2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

[bigticket1]

Saw on Gopher message board that 7'1" Carson Shanks, from the 2014 class from Prior Lake,MN has received an offer from UNI and has visited Wisconsin. He is the nephew of former Jack,7'3" Brian Shanks (1975). Don't know the story on Brian - according to the media guide,he only lettered the one season. http://gopherhole.com/modules.ph...ticle&sid=1253

[filbert]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

Shanks (70's edition) was, as I recall, all height. He was not particularly mobile or athletic--in fact, if I'm remembering the right guy, he had a body type that would make someone like Fiegen look like a world-class body builder in comparison. "Shanks" was a very, very apt last name.

I'm not sure he really liked playing basketball, to be honest, but since he was a really tall guy, that's what he did.

[NoVaJack]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

Shanks (70's edition) was, as I recall, all height. He was not particularly mobile or athletic--in fact, if I'm remembering the right guy, he had a body type that would make someone like Fiegen look like a world-class body builder in comparison. "Shanks" was a very, very apt last name.

I'm not sure he really liked playing basketball, to be honest, but since he was a really tall guy, that's what he did.

Believe Jacks had 6-11 Bob Ashley on that same team. Old timers, is my memory correct?

[filbert]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

Believe Jacks had 6-11 Bob Ashley on that same team. Old timers, is my memory correct?

Yup.

(Oh. Damn. Outed myself again as an old-timer. Sigh.)

[Nidaros]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

I can reach further back, this young man's great grandfather, I assume was Bill Shanks, who played for Lake Preston and later Huron College. Seem like the great grandfather was only about 6'6, but was tall for his time.

[Nidaros]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

Believe Jacks had 6-11 Bob Ashley on that same team. Old timers, is my memory correct?

I think you are right, I was living in Dayton Ohio about then and we had no SDSUFAns.com message board at the time.

[JackJD]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

Brian Shanks is the Supintendent of Schools for the Elk Point - Jefferson School District.

Nidaros is right about roots...Brian was from Lake Preston. When Yankton recruited 6-11 Chad Nelson (out of Waubay, I believe), Huron recruited Shanks. (Okay, Yankton and Huron fans...lets hear the protests about recruiting -- filbert?) They were both in the high school class of 1974 and moved to their new schools about their sophomore year.

Brian Schanks was on the SDSU roster a year but transferred to Northern. Not sure if he played basketball at Northern. He was awarded his BA and MA degrees from Northern and an advanced degree from USD. Here's a link to his bio on the Lake Preston - Jefferson website: LINK

Related: Chad Nelson went on to play four years at Drake ... I watched Chad play against Larry Bird's Indiana State team in Des Moines. In the Eastern South Dakota Conference the year Nelson and Shanks were seniors, Watertown had the shortest post player, Dennis Tilly, at 6-7!

[Nidaros]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

Brian Shanks is the Supintendent of Schools for the Elk Point - Jefferson School District.

Nidaros is right about roots...Brian was from Lake Preston. When Yankton recruited 6-11 Chad Nelson (out of Waubay, I believe), Huron recruited Shanks. (Okay, Yankton and Huron fans...lets hear the protests about recruiting -- filbert?) They were both in the high school class of 1974 and moved to their new schools about their sophomore year.

Brian Schanks was on the SDSU roster a year but transferred to Northern. Not sure if he played basketball at Northern. He was awarded his BA and MA degrees from Northern and an advanced degree from USD. Here's a link to his bio on the Lake Preston - Jefferson website: LINK

Related: Chad Nelson went on to play four years at Drake ... I watched Chad play against Larry Bird's Indiana State team in Des Moines. In the Eastern South Dakota Conference the year Nelson and Shanks were seniors, Watertown had the shortest post player, Dennis Tilly, at 6-7!

By the picture, it appears Brian is a grand dad, and his father who would be about 75 would be a great grand dad. It seems time flies and it seem only yesterday I watched the championship game of Dist 11 B in the Barn, when great grand dad played.

Jack#1 might be able to add something here as I believe he would have been a class mate of the great grand dad at Lake Preston high.

I do recall while home for a summer vacation, hearing some flap about Brian being recruited by Huron High.

[NorCalJack]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

Well I went to High School in Huron and the younger Shanks, Mike was his first name I think, ended up at 7'0" or 7'1". He graduated in 1983 I think and went to Northern to play basketball. There are a lot of tall people in that family that is for sure.

[76Rabbit]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

OK JD, Mrs. 76 here. I'm not going to protest about the recruiting but just correct a couple of points. Chad was from Bryant and would have played HS ball in Hamlin (with Steve Brown) had they not moved to Yankton. I think you recall Waubay because his Dad moved to Waubay as the superintendent after Chad and his sister Cyd (78) graduated from Yankton. Had a younger brother, Coy, that played there. I can't tell you for sure how old Chad was when they moved to Yankton but it was definitely in Middle School. He started varsity as a freshman. Chad was originally recruited by Minnesota and spent one year with the Gophs before transfering to Drake. He was 6' 11" and Brian was 7'0". I would agree with Filbert that Brian had "tall' going for him but not nearly the athlete that Chad was. It will be interesting to watch the recruiting of the next generation of Shanks!!

Brian Shanks is the Supintendent of Schools for the Elk Point - Jefferson School District.

Nidaros is right about roots...Brian was from Lake Preston. When Yankton recruited 6-11 Chad Nelson (out of Waubay, I believe), Huron recruited Shanks. (Okay, Yankton and Huron fans...lets hear the protests about recruiting -- filbert?) They were both in the high school class of 1974 and moved to their new schools about their sophomore year.

Brian Schanks was on the SDSU roster a year but transferred to Northern. Not sure if he played basketball at Northern. He was awarded his BA and MA degrees from Northern and an advanced degree from USD. Here's a link to his bio on the Lake Preston - Jefferson website: LINK

Related: Chad Nelson went on to play four years at Drake ... I watched Chad play against Larry Bird's Indiana State team in Des Moines. In the Eastern South Dakota Conference the year Nelson and Shanks were seniors, Watertown had the shortest post player, Dennis Tilly, at 6-7!

[JackJD]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

OK JD, Mrs. 76 here. I'm not going to protest about the recruiting but just correct a couple of points. Chad was from Hayti and would have played HS ball in Hamlin (with Steve Brown) had they not moved to Yankton. I think you recall Waubay because his Dad moved to Waubay as the superintendent after Chad and his sister Cyd (78) graduated from Yankton. Had a younger brother, Coy, that played there. I can't tell you for sure how old Chad was when they moved to Yankton but it was definitely in Middle School. He started varsity as a freshman. Chad was originally recruited by Minnesota and spent one year with the Gophs before transfering to Drake. He was 6' 11" and Brian was 7'0". I would agree with Filbert that Brian had "tall' going for him but not nearly the athlete that Chad was. It will be interesting to watch the recruiting of the next generation of Shanks!!

You are right -- Hamlin. I should have remembered that! I was two years older than Chad so I was foggy on when he started playing for the Bucks but he was playing when I was in high school. Chad played football well and could throw the shot and disc in track.

Can't imagine how Hamlin would have been if Chad played there. Gonna have to tease 76Rabbit that Castlewood would have REALLY struggled with Hamlin if Chad hadn't moved!

[renny1]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

If Carson Shanks is Brian's nephew, then Bill was his grandfather and Sky Shanks was his great grandfather.

[Jacked_Up]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

Brian was a very good high school player at Lake Preston and Huron. He followed his high school coach, Gene Zulk, to SDSU, I believe. He played at SDSU for a year, then transferred to Northern and played there. Brian was smart and had nice touch, but living up to the expectations that come with being a 7-footer can be tough He's obviously been successful off the court.

[jackmd]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

Being a Hamlin grad who now lives is Yankton Chad Nelson's name is brought up on occasion. As for speculating about prospects this far out? That's why they call it speculation. I, for one, am not that intrigued or interested.

[Nidaros]

Re: 2014 7'1" Prospect - Nephew of Former SDSU Player

If Carson Shanks is Brian's nephew, then Bill was his grandfather and Sky Shanks was his great grandfather.

I believe you are right. I think Bill graduated about 1953 from Lake Preston. Some how I got an extra generation in there.