Montana's Best Dunkers

[robomomo]

ryan leaf could flat out dunk on anybody and do any kind of dunk. lets not forget he was offered to play bball at several colleges and actually made the team at wazzu, but didn't play. ferch,camel,and leaf are by far the best dunkers ever.

that;s the biggest joke ever. I've never played against a flatter footed toad in my life. Camel had springs, but never showed them off in games.

 

[grizfnz]

Jim Stergar-6'
Jake Larson-6' (Butte High, track at UM, football at Western)
Ryan Wetzel-6'3"? (Billings Central...awesome dunker)
Matt Seidensticker -(Shelby, UM...tons of great traffic dunks in HS)
Dissly - saw him convert 3 lobs in state semi's (I believe). One of the lobs he adlib'd and threw it down behind his head.

When Jim Stergar played at Western he was a phenominal dunker in contests...games? Not so much....it involved stepping inside the 3pt line.

Ryan could put down a 360 when he was a Frosh. He suffered some odd muscle problems, (I pretty sure his brother Shawn called it compartment syndrome) later on and never jumped the same.

a few more for the list:
Mark Gillman - Kallispel
Roger Fastings- Glendive
Scott McKenzie- Chinook (late 80's)
Chris Spoja - Helena
Ben (?) Quigley- Aussie transfer played for Charlo (mid 90's)

 

[robomomo]

Was Spoja at UM around 90-94, was awesome until he got fat??????

 

[maroon]

From Montana: Kral Ferch his dunk over St. John's Willie Glass in the NCAA tourney.....CLasssssssssssssssic. end of discussion.

I agree with the Cat....I thought he dunked over Walter Berry.

This is a really old thread. My quote above was back in 2005. The Kral Ferch dunk story has been around for a long time here and on BN. I think he dunked over Sheldon Jones.

 

[mtgrizrule]

I wish I could list a new name of the past onto this list, but can add one to keep an eye on in the future.

My dad's family is from Glendive. I seen Fastings play quite often in HS. He was a very good dunker. The Hopkins kid from Thompson Falls was a very underated player, and talented enough to play 1A ball. I think he went small college or jr college, and is a Freshman this year. Mark Gillman could easily dunk in 8th grade, and in my opinion was a better basketball player than football. Kral Ferch hands down is the best Montana born dunker I have seen. I believe his dunk against St Johns was on Walter Berry. For those that never seen that dunk, find it somewhere!!! It was an absolutely phenomenal dunk.

I have thought of new name from the 80's that I hope rings a bell to Great Falls or Glendive folks. Does anyone remember a player named Kevin Evans? He was black player from DC, and played for one of the Great Falls HS teams when his father was stationed there. I believe he Graduated in 85 or 86. His vertical was a legit 40". I know, he was the 1st player that dunked on me from the low block without a dribble. Kevin played JC ball for Dawson under John Morrison. Morrison drew up at least 6 alley oop plays for him a game. Someone tell me they remember him.

Here is my name to keep an eye on. I have mentioned this kid a few times on EGRIZ as a kid to watch. Ben Roberts, 6'1" of Sentinel. The kid is the most talented freshman in the state. He is already a well rounded player, and IS 1A talent already. He is a phenomenal athlete and already does dunks in traffic including baseline and reverses. As a Freshman he was in Sentinel's 8 man rotation, and could have made a huge impact if they did not have the Seniors they had. There are only 3 ways he does not play 1A ball, (1) burnout (2) chooses baseball or football over basketball. He can play either sport at 1A. (3) Injury.

Mark my words this kid will be a stud in one sport or the other. Selfishly, I hope he pursues basketball. If he were 6'7", he would be getting more looks than Osweiller.

 

[Sugar Bear 16]

Griz players I always liked Fastings.

Current High schoolers: I'd have to say Colt Idol out of Whitefish.

Old school High schoolers:
Takes Enemy Hardin
Pilgrim Plains
Stang Plains
Hellickson Plains
Spoja Helena
Brian McGraw Capital
Camel Hellgate/Mission
Dick Hellgate
Stergar Anaconda
Ferch Brothers Park High
there is a lot more that's all I can think of now.

 

[mtgrizrule]

Griz players I always liked Fastings.

Current High schoolers: I'd have to say Colt Idol out of Whitefish.

Old school High schoolers:
Takes Enemy Hardin
Pilgrim Plains
Stang Plains
Hellickson Plains
Spoja Helena
Brian McGraw Capital
Camel Hellgate/Mission
Dick Hellgate
Stergar Anaconda
Ferch Brothers Park High
there is a lot more that's all I can think of now.

The Plains program from the mid 80's to early 90's was argueably the best program in the state. They had the talent to play AA ball. 100 point games were the norm for that program. Many of those points were generated on defense too. They were 10 deep every year during that time. Pilgrim, Hellicksons, Johnstons, Willet, Brownings, Wachsmuth, etc (this sucks, I cannot think of any other names from that program back then.) were quick, athletic, and big. They could play small or big. For those that remember them, please add names to this list, I know I left out a few very good players. To date, they were the funnest HS team in Montana that I have ever seen.

 

[mtgrizrule]

Another name to add. I did not get to see him play much, but do remember a few highlight reel dunks from him. Kim Doss from Sentinel (86 or 87) had some mad hops.

 

[Sugar Bear 16]

Griz players I always liked Fastings.

Current High schoolers: I'd have to say Colt Idol out of Whitefish.

Old school High schoolers:
Takes Enemy Hardin
Pilgrim Plains
Stang Plains
Hellickson Plains
Spoja Helena
Brian McGraw Capital
Camel Hellgate/Mission
Dick Hellgate
Stergar Anaconda
Ferch Brothers Park High
there is a lot more that's all I can think of now.

The Plains program from the mid 80's to early 90's was argueably the best program in the state. They had the talent to play AA ball. 100 point games were the norm for that program. Many of those points were generated on defense too. They were 10 deep every year during that time. Pilgrim, Hellicksons, Johnstons, Willet, Brownings, Wachsmuth, etc (this sucks, I cannot think of any other names from that program back then.) were quick, athletic, and big. They could play small or big. For those that remember them, please add names to this list, I know I left out a few very good players. To date, they were the funnest HS team in Montana that I have ever seen.

Well outside of the ones you mentioned and me there also is Shane Moss, Andy Swanson, Tupper Daniels, Derek Von Heder, Don Cheri, Matt Diehl, Carl Olson (who was the 3rd member on their 87 team who could throw down as well as Pilgrim.)

That's all the ones I can think becuase, Stang and Swanson graduated after Royce Johnson and they were kinda of the last of that run. I watched Whitefish play this year and noticed that Stang had the Bulldogs out pressing and slapping the floor just like the old Horsemen used to back then.

 

[mtgrizrule]

Todd Reich of Hot Springs in the late 80's was quite an athlete. I never seen him play, but am thinking he should have been quite a dunker. Anyone recall if he was or not? I left the area and did not follow Hot Springs after that.

I thought the BigFork and Corvallis teams of the mid to late 80's had few dunkers on them. Cannot remember names though.

 

[bigtyme]

This is sort of in conversation, but a kid that was dunking in middle school and had some pretty damn good basketball talent was Greg Carothers of Capital. If it wasn't for football he had a career in basketball as well. His older brother Keith could also leap out of the gym and played college ball. I have seen Greg a couple of times since he played in the NFL and it does not look like he is slimming down at all. He was fun to watch as a Huskie.

 

[grizfnz]

Todd Reich of Hot Springs in the late 80's was quite an athlete. I never seen him play, but am thinking he should have been quite a dunker. Anyone recall if he was or not? I left the area and did not follow Hot Springs after that.

I thought the BigFork and Corvallis teams of the mid to late 80's had few dunkers on them. Cannot remember names though.

1987 Corvallis Dunkers
Shawn Wetzel
Huck Seed
Rick Griffin

 

[DuCharme]

Gary CrossGuns...

I don't believe he ever did it in a game, but during warm-ups, he'd do what amounted to a 'header' (bounce the ball off his forehead) off the dribble into the backboard, catch the rebound in flight and throw it down... not a whole lot of players were into the playground style of dunks yet at that time... Gary was.

His was another life that ended tragically short.

 

[GK19]

I'll throw my vote in for Luedtke as well. I'm sure I just hacked his name, but that dude was fun to watch. During warmups AND during games. I was at the game at CFalls when he dropped 51, by far the best individual performance I have ever seen in person. I wish he would have stuck with the Griz.

 

[Sugar Bear 16]

For the record Crothers wasn't dunking in Middle School or High school. I grew up in Helena and in Junior High Greg was pigeon toed and an average hoop talent. He really didn't hit his great athletic ability until the end of his freshman year. By the time he was a senior he could dunk sometimes in lay-up drills in practice but, he never threw one down in a game. His brother was a d1 talent but, had a lot discipline problems that didn't help matters. His brother now he had mad hops. When it comes to football I've never seen a player bring the lumber or thunder like Crothers did, holy crap he could hit.

 

[Montana Gym Rat]

Dan the man. Not from Montana but easily the best dunker ever affiliated with Montana.

His trademark backflip hand spring into a tomahawk jam brings down the house every time at dunk contests.

He's pretty fun to watch at a wedding reception as well.... :laugh:


Ryan Wetzel was an amazing leaper. Definitely up toward the top of the list.


Luedtke was explosive and could play above the rim, but I don't know if I would call him the best dunker. Of course, I don't see many dunk contests - just going off of game situations.

Hardin had a couple kids who were fun to watch. Skinny Russell & Joe House/Horn? Around the time when they were unbeatable in that 1995-1997 era.

Rob Rouse from Dillon was another good leaper. Dustin Endsley from Billings West could do some pretty impressive things.

That adds a little eastern Montana flavor from the late 90's. :thumb:

 

[rezgriz]

In college you're right about Stergar he didn't want to come inside the 3 line but could still absolutely fly.

I still give my nod to Luedtke as the best game dunker he would have at least 1-3 dunks a game in high school and also when he moved on from the griz also and could drunk in traffic on guys that were way bigger.

Jake Larson could fly too but has one of the worst attitudes of anyone out there but is an absolute freak and his and Amy Brooks' kid is going to be quite the athlete.

Another person that hasn't been mentioned on here is a former griz football player that went by the name of Tuff Harris he was one of the best all around athletes ever he could absolutely fly!!

 

[Mslacat]

Lot of great dunkers listed here but if you are looking for the best dunker from the sate of Montana it is.....

Kral Ferch

..... end of discusion, next topic!

 

[Sugar Bear 16]

There is still plenty of discusion left. I'd say Fastings and Ferch are both atleast top 3.

 

[Mslacat]

There is still plenty of discusion left. I'd say Fastings and Ferch are both atleast top 3.

You can discuss 2 and 3 all you want. #1 belongs to Kral, it not even close