Keeping it in the family

Five brothers who shared the state tournament experience

Let it be known that there is a family in St. Paul in which each male member participated in the boys’ basketball state tournament.

Brothers Charles Pattain (Mechanic Arts), Kevin Pattain (St. Paul Central), Derrell Pattain (St. Paul Central), Terrell Pattain (St. Paul Central), and Marlon McCoy (St. Agnes) all participated in the big dance.

Charles Pattain (1975) played center for a team that featured guards Benny Hill and future NFL player Elmer Bailey as they finished runner-up in Class A, losing to Chisolm, who had the current coach at Vermillion Community College, Paul McDonald, playing center.

Keven Pattain (1979) — who would go on to a Hall of Fame career in football and basketball at Concordia University — was reserve guard for the team that started Central’s dominance in the 1980s. That team featured center Farron Henderson, forwards Rickey Suggs and John Williams, and guards Davey Givens, Brian Dungey, and future NFL player and two-time Super Bowl winner Stacy Robinson.

The Minutemen entered the tournament with an undefeated record before falling to Duluth Central — led by Co-Mr. Basketball winner Greg Downing — in the Class AA final.

Twins Derrell and Terrell (1982) were reserve guards for a team that featured center Marvin Bond, forwards Duane Hollins and Paul Jackson, and guards Von Sheppard and all-state backcourt mate Brian Jenkins.

The Minutemen lost to St. Cloud Tech in the first round and lost the consolation championship to a Minneapolis North team featuring guards Harlan Hill and Rickey Hicks and forward Jay Rundles.

McCoy (1994) was the starting point guard for St. Agnes when they won the Class A state title. He teamed with guards Lester Jackson and Juan Taylor, forwards Char Davis, Craig Vaughn and Khamni Lloyd, and center Jahmai “Pancho” Phipps as the Aggies defeated Morris and University of Minnesota recruit Kevin Loge.

Twenty years later, as fate would have it, Marlon McCoy Jr. — with his father serving as assistant coach — teamed with Keenan Bellaphant, Eric Winter, Thomas Hansen and Brody Jackson to help Tartan High School to the Class 4A state tournament, where they lost to Hopkins in the first round.

Quite the accomplishments! Quite the family!

Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com.