Prep boys basketball: Esko's Fischer named All-Area Player of the Year

Quinn Fischer (1) of Esko shoots the ball against Virginia during the Section 7AA championship game at Romano Gym in March. Fischer is the News Tribune All-Area Player of the Year. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)

By Louie St George III

April 12, 2018 at 7:25 PM

Near the end of a 2017 Section 7AA boys basketball semifinal against Proctor, Esko's Quinn Fischer injured his right calf and had to be carried back to the locker room following the Eskomos' 48-43 victory.

When he went in to have the damage assessed, doctors diagnosed a torn muscle. For good measure, they also informed Fischer that he had a broken bone in his left foot.

Obviously, the then-junior missed Esko's loss to Crosby-Ironton two days later, which snapped the program's four-year streak of section titles. As Fischer says, he was in rough shape.

"He couldn't figure out which foot to limp on," outgoing Eskomos coach Mike Devney said.

Turns out, Fischer had the broken bone in his left foot throughout Esko's postseason run. Good thing basketball players don't use their feet much.

"I just played through it," he said.

Being a spectator during a 52-46 loss to the Rangers, who went on to finish second at the Class AA state tournament, was just as torturous. Fischer had to watch helplessly as the Eskomos, including his brother, Ben, a senior, bowed out.

It was three or four months before Fischer could get back on the court, an eternity for a teenager. Once the all-clear came, he made up for lost time. And when the Eskomos reconvened in November, Fischer was back and better than ever, a couple inches taller at 6-foot-5 and ready to take on a bigger role.

The growth of his game was impossible to miss. Fischer went from dependable to dominant, from being left off the News Tribune's All-Area teams as a junior to player of the year as a senior.

"Too dang good to stop," one opposing coach said while casting his vote for Fischer. "We could figure out everyone else, but we couldn't stop him."

The three-year starter found myriad ways to impact games, not the least of which was a relentless will to win. When 7-foot-3 anchor Adam Trapp went out late in the year with a knee injury, the Eskomos responded by dispatching five quality foes. Fischer led the charge on both ends of the floor.

"He just took us on his shoulders," Devney said. "I think he did that all year long, though. There were a lot of games we would not have won if not for Quinn."

Fischer, a lockdown defender always getting his hands into passing lanes, didn't produce an avalanche of points. But on a balanced club with four double-digit scorers, and one that stresses defense over offense, he didn't have to. The guard efficiently averaged 16.2 points per night, shooting a scorching 60.6 percent on 2-point attempts.

Fischer added 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals a game, helping Esko go 28-5 and reclaim its position atop 7AA.

Devney said Fischer found another gear once January hit. Maybe he was still working his way back from the injuries, maybe he just needed a nudge to be more assertive and less generous with the ball.

"Sometimes you have to be a little selfish. You have to take it upon yourself to go score," Devney said. "He's a great team player. He's always looking for everybody else, setting other people up and trying to do everything within the system, but sometimes you have to have that go-to guy that's going to get you a bucket or get you a steal or get you a rebound. He seemed to be that."

The Eskomos ended the season winning 18 of 19 games en route to a fifth-place showing at state. Their lone blip in that stretch was a triple-overtime sucker punch vs. St. Cloud Cathedral in the Class AA quarterfinals. Esko had defeated the Crusaders 59-56 a month earlier, but that March night at Target Center the boys in blue squandered a 10-point second-half lead.

The defeat was extra haunting for Fischer, who fouled out in the third OT on one of those flip-a-coin calls. He and a Crusader both went up for a loose ball and, once they landed, Fischer was whistled for his fifth foul.

"I was just disappointed," Fischer said. "From my point of view, I didn't think I fouled him. Walking to the bench was tough, wanting to be out there."

Esko went on to salvage the week by winning its next two games.

Now, Fischer turns his attention to college basketball. He will play at St. Scholastica, and Devney thinks the Saints got a steal. For starters, Fischer says he's still growing and could tack on a couple more inches, which would be dangerous for a player who's already a terrific leaper.

Then, there's the fact that Fischer is still working to unpack his vast potential. He made noticeable strides each of the past three seasons for the Eskomos. Devney called it incremental progress. Fischer, the coach said, never was "satisfied with where he was at."

"He just continued to get better," Devney said. "He has a very high basketball IQ. He's one of those kids if you show him something once, you don't have to worry about it. He's going to do it, he'll continue to do it and he'll do it right."

News Tribune boys basketball players of the year

Year: player, school

2018: Quinn Fischer, Esko

2017: Jake Skelly, Grand Rapids

2016: Brandon Myer, Superior

2015: Bjorn Broman, Lakeview Christian

2014: Kory Deadrick, Esko

2013: Anders Broman, Lakeview Christian

2012: Anders Broman, Lakeview Christian

2011: Johnny Woodard, Duluth East

2010: Dyami Starks, Duluth East

2009: Steve Tecker, Northwestern