A boy, a ball, a hoop and a dream

He may be quiet in the halls of Hill City High School, but school counselor Chris Stoebner built a basketball career that was anything but quiet.

A versatile 6-4 guard, Stoebner was a four-year starter for the Harrisburg Tigers, making an impact from the moment he stepped on the court. 

“When you grow up in a small town, that’s what you want to do. You want to play varsity and represent your community,” said Stoebner. 

Starting as a freshman brought a new kind of pressure, “especially when your dad is the coach,” said Stoebner. 

Undeterred, he quickly established himself as one of South Dakota’s elite players, earning four All-Conference honors, three-time Conference MVP and three-time South Dakota All-State selection. 

Despite several successful seasons, one goal continued to slip the team—reaching the state tournament. Time and again, Harrisburg fell just short in the postseason at the hands of the Lennox Orioles.

The spring before Stoebner’s senior year, the family had a major decision to make. His father had been offered a coaching position in Yankton, but before any plans were finalized, Stoebner and his father sat down to discuss what his senior year would look like.

“I knew I might have a better shot a making the state tournament in Yankton. Deep down, I knew it would be more special doing it for the small town of Harrisburg,” he said.

Stoebner’s senior year didn’t start off the way he had envisioned, with a 1-3 record, the expectations that he set for himself were taking a toll.

“I will never forget a conversation I had with my dad. We discussed why I play basketball, why I love the game so much and how I just needed to enjoy my last season,” Stoebner recalled. “It really changed my mindset.”

Things turned around and Harrisburg finished the regular season with a record of 14-6 and entered district play as the No. 2 seed behind Lennox, setting up another showdown between the two teams. 

“It was an ugly game, and we were down by five going into the fourth quarter,” said Stoebner. “I remember sitting in the huddle to end the third thinking, here we go again.” 

This time, the ending was different. The Tigers rallied to victory, sending Harrisburg to its first state appearance in nearly 50 years.

“My dad had never coached in a state tournament, so for me, it was something I really wanted for him,” said Stoebner. 

Stoebner led Harrisburg to the consolation championship at the 1999 Class A state tournament. He was honored as a selection for the All-Tourney team and received the prestigious Spirit of Su Award. 

“I was honored and blessed to receive a few awards during my high school basketball career, but without a doubt, this one was very special,” said Stoebner. “To receive an award voted on by coaches who viewed my accomplishments both on and off the court really meant a lot to me.” 

During Stoebner’s senior season, he averaged 25 points per game, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists and racked up an impressive compilation of honors, earning the USA Today Player of the Year, Argus Leader Player of the Year and was a Mr. Basketball finalist.

He became Harrisburg’s All Time leading scorer with 1,822 points and remains the school’s all-time assists leader. In 2014 he was inducted into the Harrisburg Hall of Fame.

Stoebner received offers from several Division II schools for both basketball and football, but ultimately chose to pursue his passion for basketball. He went on to play at South Dakota State University (SDSU) under coach Scott Nagy from 1999-2003, starting 51 of the 111 games he played.

“I ended up choosing SDSU because of the success they had had and the atmosphere of Frost Arena,” Stoebner said. 

During his four years with the Jackrabbits, the team posted a 91-29 record and qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament all four of those years. In 2001-02, they won the North Central Conference League title and averaged a school-record 90.2 points per game.

Stoebner scorned 1,096 career points and ranks fourth for all-time career assists with 404. He was named to the All North Central Conference Team in and Academic All North Central Conference team during the 2002-03 season.

“Looking back on my college career, it was special, not necessarily because of the wins and losses but the lifelong friendships you make and create because that was your second family,” said Stoebner. “You sacrificed for each other to reach goals.”

Following graduation from SDSU, Stoebner held his competitive nature and the desire to play ball. He followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the South Dakota Amateur Basketball League.

“When you have played basketball most of your life it’s hard just to give it up so there are still opportunities to get that competitive fix,” said Stoebner. “I grew up around amateur basketball, and in fact, that’s where I learned a lot about the game following my dad’s team around to tournaments and watching some really great former college players.”

Stoebner built another successful basketball chapter in amateur play, competing in 10 state tournaments while earning five the All-Tournament selections and two MVP awards. But for him, the highlight was sharing the court with his father, winning three state championships together. Something Stoebner describes as, “really special.”

Stoebner was inducted into the South Dakota Amateur Basketball Hall of Fame in March, and holds numerous individual league records.

Stoebner’s love of the game drove him to further carry on his legacy through coaching. 

“Once you get done playing college basketball, your body is worn down, but you know your mind is still there,” he said. 

For Stoebner, coaching was a way to continue to compete, but over time his motivations evolved. 

“I’m doing this to pass on knowledge to kids and make this a great experience for them, it’s truly not about me,” he said.

Stoebner’s first head coaching job was in Minneapolis, with “a couple other stops along the way,” including some college coaching. But when his wife was offered a job in her home town of Rapid City, Stoebner found his home, coaching boys basketball at Stevens High School. 

During his 10 seasons leading the Raiders, he became the winningest coach in program history with 124 victories and guided them to five state tournament appearances. 

“It’s about the experience and the life lessons that kids will get from sports and as a coach you just want to be a guide for them and be part of the journey,” said Stoebner. 

Stoebner resigned from Stevens in April 2025 to focus on his family, wife Jona, daughters Cora and Mara and son Cason. 

Though the family still resided in Rapid City at the time, Stoebner accepted a position at Hill City School District as a school counselor during the 2021-22 school year, bringing his daughters with him to attend school. 

“Growing up in a small school district, I love the small school atmosphere and how the community works side by side to support the school district,” Stoebner wrote in his online biography for the school. “I look forward to being a small part of the success and culture in Hill City School District has developed over the years.”

The family officially moved to Hill City last fall and have fully embraced the community and Ranger culture. Stoebner continues serving as school counselor and helps coach his kids’ basketball teams in his free time. 

His wife Jona, recently moved her chiropractic practice to Hill City and is excited to “start giving back to the community that’s been giving my family so much over the last four years,” said Jona. “Everybody has thrived even more because we are here. We feel like we can be involved in so much more now.” 

In August, Stoebner will receive another prestigious honor: being inducted into the South Dakota High School Basketball Hall of Fame. 

“It is such an honor,” said Stoebner. “The game of basketball has blessed me in so many was. It’s one of those things that I tell kids-If you give your mind, body and heart to something, whatever it is, you will be rewarded. Maybe not today or next week, but you will be rewarded, and that’s how I feel about being inducted into the South Dakota Basketball Hall of Fame.”

Looking back at where it all began, Stoebner recalls, “Most of my game was developed in the driveway. Just a boy, a basketball, a hoop and a dream.”