Author: David Shama

USA Today ranks Centennial No. 10 in the country among girls high school basketball teams. The Blaine school is No. 1 in the newspaper’s rankings of teams in the Midwest.

Sophomore forward Damian Johnson, probably the Gophers’ most improved player, is an early choice for my All-Big Ten defensive team.  The 6-7 forward is second on the Gophers in steals with 1.76 per game, plus he may deflect six or more basketballs in a game. Johnson ranks fifth in the Big Ten Conference in steals and Gopher freshman Al Nolen is first with 2.44 per game. Johnson had 14 steals in 28 games last season while averaging 1.4 rebounds and 1.6 points per game.  This season those averages are: 4.5 and 7.1.

With the crowds increasing and the temperatures plummeting, how about opening the doors at Williams Arena 90 minutes before game time instead of one hour?

Rick Majerus, who had loyalists here promoting him for the Gophers job last year, coached his St. Louis team to a 49-20 loss earlier this month.  The 20 points was the lowest in NCAA Division I basketball since the clock shot inception.  When Majerus was at Utah he coached in the 1998 national championship game against Tubby Smith’s Kentucky team.  Majerus is featured in a recent Sports Illustrated article that conveys his colorful (understatement) language, temper and also generous nature.  Michael Doleac, who starred for Majerus at Utah and now is a reserve with the Timberwolves, describes Majerus as the best coach he’s played for, high school, college or pros.

Texas Tech’s Bobby Knight, who had his boosters too for the Gophers job, won his 900^th career game recently, but didn’t express much pleasure about it at a news conference.  How can a man have so much success and seem so unhappy?

Freshman Cole Aldrich isn’t starting but is contributing for No.3 ranked Kansas.  The former McDonald’s All-American from Bloomington Jefferson has yet to start a game for the Jayhawks but is averaging 9.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

John Bell Wilson, the former Gopher basketball manager and official scorer, includes Portland’s Joel Przybilla among his friends. Wilson said the former Gopher center blends his skills and unselfishness with whatever players are on the floor. Przybilla’s numbers are modest, 4.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, but he’s an effective role player for the young Blazers who are among the NBA’s surprise teams.

It’s anyone’s guess what Pryzbilla’s assignment and whereabouts will be next season when 2007 NBA No. 1 draft choice Greg Oden rejoins the Blazers after missing this season with a micro fracture knee injury. Wilson said there are reports that Oden’s weight has increased to 290 pounds.

Former Minnesota Timberwovles center Dean Garrett, now living in the Minneapolis area, told Sports Headliners he wants to work for his old team.  Garrett played with the Wolves from 1996-2002.

Former Vikings and Arizona head coach Denny Green still doesn’t have an NFL job but his protégés are numerous.  Among them is Tony Dungy who is likely to announce his retirement from Indianapolis any day.  The former Gopher quarterback and Vikings assistant appears on course to devote more time to family and causes to help others.

If Dungy retires, you wonder about the future of 70-year-old offensive coordinator Tom Moore.  The former Gophers assistant coach has been working for Dungy since Dungy joined the Colts in 2002.

Jack Del Rio was counted as a potential head coaching casualty before the season in Jacksonville but he led the Jags to an 11-5 record and wildcard position in the playoffs.  Former Vikings coach Mike Tice is an assistant head coach for the Jaguars who scored the fourth most points in the AFC last season.

A Denny Green alum who could be looking for work before the next president takes the oath of office is Ty Willingham.  A Green assistant from 1992-1994, Willingham is 11-25 after three seasons as the University of Washington head coach.

Before his career is over, you wonder if former Vikings assistant Monte Kiffin, another Green alum, might work for his son Lane, the former Bloomington Jefferson graduate and head coach of the Oakland Raiders.  Monte, 68, is defensive coordinator for Tampa Bay.

Don’t give up yet on Nolan Brewster, coach Tim Brewster’s son, accepting a scholarship to play for his dad at Minnesota. Recruiting expert Tom Lemming rates Nolan, verbally committed to Texas, among the top 25 prep football players in the nation.

Sporting News lists Wayzata’s James Laurinaitis among five favorites to win the Heisman Trophy next season.  The Ohio State junior linebacker won’t opt early for the NFL, instead returning to the Buckeyes who could make the national title game for the fourth time in seven years.

Attention college football fanatics: the Buckeyes are at Southern California on September 13 in a game almost certain to have mega impact on the BCS standings.  Stubhub.com lists a ticket price range of $379 to $9,999.

Marian Gaborik has played in 42 of the Minnesota Wild’s 47 games.  He played in only 48 games last season because of a groin injury.

It’s a little premature to reserve space in the basketball Hall of Fame for 23-year-old Al Jefferson but his name is already being mentioned more frequently with one guy who is in the Springfield, Massachusetts shrine and another who is a cinch to one day be inducted.  The Timberwolves’ young star, one of the few players in the NBA to be averaging 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds, is being compared with Hall of Famer Moses Malone and Kevin Garnett, who at 31 has enough on his resume to qualify for Springfield.

Jefferson turned 23 on January 4.  He’s been making this a memorable month with career highs of 39 points against Phoenix on January 23 and then 40 versus New Jersey earlier this week. The 6-foot-10 forward-center is averaging 21.1 points per game and 12.4 rebounds this season.

In and around the lane Jefferson dazzles with footwork, fakes, power, quickness and scoring.  He draws comparisons to Malone who made a reputation as one of pro basketball’s most effective inside scorers and relentless rebounders including on the offensive end where he commanded rebound after rebound until the ball went through the basket.

Similar in size, style and talent, Jefferson and Malone also have this in common: both went directly from high school to pro basketball.  At 23 Malone was averaging 15 rebounds per game and 19.4 points in the NBA.

Jefferson was the prize possession in the trade last summer that sent Garnett to Boston for five players.  Last fall it would have been considered blasphemy to suggest Big Al is as valuable to the Wolves as Garnett.  Now it seems like common sense.

Jefferson is a much more accomplished low post player, plus more reliable scorer and clutch basket producer than Garnett.  The latter led the NBA in rebounding the last four seasons, but now Jefferson’s 12.1 is better than the 31-year-old Garnett’s 9.9 rebounds per game.  Jefferson will never match Garnett’s shot blocking and defensive effectiveness, but he’s a capable defender.

At 23 Garnett’s stats included the following: 20.8 points per game and 10.4 rebounds. It’s an argument as to which player you would rather have this season, but given the difference in their ages there’s no doubt Jefferson is your man for the long run.  That makes Wolves executive Kevin McHale, who plotted the Celtics deal, look good because Jefferson is a potential superstar for the Wolves to build around.

Jefferson looks good, too, when comparisons are made to McHale, another Hall of Famer whose deft moves and footwork made him so difficult to guard that Charles Barkley said for years that McHale was the best player he ever played against. Jefferson’s teammate, Ryan Gomes, played with him for three seasons in Boston before coming in the trade here.  Gomes said Jefferson has been improving his offensive skills “each and every year since I’ve been with him.”

“He’s playing so well,” Gomes said. “He’s one of the top five low post players with his back to the basket in this league.”

Asked specifically about Jefferson’s well publicized footwork, Gomes brought up Tim Duncan’s name.  He said the San Antonio center’s footwork is the best in the league right now.  Oh, yes, that’s another future Hall of Famer mentioned in the same breath with Jefferson who, by the way, is still young enough to be playing college ball.  The Wolves, 8-36 with the worst record in the NBA, are thrilled he’s not.