NCAA – Page 117 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Coffey Potential First Round Pick

Posted on June 21, 2018June 21, 2018 by David Shama

Nobody is talking about Amir Coffey right now but a basketball authority told Sports Headliners that a year from now the former Minnesota Mr. Basketball could be a first round selection in the NBA Draft.

Tonight’s 2018 NBA Draft prompts interest locally because the Timberwolves have the No. 20 selection in the first round. Gary Trent Jr., who played at Apple Valley High School and for Duke last winter, is another storyline to follow this evening. But a year from now this community might be focused on Coffey who will have played three seasons for the Golden Gophers and is blessed to have both the height and skills that potentially translate to an NBA career.

“There is no question he could be a first rounder,” said a former Big Ten coach who asked that his name not be used. “I would say if he has a decent season (next winter) he could a mid-first round, or even lottery pick.”

The 6-foot-8 Coffey projects as either a small forward or shooting guard in the pros. His talent package includes athleticism, ball handling, passing, driving, shooting and defending. He is also an unselfish player who cares more about winning than his statistics.

Coffey, though, hasn’t weighed much more than 200 pounds during his Gopher career. He is working to become stronger. “My biggest concern (for Coffey to become better) is his physical strength, and ability to hit the three consistently,” the source said.

A shoulder injury in January caused Coffey to miss most of Minnesota’s Big Ten games during his sophomore season. His stats for all games last season included being second on the team in assists at 3.3 per game, and third in both scoring average and rebounding, 14 points and 4.1 rebounds. His three point field goal percentage was .368 and he made .475 percent of all his shots.

Coffey photo courtesy of Minnesota Athletic Communications

If Coffey had been healthy he might have experienced the kind of season that validated testing the pros’ interest in him entering the draft this spring. Next season he could certainly be the Gophers’ best player and most multiskilled individual. With point guard Nate Mason having graduated, the Gopher coaching staff could utilize Coffey as a point forward and playmaker.

In that role Coffey could distribute the ball to Minnesota’s best low post scorer, forward Jordan Murphy, or pass to one-on-one specialist Isaiah Washington, allowing Washington to slash to the basket, or shoot from the corner. Coffey could also drive with the ball and set up teammates, or choose to shoot either long range or closer to the basket.

“If he (Coffey) gets stronger and improves his shooting he could be a real surprise to people because he is smart and passes the ball extremely well,” the ex-coach said. “His whole thing is staying healthy and getting stronger.”

Murphy will be a senior next season and at 6-6 and 250-pounds is one of the better rebounders and low post scorers in college basketball. The authority quoted here said Murphy is “a hell of a college player,” but may not have enough variety of skills to be drafted or make an NBA roster as a free agent.

The former coach believes Murphy projects as a short power forward in the pros. Murphy probably lacks the quickness to play small forward and defend. His inconsistent outside shooting, ball handling and passing skills are causes for concern, too.

Murphy has been All-Big Ten at Minnesota and so, too, was Mason who won’t be drafted tonight by an NBA team. Mason could receive a free agent invite from one of the league’s 32 teams to play on a summer league team. Scouts likely see him as a player who at 6-foot-2 is undersized to play point guard and has more of a shoot first, pass second mentality.

As for Trent, he might be drafted in the first round or slip to the second. Nbadraft.net projected in its mock draft yesterday that Trent will be chosen at No. 28 in the first round by the Warriors.

The Warriors could be an ideal fit for the 6-foot-6 Trent who is an extraordinary outside shooter (he set a Duke freshman record for three pointers with 97). The NBA champion Warriors rely on the accurate three-point shooting of guard Klay Thompson to help balance their offense but Thompson becomes a free agent after next season. Whether the Warriors can or choose to give Thompson a rich deal is the subject of considerable speculation.

Do the Warriors think they could draft a cheaper version of Thompson in Trent, who might help them immediately or in a year or two? Trent’s NBA career could very much be tied to being employed by a team that needs outside shooting because he isn’t highly praised for his ball handling, passing and defense.

Trent seems similar to former Robbinsdale Cooper star Rashad Vaughn but he has to hope for a better career with the pros. Vaughn, about the same height and weight as Trent, was known for his long range shooting in 2015 when the Bucks selected him in the first round. Vaughn competed one season at UNLV, just as Trent played only his freshman year at Duke. Vaughn struggled to establish himself with the Bucks and other NBA teams, and is no longer in the league.

Nbadraft.net projected the Timberwolves will choose Oregon freshman shooting guard Troy Brown at No. 20. The website also predicted Minnesota will select another shooting guard in the second round, taking Kentucky freshman Hamidou Diallo at No. 48.

Tom Thibodeau said on WCCO Radio yesterday morning the Wolves aren’t committed to drafting for a specific position but he indicated interest in “wings”—the position Brown and Diallo can likely play. Asked about the possibility of a trade for the pick, the Wolves’ coach and president of basketball operations answered “absolutely.”

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Gophers ‘Lucky’ to have John Anderson

Posted on June 4, 2018June 4, 2018 by David Shama

Sometimes it takes a stretch of success to remind us how special someone is. Today’s “Exhibit A” is Golden Gophers baseball coach John Anderson who has led the program for 37 years, and given this town a scrapbook full of great memories including last weekend’s Minneapolis Regional.

“We’re lucky to have him,” said Jerry Noyce, who could have been speaking for so many Minnesotans and alumni of the University of Minnesota.

Noyce was the Gophers’ successful tennis coach when athletic director Paul Giel appointed Anderson to lead the baseball program in 1981. Noyce’s last season in the athletic department was 1988 but he has remained a friend of Anderson and close observer of Minnesota baseball over the years.

Anderson’s teams have won a lot of games and he has operated his program with integrity. “He’s done it all the right way his whole career,” Noyce said.

Noyce and thousands of Minnesotans have been captivated by the 2018 edition of U baseball. The Gophers won the Minneapolis Regional yesterday and are headed to Corvallis, Oregon this week to play in a Super Regional they hope will earn them an entry later in the month to the College World Series.

Minnesota earned a No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament by winning both the Big Ten regular season championship and conference tournament title. Anderson has coached the Gophers to 11 regular season titles and 10 conference tourney championships. Anderson’s teams have been in the NCAA Tournament 19 times but yesterday was the first time his Gophers have won their region. Twice there have been four-year stretches where Minnesota qualified for the NCAA Tourney. Ten seasons there have been 40 wins or more. This spring Anderson’s fellow conference coaches voted him Big Ten Coach of the Year for a seventh time—the most in league history.

Anderson and his staff are known for the consistent way they teach, develop players and offer guidance. Neither the state of Minnesota nor Big Ten is known as a hotbed of college baseball. It’s not easy to win against schools with warmer climates and access to more and better players—places like Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.

Anderson seems to know when to push the right buttons. Against Ohio State in the Big Ten semifinals the Gophers were behind. “He told us to calm down, relax a bit, and get back to having a plan,” said Minnesota outfielder Toby Hanson. “After that, we took a deep breath and got back to being us. We got some big hits and just kept on going (winning 8-1).”

Last Saturday night at Siebert Field in the Minneapolis Regional, Minnesota had to use extra innings to defeat UCLA. “I just kept telling the guys the last few innings: Siebert Field. Siebert Field magic,” Anderson said. “We’ve won a lot of games this way in my career here, at the old Siebert Field and now here. Just keep believing in Siebert Field magic. Give ourselves chances to win and we’ll find a way.”

Anderson has probably had several opportunities to go elsewhere and coach. He likely could have relocated to jobs with better access to players and for more money, but the Minnesota native and former Gopher baseball player is too committed to the U to leave. “Nobody is more loyal than John,” Noyce said.

The employment agreement Anderson signed with the University of Minnesota about two years ago calls for an annual salary of at least $225,000. The agreement provides bonus compensation including $12,500 for winning a Big Ten title, $7,500 for the Big Ten tournament championship, $7,500 for making the NCAA Tournament and $5,000 for conference Coach of the Year.

Anderson could have bettered himself financially elsewhere—perhaps even in pro baseball—but he has stayed through both good and trying times at Minnesota where he gas worked for a lenthy list of full-time and interim athletic directors. Along the way he’s inspired a lot of players and other admirers who are loyal to him.

One of Anderson’s financial donors to his program recently wrote this in an email to Sports Headliners: “He is a class act, a complete gentleman, and a terrific ambassador for Gopher baseball.”

U Football Scheduling

Coming off a losing season and two final defeats by a combined score of 70-0, Golden Gopher football ticket sales figure to be flat headed into summer but the box office could get a boost with favorable start times for home games. Five of the seven start times have been announced and so far none are at the dreaded 11 a.m.

Not only that but three games are set for night kickoffs. Some of Minnesota’s best home crowds since 2000 have been for evening games including against TCU in 2015 when a TCF Bank Stadium record attendance of 54,147 was announced.

Minnesota will open its season August 30 with a 6 p.m. game against New Mexico State at TCF Bank Stadium. The bad news is that a work weeknight game isn’t ideal and Minnesota has to battle the State Fair for attention, but positives include the Twins and Vikings are on the road.

Minnesota’s other two home nonconference games on September 8 and 15 begin at 6:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. respectively against Fresno State and Miami (Ohio). Gopher Big Ten home games with Iowa on October 6 and Indiana October 26 will have mid-afternoon and early evening kickoffs. Only the Purdue game November 10 and Northwestern November 17 don’t have start times yet among the seven home games this season.

Indiana is traditionally a poor draw but the October 26 date comes on a Friday evening and if Minnesota is off to a winning start, and the weather is favorable, the Gophers could sell the game out. This is a night sports town on weekends and Gopher fans remember the crowd of 62,374 on a Friday night (October 10, 2003) at the Metrodome when Minnesota played a thriller in losing to Michigan.

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U in Position to Win Big Ten Title

Posted on May 13, 2018May 13, 2018 by David Shama

John Anderson turns 63 on Wednesday, and his Golden Gophers can give him a nice birthday present by winning the Big Ten title next weekend.

Minnesota won two of three games from Michigan State the last three days including Sunday’s 3-1 victory over the Spartans. The wins, part of the Gophers’ last regularly scheduled homestand of the year, moved Minnesota to a conference best 16-4 record.

The Gophers are at 7-14 Rutgers starting on Thursday for a three-game series that ends their league regular season schedule. Second place Michigan, 15-5, has three games on the same days at third place Purdue, 14-6.

Before the weekend’s series against the Spartans Anderson had seen enough of his team to offer this compliment: “It’s probably as well rounded—pitching, hitting and defense—as…any of the teams that I’ve had. We’ll see how they finish up.”

This isn’t a team of superstars like long ago when the Gophers boasted a Paul Giel, Paul Molitor or Dave Winfield. There are pro prospects but this team is defined by balance and competitiveness. Saturday Minnesota scored eight runs in the seventh inning for a comeback win over the Spartans.

The Gophers also displayed their fight a week ago today when they completed a series sweep of early season Big Ten title favorite Indiana at Siebert Field. Minnesota trailed the Hoosiers 6-3 in the eighth inning but rallied to win 7-6 in 10 innings. The Gophers hit three home runs in the eighth to ignite the comeback.

In that game Minnesota also got a first inning home run from shortstop Terrin Vavra, the son of former Twins coach Joe Vavra. “He’s probably the best player in the league,” Anderson said of his junior leader.

Vavra benefits from being part of a baseball family that includes older brothers who excelled in baseball. “His baseball IQ is really high,” Anderson said. “He’s talented, don’t get me wrong. But I think the intangibles—the baseball IQ, the work ethic that he puts in, the way he handles adversity and bounces back, and his ability to make the big play— I mean that’s special talent. …”

A 2018 regular season Big Ten title would be the 10th for Anderson who has been Minnesota’s head coach since 1981. His teams have won nine Big Ten Tournament championships. Seven times he has been Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Anderson is one of only three head baseball coaches at Minnesota in the last 72 years, having succeeded Dick Siebert and George Thomas. Tradition means a lot to Anderson and so do people who helped his career. Siebert and Thomas gave him coaching opportunities on their staffs. Giel, as athletic director, hired Anderson as head coach. To this day Anderson keeps mementoes of the three in his baseball binder.

Gopher Baseball Notes

At Saturday’s home game members of the 1968, 1969 and 1970 Big Ten champions, and others affiliated with those teams, were honored by the Gophers.

This is the 130th year of Gopher baseball. The program is the oldest intercollegiate sport at the University of Minnesota.

Like many fans, Anderson would welcome a return to wooden bats in college baseball. He also wants to see collegians use the same baseballs as in the majors. “It would be much easier for people to evaluate kids,” he said. “Much easier for kids to make the jump from college to professional baseball. I wish we’d just all do the same thing.”

Anderson said cost isn’t the obstacle in eliminating aluminum bats, but that Power Five conference coaches are tied into marketing commitments they don’t want to give up.

Wisconsin is the only school in the 14-member Big Ten Conference not participating in baseball. Anderson would welcome the Badgers because the Big Ten could create two seven team divisions.

Anderson spoke at the CORES luncheon last Thursday and he recognized Dick Jonckowski for his 30 years as the Gopher baseball public address announcer. The coach presented Jonckowski with a No. 30 Minnesota baseball jersey.

Jonckowski, who for years has emceed events like the CORES gatherings, is co-authoring a book about his life with Jim Bruton that is expected to be on sale in July. Copies of It’s All about Me will be available, with Jonckowski’s signature, at the September 13 CORES program when Gustavus Adolphus football coach Peter Haugen speaks to the group. CORES (coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans) meets at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Bloomington.

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