Gophers Basketball – Page 98 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Basketball Ticket Sales Increase at U

Posted on August 13, 2017August 13, 2017 by David Shama

The University of Minnesota Athletic Department has sold almost 500 more public season tickets for men’s basketball than in early August of 2016. Totals in several public season tickets categories as of August 3 of this year showed increases over 2016, according to figures provided by the department to Sports Headliners.

The Gophers reported 251 new public season accounts and 594 new tickets. Those totals on August 3, 2016 were 63 new accounts and 102 tickets.

The public season tickets total provided was 6,848, compared to 6,141 last year. (No student season tickets figures are published here because the sales campaign doesn’t start until September.)

Although the athletic department is still selling season tickets for the home 2017-2018 schedule, the renewal deadline for past ticket holders was May 31. The department reported 97.8 percent of tickets were renewed, compared with 82.7 percent a year ago.

The “box office” trend isn’t surprising given the unexpected success of last season’s 11-7 Big Ten team and national media optimism about the 2017-2018 Gophers who Sportingnews.com ranked No. 10 in the country. The public season ticket totals will increase between now and the team’s first games in November, and student sales seem likely to surpass those for 2016-2017.

That’s good news for an athletic department which has seen a decline in public season tickets since 2000. There has also been a drop off in individual game tickets sold. In recent seasons sellout crowds have been the exception at historic 14,625 seat Williams Arena.

Minnesota ranked 11th in average attendance last season in the 14-member Big Ten Conference. The Gophers averaged 10,308 fans per game and ranked No. 37 in the nation. By comparison, Wisconsin led the Big Ten with a per game average of 17,286 and ranked sixth nationally.

For years the Gophers basketball product has often been disappointing fans including the 2-16 Big Ten record in 2015-2016. Last season’s 11-7 record was just the third time since 2000 that Minnesota has finished with a winning record in league games.

Coach Richard Pitino, who will begin his fifth season at Minnesota in the fall, has the program trending upward now with all but one of his key players returning for next season. He also has promising newcomers on the 2017-2018 roster led by flashy New York City point guard Isaiah Washington. There appears to be more good news coming with what might be a national top 10 recruiting class in 2018.

A run next winter at a Big Ten title and a couple of wins in the NCAA Tournament could really make ticket numbers jump in the next 12 months. That would be a welcome addition for a season ticket base whose core features aging customers who have been supporting the program for a long time.

Worth Noting

One player who likely won’t be in Pitino’s 2018 class is Tre Jones. The Apple Valley High School senior point guard will announce his college choice later today and basketball recruiting authorities will be stunned if he doesn’t select Duke. (Every predictor on 247Sports, for example, says Duke).

The Blue Devils have been on his short list and the successful experience of older brother Tyus Jones at Duke seems like an important factor. Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski might be the best basketball coach on any level in the world and has produced a long list of pros.

The Saint John’s-St. Thomas football game at Target Field on September 23 is one of the college games for the 2017 season featured in the current issue of Sports Illustrated. S.I. said: “This one promises to be a thrill for those seeking the purity of ye-olde game: no national scholarships, no national-TV cameras, no football-player only dorms, no leaving early for the draft. It’s just two teams filled with mostly local kids pounding away for bragging rights.”

That was former Timberwolves broadcaster Kevin Harlan and ex-Vikings quarterback Rich Gannon working Thursday night’s Packers-Eagles game from Green Bay on the Packers TV Network. Harlan said the network, including stations in Alaska and Hawaii, is the “third largest” in the NFL.

During Friday night’s Twins-Tigers telecast, analyst Torii Hunter asked broadcast partner Dick Bremer if he will be wearing his Speedo swimsuit Monday. The Twins will have an off day then and Bremer plans to be at his lake place. Bremer’s Monday plans prompted Hunter’s question, and a quick no from the veteran broadcaster.

Hunter’s son, Torii Jr., was drafted in the 23rd round last year by the Angels and is playing center field for the Orem Owlz in the Pioneer League where he is hitting .317 with one home run and 11 RBI in 32 games. The 22-year-old was better known for football at Notre Dame where he was a wide receiver.

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Ex-coach Likes U Big Ten Title Chances

Posted on July 27, 2017July 27, 2017 by David Shama

A Thursday notes column including summer optimism about Gophers basketball.

Count former Gophers Big Ten championship coach Jim Dutcher among those who expect a memorable 2017-2018 basketball season for Minnesota. “At a minimum they’re an NCAA (Tournament) team, with a great chance to win the league,” Dutcher told Sports Headliners.

Minnesota returns all but one key player (guard Akeem Springs) from last season’s surprise team. The Gophers, who had a 2-16 league record in 2016, won 11 of 18 conference games last winter. Dutcher looks at a roster that includes 2017 All-Big Ten guard Nate Mason, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Reggie Lynch, and Amir Coffey, who was named to the All-Freshman team, and sees an improved win total next year.

“I would think they gotta be in the 12, 13 range in minimum wins, and could even be better than that,” Dutcher said.

National media have the Gophers included in top 25 rankings for next season. Sportingnews.com put Minnesota at No. 10 in a listing in the spring, and that’s not too high for Dutcher who sees the Gophers and Michigan State as the favorites to win the Big Ten championship. The Spartans are a consensus top five team heading into next season.

It might be over 20 years since offseason optimism has been so high about Gophers’ basketball. In the summer of 1996 Minnesota returned all five starters, including all-time great guard Bobby Jackson. Minnesota won the Big Ten title during the 1996-1997 season and advanced to the Final Four—with those achievements and others later erased by the NCAA after an investigation involving academic fraud.

Summer optimism about coach Richard Pitino’s program also extends to recruiting for his class of 2018. Three high profile state of Minnesota high school seniors have committed to Pitino—DeLaSalle’s Gabe Kalscheur, Cretin-Derham Hall’s Daniel Oturu and Orono’s Jarvis Thomas. Dutcher believes landing Coffey, who starred at Hopkins, was a “breakthrough” for the Gophers in state recruiting. Another factor in play is Minnesota’s new basketball practice facility that is expected to open in 2018.

Minnesota’s 2018 class is No. 5 nationally in the composite rankings by 247Sports. That’s one of the highest rankings in program history. Dutcher’s five-player 1978 freshman class was recognized as No. 1 in the nation. The class formed the core of his 1982 conference title team.

Indigo Thompson, the daughter of Gophers all-time leading football rusher Darrell Thompson, is a junior volleyball player at San Diego State. She started her college career at Virginia Commonwealth.

It wouldn’t be surprising if she has talked with her brother Race Thompson about playing basketball at San Diego State. Race, a senior at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School and among the state’s high profile prospects, has verbally committed to Indiana.

Gophers’ offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover was dismissed by head coach Tracy Claeys after the 2015 season but Penn State has turned out to be “Happy Valley” for him. Limegrover is in State College, Pennsylvania preparing for his second season as the Nittany Lions’ offensive line coach where he will have one of the best “o-line” units in the Big Ten. Running back Saquon Barkley, a Heisman Trophy favorite, will make Limegrover and the blockers look good on a Penn State team that could repeat as Big Ten champs.

The Vikings are holding their 52nd and last training camp in Mankato this summer before relocating to their new training facility in Eagan. The absence of the NFL team in Mankato is sure to have an economic impact on the city, with sources as far back as 2010 estimating the annual figure at $5 million.

A July, 2010 Mankato Free Press story reported that in 2009 an estimated additional $5 million in local revenue resulted from Vikings training camp, with more than 50,000 visitors coming to Mankato. Those figures have likely increased in the years since, but multiple media reports this summer have still estimated the economic impact at $5 million.

Fans can attend practices between now and the close of camp on August 9, but players have off days August 1 and 8. The Vikings’ first preseason game is August 10 against the Bills in Buffalo. Fox 9 will televise the game that starts at 6 p.m. Minneapolis time.

Dalvin Cook (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

Although much anticipated Dalvin Cook is a rookie, he isn’t that young for a first-year player. Cook, who declared for the NFL Draft after three seasons at Florida State, turns 23 on August 8. The Vikings know he could be their replacement for Adrian Peterson after making him the third overall running back chosen in the draft.

Vikings single game home tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. today via Ticketmaster.com only. Included was the Green Bay game on October 15.

Controversial baseball umpire Joe West, whose confrontations include the Twins, is featured in a seven-page story in the July 24-31 issue of Sports Illustrated. Peter Thamel writes that West once ejected Ron Gardenhire before the Twins manager could open his mouth.

Hale Irwin, who will be in town to compete in the 3M Championship next week, will speak to the Twin Cities Dunkers group next Thursday morning. Irwin is the all-time leader on the Champions Tour in earnings with over $27 million and tournament wins at 45.

Originally known as the Minneapolis Dunkers, the group had its first meeting in October of 1948. The most famous names in Minnesota sports history have spoken to members over the years—plus some national speakers such as Bobby Knight, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Brokaw and Thomas Friedman.

Minneapolis restaurateur Wayne Kostroski, who founded the Taste of the NFL in Minneapolis for the 1992 Super Bowl, was featured in the July 17-23 Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal. Kostroski, who has started similar events for other high profile sports, comes full circle next year with the Minneapolis Super Bowl.

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Watch Out for Team Jones in Pro Am

Posted on June 27, 2017June 27, 2017 by David Shama

Local basketball fans already have incentive to watch Twin Cities Pro Am games but next month becomes even more appealing. Tyus Jones, the Timberwolves reserve point guard and 2014 Minnesota Mr. Basketball, will join brothers Tre Jones and Jadee Jones on Team Jones.

The NBA doesn’t allow players to participate in summer league games like the Twin Cities Pro Am until July. It’s then that Tyus can make undefeated Team Jones even better.

Tre is preparing for his senior season at Apple Valley High School, where Jadee, 31, has coached the junior varsity. Tre is one of the nation’s most sought after prep point guards and in a Team Jones win over Hybrid Nation on Monday night was at times the best player on the floor. That’s saying something since the first-year league has rosters filled with college and pro players on the six teams.

Tre played his first game since injuring his ankle in late May. He said “the rust” was coming off Monday night. That pleased him and so did the anticipation of playing with Tyus for the first time since Tre made the Apple Valley varsity as an eighth grader.

Tyus Jones (photo courtesy of Minnesota Timberwolves)

There’s more to the anticipation, too. “Once Tyus is back and all three of us get to be out there, that will be kind of cool,” Jadee said. “That will be the first time we’ve ever played together.”

At times all three Jones brothers will be on the floor together at the TC Pro Am games that are played at DeLaSalle High School. Jadee, who played collegiately at Mankato, profiles himself more as a shooter, while Tyus and Tre can do many things but are often praised first as playmakers.

“We really know each other’s games so it will be fun.” Jadee said. “We’ve talked a lot about it. Get a chance to be out there together. Can’t wait until we can make it happen.”

The Team Jones roster also includes Gophers sophomore forwards Eric Curry (now with short hair) and Michael Hurt. Even without Tyus, Team Jones is 3-0 so far on a league schedule that started June 19 and continues for several more weeks. Should Team Jones be made the favorite to have the best regular season record and win the playoffs?

“I don’t know if you can put it on us yet,” Jadee said. “See how we do once Tyus comes…but we really like our team.”

Pro Am Notes

The draw for many fans attending the free games of the Pro Am league is the Gophers players including incoming freshman Isaiah Washington. Known for flashy moves and shots, the New York City point guard might have a skillset unlike any player who has ever been a Gopher. The best comparison could be with Ray Williams, the former Gopher guard-forward, also from New York, who dazzled crowds at Williams Arena in the 1970s before playing in the NBA.

Washington has made an early impression on Pro Am commissioner Jamar Diggs. “He is a special athlete,” Diggs said.

Former Gopher Trevor Mbakwe, who plays for Hybrid Nation, was asked if Washington’s flamboyant style might make it more difficult for the former New York City Mr. Basketball to fit in with older teammates. “I am sure there’s going to be times when Nate (Mason) is going to have to bring him to the side to do something. Change what he’s doing, but I don’t think that‘s going to be an issue at all (fitting in),” Mbakwe said. “We have great upperclassmen.”

Mason plays in the Pro Am league for Hybrid Nation so he isn’t on Washington’s N1 Motion team that includes Gopher Jordan Murphy, but as a senior point guard Mason’s job will be to mentor the freshman. Monday night he sat next to Washington on the bench during N1 Motion’s game against Diggs Team.

Washington looked disinterred in playing defense in the game but earlier in the evening Diggs cautioned about making too much of any player’s profile in Pro Am games. “To be honest, this is glorified pickup (basketball),” Diggs said. “No matter who comes in here, you can’t notice too much what’s going on. It’s not a college game. It’s not a professional game.”

Mbakwe, though, has picked up on the excitement of fans about Washington. “We’re lucky to have him here,” Mbakwe said.

Mbakwe stays in touch with former Gopher teammates including Royce White, who is trying to make a comeback after being an NBA No. 1 draft choice in 2012. “He’s a hell of a player,” Mbakwe said.

So good, Mbakwe contends, that White is worth a $100 million contract in the NBA. And Mbakwe compares White, a versatile scoring, rebounding and playmaking forward with Draymond Green, a star front court player on the NBA champion Warriors. “What Draymond Green is doing right now, Royce could be doing,” Mbakwe said.

Mbakwe and Diggs both played professionally overseas last season. Mbakwe was in St. Petersburg, Russia but isn’t sure about where he will be next season. Diggs, who was a high school standout at DeLaSalle, was MVP in the Lithuania League and is also sorting out plans while running the Pro Am league he organized.

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