Does anyone really care anymore? This year’s annual Jackie Robinson Day (April 15) held by Major League Baseball (MLB) has come and gone. Unfortunately, as I sat last Saturday in a virtually all-White press box watching a game where players of both teams wore Robinson’s No. 42 on the 70th anniversary of his breaking baseball’s […]
Sports
Local and national sports reporting and commentary by the state’s leading African American sportswriters, including award-winning columnists Charles Hallman and Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald, with a special emphasis on the local prep scene and disparities in sports administration and media coverage.
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Post-W Draft reflections
There weren’t many, if any, surprises in last week’s WNBA Draft. Kelsey Plum was selected first overall by San Antonio, but unlike some who predicted otherwise, she did not get traded after being picked. Only once in league draft history (Lindsay Harding in 2007) has a top overall pick been traded right after she was […]
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Oturu leads CDH to third place finish
Daniel Oturu — the 6’8” junior and University of Minnesota commit — scored 21 of 38 points in the second half to lead Cretin Derham Hall to a 71-61 victory over Lakeville North to help the Raiders capture third place honors in the Class 4A state boys’ basketball tournament last month. The forward also had […]
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Austin runner-up in state tournament
The Austin High School boys basketball team — behind the outstanding play of senior forward Oman Oman, and junior guards Duoth Gach and Both Gach — placed second in the Class 3A tournament last month after losing to five-time defending champion DeLaSalle 72-44. The Packers defeated St. Thomas Academy (55-49) and Marshall (73-53) before facing […]
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Analysts preview the 2017 NBA Playoffs — the ‘real season’
The 2017 NBA Playoffs begin Saturday — “the real season,” declares former NBA great Reggie Miller. Miller and fellow NBA Analyst Kevin McHale on Thursday talked to the media, including the MSR, about the upcoming post-season. They will work Turner Sports’ playoff coverage on TNT — it’s the network’s 33rd consecutive year of NBA coverage. Sunday’s TNT tripleheader features two East […]
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Believe it — we did it again!
April has started with a bang! It’s been an incredible week, one I call the greatest week in sports. I saw North Carolina win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Monday night with a 71-65 win over Gonzaga in Glendale, Arizona. North Carolina matched what Clemson did — they came back and beat Alabama in the college […]
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2017 W Draft prospects — heavy on ‘depth’
Minneapolis native Nia Coffey, who played at Northwestern; Baylor’s Alexis Jones and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough of Maryland, are among 10 invited prospects who will be “in the heart of New York City” for Thursday’s WNBA Draft, one month before the 2017 regular season tips off May 13. Coffey, Jones and Walker-Kimbrough are likely first-rounders in a […]
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Coaching experience connects to family legacy
A couple of weeks ago I forgot to acknowledge a very important member of a prep basketball family legacy in a column about a state championship team. I had to go back to my first coaching experience 25 years ago to be able to explain how this former superstar connects to his family’s legacy. In […]
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Diversity hiring gains remain few and far between
College sport earns an average grade for racial and gender hiring, says the latest report card by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES). “College sport…faced further challenges…as it experienced decreases in both gender and racial hiring,” wrote TIDES Director Richard Lapchick in the report’s executive summary released April 6. The combined score […]
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Bell, Karlen, Johnson, Hill named top players
Curtis Bell (St. Paul Washington), Aliza Karlen (St. Paul Central), Isaac Johnson (Minneapolis North), and Morgan Hill (Minneapolis South) were named Players of the Year (POY) in their respective conferences in boys and girls basketball. Bell, a 6’-3”senior guard who was named St. Paul City Conference boys basketball POY, is one of the best players you’ve never heard of. He averaged 25.5 points […]
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Greatest week in sports?
It’s arguably the greatest week in sports. The cry of “play ball” is ringing across the United States with the boys of summer. Major League Baseball kicks off, all 30 teams, and in Minnesota the Twins open against the Kansas Royals at Target Field. Last year, the Twins dropped 103 games, while the Royals have […]
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North High upgrade — a step in the right direction for city athletics
Thanks to Hennepin County, all seven Minneapolis public high schools now have updated weight rooms and new equipment. Last week North High School became the latest to open theirs — this week’s MSR front page features a story on its grand opening. While at the festivities, we asked school district officials if the new addition […]
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A winning moment!
Minneapolis North prevailed over North Woods to win its second straight Class A championship March 25. After the game, North High Senior Guard Jaquan Sanders-Smith enjoyed a moment with Larry McKenzie, who became the first Minnesota basketball coach to win multiple State Championships from different schools. He won two with North and four with Minneapolis Henry. Travis Lee welcomes reader […]
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Suggs, Bickham, Smith and Lockett lead Minnehaha Academy
Jalen Suggs, JaVonni Bickham, Lorenzo Smith, and Terry Lockett led Minnehaha Academy to a 47-36 victory over Crosby-Ironton to capture its first Class 2A state championship since 2013. Suggs, a 6′- 3″ freshman guard could be on his way to being one of the state’s best ever. He led the way with 22 points. Smith, […]
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DeLaSalle led by Mar, Kalscheur and Terry
Goanar Mar, Gabe Kalscheur and Tyrell Terry helped DeLaSalle captured its sixth consecutive Class 3A state boys basketball championship last week defeating Austin 72-44 at the Target Center. George Mason University signee Mar, a 6′-7″ senior forward, led the way with 28 points. Six-foot- three junior guard Kalscheur had 12, 5′- 11″ senior back-court mate […]
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Four teams desert-bound for Final Four
Over the years I’ve grown very fond of Arizona with so many golf courses and resorts, and between November and March you can get away from the stress that goes with winter and the bad weather. Arizona is the spring home of 15 of Major League Baseball’s training sites in Tempe, Scottsdale, Tucson, Mesa and […]
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Recalling a great Gopher run now 20 years past
Erasing it from the record books does not erase it from memory Inspired by TV One’s Unsung series, this multi-part MSR series shines a well-deserved spotlight on individual or group accomplishments that unfortunately have been overlooked, or perhaps even “forgotten.” This week the spotlight is on the last Big Ten champion. Before the league instituted […]
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Former Gopher hoops coach now coaching executives
Former U of M women’s basketball coach Pam Borton, since leaving the school, now coaches senior business executives. After nearly 30 years as a Division I head coach, Borton was the fifth Gopher coach we covered in our women’s basketball beat. She recently published On Point: A Coach’s Game Plan for Life, Leadership, and Performing […]
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Wright IV, Hill, and John lead Champlin Park
Guards McKinley Wright IV, Marcus Hill and forward Theo John led Champlin Park to a runner-up finish in the Class 4A state boys basketball tournament last weekend losing the title game to Apple Valley 60-54. Hill, a shooting guard, led the way with 15 points, floor leader Wright IV had 14 points and John added […]
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Jones leads Apple Valley to Class 4A title
Junior guard Tre Jones scored 24 points and grabbed 14 rebounds while dominating on both ends of the floor to lead Apple Valley to a 60-54 victory over Champlain Park and the Class 4A state boys basketball title. Mason Morse added 12 points and Mohamed Kone played a near flawless floor game for the Eagles. This was […]