As former prep boys’ basketball stars, Allan Lankfard Sr. (St. Paul Central) and Brett McNeal (Minneapolis North) watched Twin Cities Academy defeat host St. Paul Central 69-56 last month, a little history was connecting with the past.
Lankfard and McNeal—rivals during the 1983-84 and 1984-85 seasons at the peak of the St. Paul Central-Minneapolis North rivalry of the 1980s—had sons competing against each other in the nonconference contest.
McNeal’s sons, guards Carrington McNeal and Carmelo McNeal, each had 16 points to lead Twin Cities Academy while Allan Lankfard Jr., Central’s leading scorer for this season as a freshman, finished with 10.
Allan Lankfard Sr. and Brett McNeal found time to reminisce about the good old days. “This place was packed when we played,” McNeal said to Lankfard as he looked around the gym.
“We had some serious battles,” McNeal continued. “This gym [Central] and our gym [North] was always packed when we played.”
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