MN Basketball Hub: After you scored your 2,000th point, what was going through your mind as a timeout was called?
BI: Being a senior, having a fairly long varsity career, being a water boy for Coach (Robert) Schueller since second grade, and just the simple fact that I love playing for the Tigers, I had a sense of sadness that my time here is coming to an end, but another sense of appreciation for what a great ride it’s been. There have been times where I have taken Tiger fans for granted, but I didn’t that night. It’s not over yet, but I will miss playing for the Browerville/Eagle Valley community.
MN Basketball Hub: How does it feel to see all the work on the court and in the weight room pay off by reaching a career milestone like this this?
BI: I’m not going to sit here and tell you it was an accident, because I have put in the work. What I hope people realize is that I am not about scoring points for stats. I am about scoring points to help my team win, and I have been a part of some pretty successful teams under Coach Schueller. This milestone would mean nothing to me if our team would’ve had a losing record for the past five years.
MN Basketball Hub: There’s a lot of season left, but what would be a storybook ending to your prep basketball career?
BI: If you don’t want to go out winning, I don’t know why you would play. I am not making any promises or saying our team is some high caliber team that can’t be beat, but in my storybook, we win the state championship.
MN Basketball Hub: What's your favorite prep sports memory to date?
BI: I’ve had a lot of great sports memories, but I would have to say beating Mahnomen in the first round of state football is my favorite. That was the first win in a state tournament that I’ve played in and the next game was played at U.S. Bank Stadium.
MN Basketball Hub: What is your first memory of playing basketball?
BI: My first memory of playing basketball is when I was very young, I used to show all the old guys (varsity players) my behind the back move where all I really did was bounce the ball in front of them and then spin around. I also remember being scared of Coach Schueller and his loud whistle. I’ve come to learn that he’s really not that tough. Ha ha!
BI: Two weeks would get kind of long for me, so I would split it in half. My first week I would go to any of the Six Flags amusement parks because I love rollercoasters. The second week I would go to some private island and lay on the beach to relax from the first week. It always seems like you need a vacation after your vacation.
MN Basketball Hub: If you weren't busy playing basketball, what would you be doing?
BI: Any completely free time that I have now usually consists of just relaxing. I might watch some TV or play some PS4 (PlayStation 4), but it is really nice to just lay there and let my mind and body take a break. My three little brothers usually don’t let that happen though.
MN Basketball Hub: What's your dream for after high school graduation?
BI: After graduation I would like to have a good college career and put myself into a position to play professionally overseas. I wouldn’t want to spend the rest of my life out of the United States, but I think a couple years would be an unreal experience while getting paid to play basketball.
"Whenever I am walking through the kitchen and am sure that no one is watching, I will drink milk straight from the jug, especially if it’s chocolate milk."
--Bryce Irsfeld