Louis Boone, Minneapolis Washburn (1979-1998)
Boone, behind the outstanding play of Eric Minea, Aaron Boone, Akeem Carpenter, Byron Suttles and Adrian Patterson, led the Millers to the 1994 Class AA state championship. Washburn was always in the mix come tournament time.
Other outstanding players coached by Boone include Brian Carpenter, Jerome Graham, Adam Boone, Richard Green and Jason Collins.
Levain Carter, Minneapolis Central, Minneapolis South (1976-1991)
Carter had plenty of success at both schools. At Central, Carter led the Pioneers to a 1977 Class AA state consolation finish with players Russell Gary, Andra Griffin and Al Nolen Sr. leading the way.
They duplicated the feat in 1979 behind the outstanding play of Pedro Perkins, Melvin Armstrong and Jeff Byrd.
At South, Carter experienced more success with another Class AA state tournament, led by Corey Frazier, Steve Seawright and Russell Wilson.
Other outstanding players coached by Carter include Ron “Bud” Gross, David Holmgren, Peter Najarian, Curtis Travis and Russell Smith.
Robin Ingram, Minneapolis North (1988-1999)
In 1990 Ingram, along with the outstanding play of David Dennis, Taj Rich, Marvin Walker, Sean Strickland, and Charles Fraizer, led the Polars to a Class runner-up finish in the state tournament.
Ingram, who also coached golf at North, led the Polars to three consecutive state championships from 1995-97, while playing in three different tournament formats led by Khalid El-Amin, Ozzie Lockhart and Jabbar Washington.
Jerome Hubbard and Kerek Taylor led the Polars to their fourth consecutive state tournament appearance in 1998. The following season Tedkye Bellfield, Rico Bellfield, Daakaar Bellfield and David Roddy made it five consecutive state tournaments in 1999.
El-Amin, now a coach at Anoka Ramsey Community College, was Mr. Basketball and McDonald’s All-American in 1997.
Tony Queen, Minneapolis North (1976-1988)
Queen had an abundance of talent during his tenure at North to go along with seven consecutive state tournament appearances from 1980-1986
The 1980 state championship team led by Ted Bellfield, Jay Rundles and Redd Overton got North’s run going.
Harlan Hill, Troy Smith, DeNorris West, Darryl Carr, Ricky Hicks, and James Holmes carried the Polars from 1981-1983.
Bronson McNeal, Brett McNeal, and Doug Carter led the Polars to Class AA runner-up finishes in 1984 and 1985, while Tim Bellfield, Bruce Smith and Tim Lloyd led the Polars to fourth place in 1986.
Though North missed the state tournament in Queen’s final two seasons, he had talented players. Both the 1987 team featuring Dan Bannister, Roderick Wade, Derek Rueben, Marc Riley and Marvin Singleton, and the 1988 team featuring Rueben, Riley, John Baker, Jay Hall and Makram El-Amin, finished the regular season as the No.1 team in the state.
Overton (1981), McNeal (1985) and Rueben (1988) were each named Mr. Basketball. Queen’s most successful player, Ben Coleman, was a 1979 Mr. Basketball finalist who went on to star at the University of Minnesota, University of Maryland, and the NBA.
Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader comments to mcdeezy05@gmail.com.