Author: David Shama

Khalid El-Amin is a basketball legend in Minneapolis, even dating back to his playing days as a middle schooler, but eighth grader Tyus Jones, a starter this season for Apple Valley High School, is better than El-Amin at the same grade level, according to Al Nuness.

Nuness should know.  His basketball background includes captain of the Gophers in the late 1960s, later an assistant coach for his alma mater and years of youth coaching with sons Jared and Jordan.

Nuness was close to El-Amin and his family.  Coaching his son Jared’s youth teams, Nuness said he had to “plot against Khalid” trying to figure out the talented point guard who was short and stocky even back in eighth grade, and dominated games with his playmaking and scoring.

“Tyus is better at the same level as Khalid,” Nuness told Sports Headliners.  “He is bigger and stronger.  Passes better.  His basketball I.Q. is just unbelievable.  They don’t come along like him very often.  He’s the real deal.”

Apple Valley’s season is just starting but the 6-foot Jones has helped the Eagles win their first four games.  He had 15 points and 14 assists on Tuesday night in a win over Burnsville, according to https://www.avhoops.com/main.htm.

El-Amin is probably the best prep point guard ever to come out of the state.  He led Connecticut to the 1999 national championship.  El-Amin had the college basketball powers after him and changed a verbal commitment to the Gophers while in high school.

It looks like Jones won’t lack for attention, either.  Gophers coach Tubby Smith is already scouting the eighth grader and you can bet other schools will be in pursuit.

Tyus’ dad, Robert, is Nuness’ nephew so Nuness knows the family.  Nuness said Robert and his former wife Debbie (Tyus’ mom) were both college basketball players, and that Tyus’ brother, Reggie Bunch, was a preseason All-American at Robert Morris College in Chicago.

Both Robert and Reggie are 6-foot-7, according to Nuness, who said Tyus already wears size 13 shoes.  “He has a chance to be the size of a Jason Kidd at 6-4, 6-5,” Nuness said.  “He’s a Division I prospect now (as an eighth grader).”

Nuness said Jones “needs work like anybody (that age) in defending,” but his overall game including shooting, passing, directing the team, plus his court demeanor, is already impressive.  “He is so unassuming,” Nuness said.  “He doesn’t care how many points he scores.  His expression never changes, just a natural face.  You can foul him, or knock him.  His expression stays the same.”

Anytime Nuness walks into a gym, Jones comes over and gives him a hug.  That impresses Nuness and so too does the athleticism that also makes Jones an A student and football quarterback.

When Jones comes over to the Nuness house he likes to spend time looking at family basketball memorabilia.  He sees that Nuness wore jersey No. 21.  So, too, did Jared who played for Valparaiso and Jordan whose college career took him to the Gophers and Minnesota-Duluth.

That’s the number Jones wears, too.  He might one day wear that number with more success than anyone in the family ever did.  “If nothing goes wrong, he will be a rare kid,” Nuness said.  “He’s going to be a blue chipper.”

Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell has a home in the Isleworth golf and residential community near Orlando and lives less than a mile from Tiger Woods.  Until they came up here last week for the holidays, Longwell’s wife and children had to deal with the intense media coverage of the Woods story that has caused national attention.  With helicopters over head and media outside the gated community, it has all been annoying for Longwell’s family and other neighbors.

Longwell said he and his wife had to explain to their young children what all the fuss is about, saying that “Tiger had made some really, really bad decisions and bad choices in not putting his family first.”

Vikings rookie running back Ian Johnson, on the practice squad this year, told Sports Headliners he’s learned “what a business” the NFL is.  He hopes to be on the field playing for the Vikings next year, or with another NFL team, or even playing in Canada.

Blake Hoffarber, who set the school record for a single game with eight three pointers on Tuesday night, has improved his defense, according to coach Tubby Smith who likes Hoffarber’s defensive fundamentals.  Hoffarber is converting .483 percent of his three point field goal attempts after making only .341 percent last season.  Smith said one reason for the improvement is Hoffarber has stopped dipping the ball in his shooting approach.  “He’s got great mechanics, great form,” Smith said.

Wild right wing Martin Havlat has seven points (two goals and five assists) in his last five games.  The Wild have won four of those games.

Defenseman Tyler Cuma, a 2008 Wild first round draft choice, was recently added to the roster for Canada’s World Junior selection camp.  He joins Wild prospects Matt Hackett (goalie) and Marco Scandella (defense) on the roster.

Three MIAC women’s soccer players have been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division III All-America team.  Macalester’s Maddie Mette was a second team honoree.  Concordia’s Sam Johnson and St. Thomas’ Kirsten Moran were third team selections.

Three MIAC football players will participate in the Tazón de Estrellas (Bowl of the Stars) tomorrow at a site near Mexico City.  Bethel’s Tim Cornish (cornerback) and Jared Lyle (nose guard), and St. Thomas’ Jeffrey Hilliard (cornerback) will play on Team Stars and Stripes against the Tec Monterrey All-Stars of Mexico.  The American roster consists of 52 Division III players while the Tec Monterrey All-Stars are from two Mexican campuses.

The Lynx earlier this week selected six-year WNBA veteran and All-Star Rebekkah Brunson in the Dispersal Draft involving Sacramento Monarchs players.  The Lynx  have four players on their roster who played in the WNBA All-Star game during their careers: Seimone Augustus (2006, 2007), Nicky Anosike (2009), Charde Houston (2009) and Brunson (2007).

News that state Senator Dick Day will lead a lobbying effort to allow slot machines at Canterbury Park and Running Aces Harness Park to help fund a new Vikings stadium isn’t enough to convince a stadium expert that this potential revenue source will ultimately be approved.  The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, has extensive experience with stadium funding and building, and considerable knowledge of local politics.

Day is resigning from his position in January to lobby for slots and video games at Canterbury Park and Running Aces, a revenue source that reportedly could produce $125 million per year for the state.  That money could be dedicated to various state causes ranging from education to a Vikings stadium that might come with a price tag of $900 million or more.  The Vikings ownership, along with support from the public sector, is expected to pay for a stadium.

The source said that because of the “Native American gaming lobby, it will be incredibly difficult” to achieve approval by the legislature for expanded gambling.  He believes, though, there’s “wide spread public support” for such legislation and that the issue could be put to a referendum.

“There’s a risk to that (the referendum) but a good chance of passing,” the source said.  The referendum would specify how funding will be used, including for the proposed new Vikings stadium which is being marketed as a multi-use facility to benefit not only the NFL team but also amateur sports and other activities that serve a public need, plus highly attended events such as motor sports and NCAA basketball tournament games that generate revenues for the local economy.

If a referendum doesn’t pass, it could be “very damaging” to the stadium campaign being made by the Vikings and the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, according to the source.  A defeated referendum could be interpreted as a general rejection of a new stadium and send the wrong message to the Vikings and NFL.

“I doubt this (expansion of gambling) will be their No. 1 play (funding source),” the source said.  He believes a metropolitan area tax of some kind is more likely to eventually be approved by the legislature.  The tax revenues would be dedicated for more uses than the Vikings stadium.

The source predicts passage of a Vikings stadium bill is much more “realistic” in 2011 than 2010.  The stadium campaign, though, is building momentum and he said “never say never” about approval in 2010.

Next year is an election year for legislators and the legislature must face difficult budget decisions.  The Vikings’ lease at the Metrodome expires following the 2011 season.