And, three coaching changes of note
This week’s column takes a brief look back at the accomplishments of a St. Paul City boys’ basketball team and three current coaching changes throughout the metro area.
St. Paul Johnson State Champs
Ten years ago Maxie Rosenbloom, Estan Tyler, Roosevelt Scott, Demetri Conwell, Jordan Pluff, Dante Warlick, Anthony Lee, Marcus Marshall, Xavier Henry, Christopher Smith-Bond, Prince Williams and Xavier Black-led St. Paul Johnson to the 2010 Class 3A state title in domination fashion with a 32-0 record.
The Governors, led by head coach Vern Simmons and assistants Colin Moore an Anthony Williams, used an 11-man rotation that wore teams down as games progressed.
Moore was named head coach when Simmons retired after a successful 20 years at the helm. They were the St. Paul City Conference champs this past season.
Tanysha Scott
Scott is the new girls’ basketball coach at Roseville High School. The former DeLaSalle standout, who went on to star as a point guard at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, previously coached at her alma mater.
The Islanders captured the 2019 Class 3A state championship under Scott’s leadership and were poised to play the championship game before the coronavirus COVID-19 halted tournament play.
Damian Johns
Johnson, a former University of Minnesota men’s basketball forward, takes over the Benilde-St. Margaret’s boys’ basketball team.
He had coached the past three years at North St. Paul, leading them to two Metro East Conference titles. Johnson had a very successful professional career in the NBA and overseas before entering the coaching field.
Yolanda England
England, an assistant girls’ basketball coach at St. Paul Como Park, became the school’s head coach after Alexis Gray-Lawson resigned to coach at St. Joseph Notre Dame in California.
Como Park has been one of the state’s most dominant teams the last half of the decade, winning the last six conference and Twin City championships.
