots, because that's a lot of attempts.
Craig Mattick:
Well, March of 1993, Northern record most three point shots taken in the game. Do you remember how many three point shots you took?
Eric Kline:
Nope. I don't remember.
Craig Mattick:
23.
Eric Kline:
That's a lot.
Craig Mattick:
23. What do you remember about that game? It was March of 93.
Eric Kline:
What's interesting is, sometimes people ask what I remember about the game, and different games. And unfortunately, I don't have a ton of crisp memories about the game. And sometimes, I ask myself why. And I think it's because I just put my heart and soul into and I just was so focused. And sometimes, I look back and say, "Did I enjoy it enough? Did I really just soak it in?" You always think, well, if you went back in time, what would you do differently? And I think I always was grateful. But you felt that responsibility. And I think, that sometimes weighed on me more than I realized.
Craig Mattick:
Of course it was February of '94, you score your career high, 52 points with Northern. You scored 11 three point shots in that game. And while you were at Northern, Eric, I mean you had time with Lance Luitjens and Ryan Miller, Kevin Burckhard on that roster, and you guys were very successful at Northern. What made you guys so good?
Eric Kline:
That's a great question. But I really believe it was the chemistry and it was the, again, selflessness, it was the friendships, and it was just that belonging, that sense of belonging. I remember there was just a great love and respect for each other. And so you got guys that have talent, but you also have guys that work really hard, and they've got each other's backs. And I think that was the key to the success.
Craig Mattick:
Was there one game that you're behind, late in a game, and you said, "Hey, give the ball to me. I think I got it. I'll put you on my back." Did you ever have those kind of games?
Eric Kline:
Nothing really comes to mind along those lines. I do remember a funny story being in Minnesota Morris playing for a conference championship. And I got followed at the end of the game on a three point shot. And I didn't realize that I had three free throws. I thought I was only getting two shots because I didn't realize it was a three point shot. I just missed it. And so I missed my first free throw. And on my second one, I'm supposed to have two more shots, but on my second one, I throw it hard off the rim because I'm like, "I've got to do something."
And I get the rebound and put the ball in a layup and all the guys are just standing there like, "What are you doing?" It was embarrassing, no doubt. But anyway, we ended up losing that game. And again, my teammates were gracious and they came around me and encouraged me. And I appreciated that because that was not a very smart move.
Craig Mattick:
Northern makes it to the NAIA finals in your sophomore and junior year. What was special about those Northern teams making it to the finals. And I think most of those games were played there in Aberdeen.
Eric Kline:
So yeah, we had lots of playoff games that were able to be played here. And I just remember how full the Barnett Center was and the crowds and the band and the people and just the celebration of watching these young men play ball. And again, I mean, those are the things that I just think I'm just so grateful for all of that community support. It's just nothing like it. And so yeah, we were able to embark off to Nampa, Idaho and play in these championship runs and talk about competitive basketball.
And probably one of my biggest... It's not a regret, but it's just like, "Oh, I just wanted to bring that championship home to Aberdeen. I know the girls did it." And it's just like, "Wouldn't it have been cool for the guys to do it too in the same year?" And then also for coach Olsen, it's just like, "Yeah, let's get that guy a championship." So yeah. But it never happened. We were so close.
Craig Mattick:
The city of Aberdeen loves its basketball. They're always at the top or near the top in attendance at Northern Wolves games. You probably played in front of a full arena for every home game, your college career in Aberdeen.
Eric Kline:
And I remember the attendance is just, and this community support has been profound. I remember in high school, the old Civic Arena where Northern used to play their games. And I was a little guy. I'd go watch and I was always amazed. And you've got Scott Bosanko and Scott Kusler and the guys playing at the old Barnett Center that holds, I think, about 2,500 people. And so you can imagine it was just standing room only in there. And so high school ball was like that where the arena was full of people.
And then you go over to Northern and play in the Barnett Center where that's full of people. And it's something that I don't take for granted. I mean, it's really special. And then to be able to be here on campus working now, I'm humbled by it. It's really, really exciting.
Craig Mattick:
When you run into your fans, people who watched you play, is there one game they always mention, "I remember when you did this."
Eric Kline:
For high school, I have had some people mention the 59 point game against Huron. And there was also another high school game where Rapid City Stevens came. And it may have been an overtime game back and forth, and we ended up winning on a last second shot. And then in college, it's not so much a game, but it's, "I just really appreciated those years of basketball. It just really meant a lot to us. We drove from a small town. The family got in the car and we came to town to watch the Wolves play basketball." And it's just like, "Wow. Great."
And again, humbling to hear that a family would take their kids, get in the car, come to Northern and watch the games. And we as guys, we knew that. I mean, we knew that people were coming, sometimes from quite distance, to watch the Northern game. And that really is special.
Craig Mattick:
You were the superintendent of Aberdeen Christian last year, and the boys made the state tournament last year. And of course, it was in Aberdeen. What were your feelings going through that whole state tournament last year, watching the team that you were the superintendent of and certainly the town that you played in?
Eric Kline:
That to me is really special to be able to encourage the guys and cheer them on and to know what it feels like to be a part of a state tournament. It's really special. And I think it's even more special for Aberdeen because we host the state Bs and all these pounds come out with their support and their fans and it's just such a beautiful atmosphere. And then you're there, at almost 50 years old, watching these guys have a dream and watching it come to pass.
I know they wanted to do a little bit better than they did, but the year before that, they were second place, and the year before that was the COVID year and we had qualified for the first time in school history. And then of course, this year, they're hoping to get back there and do well again. So I'm cheering them on from a distance even though I'm not at the school.
Craig Mattick:
Yeah. I know that education was a big part of your life, knowing that you wanted to get into education right after basketball. But was there any time that you thought about being a coach?
Eric Kline:
That's a great question. And I know the answer right away about being a coach and the answer is no. Because what's interesting when I observe myself, I coached junior high basketball and I did okay at coaching junior high basketball. But I watch how the Terry Smalls and the Bob Olsons, and you watch how they're able to analyze the game and see the X's and O's of it, where I was more of an intuitive player, where I wasn't as an analytic player as I was an intuitive player. And so I felt like, I just knew that it just wasn't my skillset because I could just tell. So anyway, I stuck to junior high and that was about good enough.
Craig Mattick:
I know that your faith has been really important. A strong faith in high school, strong faith in college, you still have a strong faith, probably kept you pretty levelheaded. What was it like with your faith in high school and going into college? It's been a big part of your life.
Eric Kline:
Yeah, it really has been. And that stems back to when I was nine years old and my dad had a car accident, and my dad's given me permission to share the story because it might help somebody else. But he had a challenge with alcohol and he had a car accident and it nearly took his life. And at that time, priorities changed for us and I started going to church. And as soon as I went into that church and I was hearing the hymns and I was hearing about God's love for us, I felt home. And that was the beginning of just a lifelong journey of loving God and knowing that he loves us and that he is love, and that really does inspire me and encourage me and give me hope every day. And so that was the catalyst for change in our lives.
It was, why does it take a rock bottom experience for us to change and grow? I wished it weren't that way, but sometimes it is. And then in high school, my sophomore year, I was feeling the pressure of the responsibility of being a basketball player in a state tournament and state championship and having to go back and play another one. And I was struggling emotionally. I remember praying, "God, I'm not having as much fun. I need some help here." And then early on in the season, I met a little boy named Travis Peters who had cancer. Terminal cancer. He didn't have very long to live.
And my dad showed me the newspaper article after I had been coming back from a road trip from Watertown where I was disappointed in my play and feeling sorry for myself. And I read this article about a little boy. And guess what his goal was? His goal was to be a Golden Eagles basketball player. And if that doesn't bring you to your knees, I don't know what will. And I'm like, "Wait a minute. I've been given a gift to be able to play this game, put that uniform on." And it just changed my perspective. And it was just an answer to prayer that has really helped me every day think about the gift of each day, the gift of life, the gift of people, and the gift of God's love. That's the hope that I have, and love to share with others whenever I can.
Craig Mattick:
Well, unfortunately, that young man you're talking about passed away the day that you were at the state championships in Rapid City.
Eric Kline:
Yes, he did. Travis, he lived the whole season. He lived longer than expected. And he passed away during the semi-final night of my sophomore year in high school basketball. That was the year I missed that shot to win the game. And I tell you what? Knowing that Travis was in my life and helped me reset my thinking and my priorities, that last shot missing, that hurts, but not nearly as much when you think about all the things we have to be thankful for.
Craig Mattick:
Last one for you. Eric, what are you most proud of, of your basketball career?
Eric Kline:
That's a great question. What am I most proud of? I think that I would have to say the relationships I made with the guys and their kindness to me and just what it meant to be a part of something together, that togetherness really is something that's special to me. And I know don't always get to see all of my teammates very much anymore, but if they're listening, that to me, I'm just so grateful for them. I'm grateful for the coaches and the fans. And I think just remembering that it's a gift.
And we can talk statistics and we can talk records. And when it comes down to it, there's just so much to be thankful for. And I think I did all right, staying in that perspective, and I'm thankful for that. It's been life lessons that have carried over as I'm 50 years old now, and that now I get to encourage high school kids that come to campus to take some of their early college experience classes and I'm like, "Wow." I get to share my life with them, and however I can encourage them, I'm super excited about it.
Craig Mattick:
If you like what you're hearing, please give us a five star review wherever you get your podcasts. Programs such as this are only possible to the continued support of our listeners like you. For South Dakota Public Broadcasting, I'm Craig Mattick. Join us again on the next episode of In Play.
