Former Governor Basketball Coach Dies

PIERRE, S.D. – Former longtime Pierre Governor Basketball coach Roger Pries passed away Friday losing his battle with bone cancer.  Pries coached the Governor basketball team for 21 seasons from 1958 to 1979 and retired after the 79 season, the year that the Governors won their first State Class A Championship since 1944.  Pries culminated a record of 193-90 and his team made 10 appearances in the State Basketball Tournament.  He was named Coach of the Year in South Dakota High School Basketball in 1971. Pries also did color commentary of Governor basketball in the 1980 season with Rod Fisher, current Sport Director of the Dakota Radio Group.  Funeral Services for Pries will be Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 10 am at the Pierre First United Methodist Church.