Sports odds and ends
The Big Ten has packed up and left town after two weeks of basketball. There were many sights and sounds at last week’s MBB tournament, and we tried to capture and report on them as much as possible.
Showed out
Michigan State soph Tre Holloman (Minneapolis) had an impressive tournament for the Spartans, who defeated Minnesota in their opening game last week. The 6-2 guard scored nine points (3-3 FGs), four assists, two steals and a rebound. He followed that performance with a 10-point effort against Purdue with four boards, a steal and an assist.
“I guess I did play well and represented my city,” Holloman told the MSR. With family and friends in attendance, he added, “I had to show out.”
MSU Coach Tom Izzo said of Holloman after last Thursday’s Minnesota game, “I thought it was one of his best games. You come home, you want to play well in front of some of your family and friends.”
First time there
There were many young Blacks who attended their first postseason tournament in person. One was 16-year-old Nation Medlock, who watched the Gophers-Spartans game. His Minnesota Internship Center (MNIC) High School, a local charter school, purchased tickets and awarded them to students from their three campuses.
“I like it,” said Medlock, who added he wouldn’t have been able to attend if he hadn’t been selected.
Legends on the air
Former college stars Walt Williams (Maryland), Terry Mills (Michigan) and Billy McKinney (Northwestern) worked as analysts for their respective schools’ broadcasts at the tournament.
“Coming back here, there are so many great memories having lived in the Twin Cities for eight years. It’s fun to be back and run into old friends,” noted McKinney, who was the first Minnesota Timberwolves top executive during its expansion years and later as a team broadcaster.
Diminishing diversity
With Michigan firing Juwan Howard last week, the Big Ten only has two Black male head coaches—Minnesota’s Ben Johnson and Mike Woodson of Indiana.
“I believe in [Johnson] and I believe in what he’s done,” said Tom Izzo, the dean of Big Ten coaches. “The guy deserves a lot of credit. He did a marvelous job of managing the game [against his Spartans]. At the end, we made a couple more plays than they did. When you look at him being a Minnesota kid, there’s going to be a lot of great years ahead of him.”
Game-winning layup
UMD last weekend advanced to the second round of the Division II NCAAs in Mankato with a buzzer-beating layup for a 59-58 victory over Fort Hays.
“I think that’s probably the first game-winner as time expired that I’ve been a part of,” said Bulldogs guard Joshua Brown (Minneapolis) afterwards. “It’s a great time to have it—survive and advance.”
The team played Northwest Missouri State Sunday evening. Results were not available at press time.
Norfolk State dominates
Minneapolis’ Kierra Wheeler and her Norfolk State team virtually swept the MEAC season awards. The 6-2 junior forward won Player of the Year and first-team honors along with teammate Diamond Johnson; Niya Fields made second team, and Da’Brya Clark and Anjanae Richardson made All-Rookie.
Wheeler and Johnson both made MEAC All-Defensive Team, and their coach Larry Wickers won Coach of the Year.
Wheeler made a key block with 13 seconds remaining as Norfolk State went on to win the MEAC Tournament title 51-46 last Saturday. She led all scorers with 20 points and 15 boards as the Spartans earned the NCAA automatic bid. She is the team’s leading scorer (17.5 ppg), rebounding (9.4, second in conference) and blocks (1.4, second in conference).
“They’re headed to the dance once again!” her father Mario Green, who was at the contest, rejoiced.