Overview: 6 Unforgettable State Tournament Teams
Sports Columnist Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald revisits six iconic Twin Cities boys basketball teams spanning from 1989 to 2010. Detailing legendary championship runs and standout players like Khalid El-Amin, Juriad Hughes, and Maurice Hargrow, this column honors the coaches, rosters, and historic moments that shaped local basketball culture.
1989: St. Paul Central (23-4), Class AA state fourth place, Coach Dan Brink
The Minutemen were led by starters Juriad Hughes, David Hollman, Christian Hayes, Jerome Paul and Ron Taylor, with Frank Kelly and Stephen Kennedy coming off the bench.
Hughes, the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball finalist, and the sharpshooting Hollman averaged 25 and 17 points per game, respectively.
In the tournament, Central defeated defending champion Cold Spring Rocori before losing to Robbinsdale Armstrong and Stillwater.
1990: Minneapolis North (17-9), Class AA state runner-up, Coach Robin Ingram
The Polars, seeded No. 5 in Region 5AA that season, were led by starters David Dennis, Charles Frazier, Marvin Walker, Hubert Register and Taj Rich, with Sean Strickland and Will Criss providing a spark off the bench.
The outstanding play of Rich and Dennis, along with the quiet leadership of Walker, led the Polars to a victory over conference rival and top-ranked Patrick Henry High School in the region championship game.
Once in the tournament, North defeated Cretin-Derham Hall and Fergus Falls before losing to Owatonna in the championship game.
1994: St. Agnes (25-5), Class A state champions, Coach Dick Ghizoni
The Aggies were led by seniors Jahmai “Pancho” Phipps, Marlon McCoy, Lester Jackson, Char Davis and Craig Vaughn, along with juniors Kamani Lloyd and Juan Taylor.
Expectations were high after the foursome of Phipps, McCoy, Jackson and Davis enrolled as freshmen in 1990. After three seasons of disappointment, it all came together in 1994, with St. Agnes defeating Morris Area in the championship game. McCoy was a Mr. Basketball finalist.
1995: Minneapolis North (30-0), state champions, Coach Robin Ingram
The Polars were led by Khalid El-Amin, Jabbar Washington, Chris Rainey, Kavon Westberry, Albert Green, Elbert Wall and LeDale Davis.
El-Amin, a sophomore point guard at the time, was the team leader. Washington, a fellow sophomore, also had an outstanding tournament.
After contributing to two tournament victories, Lockhart and Rainey were ruled academically ineligible for the title game. Despite a slow start, the Polars came out on top, defeating Staples-Motley.
1999: St. Paul Highland Park (27-2), Class 3A state champions, Coach Charles Portis
The Scots were led by Mark Wingo, Terrance Stokes, Maurice Hargrow, Josef Mathews, Jamal Diaz-Cruz, Joshua Watson, Geoffery Brown and Daniel Lee.
Stokes ran the point, Wingo and Miley took care of the scoring and rebounding inside, and Hargrow, a sophomore, later blossomed into one of the state’s top college prospects. Highland Park defeated Cold Spring Rocori in the championship game.
2010: St. Paul Johnson (32-0), Class 3A state champions, Coach Vern Simmons
The Governors used a rotation of Maxie Rosenbloom, Estan Tyler, Roosevelt Scott, Demitri Conwell, Donte Warlick, Christopher Smith-Bond, Jordan Pluff, Marcus Marshall, Xavier Black, Anthony Lee, Prince Williams and Xavier Henry.
Rosenbloom and Conwell provided the leadership, while Tyler and Scott were among the top Division I prospects in the state. Every team member contributed to each victory. Johnson defeated Grand Rapids to win the title.
Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses at mcdeezy05@gmail.com.