Prep Scene
This week’s column is about two boys basketball coaches leading their teams, a former girls basketball star leading the state’s top Division I program, and three graduates from one of the state’s top high school girls basketball programs who have gone on to leadership positions.
Thursday, December 20: Howell, Edwards lead teams
High school basketball coaches Scott Howell (St. Paul Central Minutemen) and Darren Edwards (South St. Paul) saw their teams compete in the Hutton Winter Classic at Hamline University.
Behind the outstanding play of senior point guard Elonzo Simmons, the Packers jumped out to an early lead before seniors James Kennedy and Vonte Lewis hit some clutch shots, and junior Allan Lankfard Jr. provided the floor leadership that propelled the Minutemen to a 72-68 overtime victory.
Sunday, December 10: Battle leads Gophers
Former Hopkins High School girls basketball standout Amaya Battle has emerged as a team leader for the University of Minnesota women’s basketball team.
As the Golden Gophers starting point guard, the sophomore scored 15 points with four assists and two steals in leading them to a 60-58 victory over the Purdue University Boilermakers in their Big Ten conference opener.
In leading Minnesota to an 11-1 start to the season, Battle is averaging 9.9 points and seven assists per game.
History: Milan, Robinson, Buford making a difference
Former St. Paul Central girls basketball greats Ashley Ellis-Milan, Angel Robinson and Kiara Buford have a definite connection, which adds to the school’s legacy.
The legacy began in 2005, Ellis-Milan’s senior year, when she led the Minutemen to a third-place Class AAAA finish in the state tournament before moving on to an outstanding collegiate career at the University of Minnesota.
Robinson, who transferred from St. Paul Johnson, following her sophomore year, as Ellis-Milan graduated, led Central to the 2007 Class AAAA title with a 32-0 record before embarking on a Hall of Fame career at Marquette University.
Buford, who was a freshman starter during Ellis-Milan’s senior year and a junior during Robinson’s final season, led the Minutemen to the 2008 Class AAAA crown her senior year and was an outstanding player for the Golden Gophers.
While all three were outstanding prep and college players, they have gone on to make significant contributions as adults.
Ellis-Milan is the head girls basketball coach at East Ridge High School. Robinson leads the girls team at Tartan High School, while Buford, who led Robbinsdale Cooper to the Class AAA state championship in 2018, currently serves as director of Alumni Relations/NIL at the University of Minnesota.
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