Timberwolves – Page 116 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Worth Noting

Posted on March 14, 2012March 14, 2012 by David Shama

Head scratcher: the University of Washington won the Pac-12 regular season championship with a 14-4 record and didn’t receive an invitation to the NCAA tournament. When was the last time a champion from a conference like the Pac-12, Big Ten or ACC was excluded?

“I think if a team wins a major conference they’ve gotta be in the field of 68,” former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher said. “You know the game that knocked them out? South Dakota State went out there and beat them at Washington by about 20 points. (92-73). Ever since South Dakota State whipped them in the nonconference everybody just gave up on Washington. …”

There was speculation last summer about how effectively Timberwolves general manager David Kahn and new coach Rick Adelman would work together. “As far as I can see, it’s just excellent,” Wolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners. “There’s a good line of communication.”

Wolves forward Derrick Williams, 20, said there’s been no rookie wall for him and he’s “playing better than earlier in the season.” In two of his last three games Williams has scored 19 and 22 points (season average 8.8).

The NBA trade deadline is tomorrow. It seems obvious the Wolves want to move forward Michael Beasley but can’t find the right deal. Under Adelman, Beasley is no longer a starter and he’s seen his minutes reduced.

The Gophers, who play an opening National Invitation Tournament game in Philadelphia against LaSalle tonight on ESPN2, won the NIT in 1998 only to later have the title taken away because of the basketball program’s academic scandal. The Gophers also won the NIT in 1993. Minnesota is 18-11 in the tourney, the oldest in college basketball.

The St. Thomas women’s basketball team includes Carolyn Dienhart, a 5-6 senior guard, who is the daughter of former Gophers athletic director Mark Dienhart and now executive vice president and chief administrative officer at St. Thomas. The Tommies are in the Division III Final Four for the first time in 12 years and play Illinois Wesleyan on Friday in Holland, Michigan.

Hamline outfielder Andy King was the NCAA Division III Hitter off the Week last week. In four games against Wisconsin-Stout and Edgewood, he had nine hits in 12 at bats. The right-handed hitting senior from Fort Myers, Florida scored five runs and drove in 11 with four singles, a double, two triples and two home runs for a 1.667 slugging percentage.

NFL.com, SportingNews.com, Cbssports.com, Scouts. Inc. (ESPN.com) and SI.com all have the Vikings using the No. 3 pick in the first round of next month’s NFL draft to take USC left tackle Matt Kalil.

University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler told WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle audience on Sunday he doesn’t plan to cut the school’s 25 intercollegiate sports to save money, but instead wants to improve athletic budgets by increasing overall revenues.

Star Tribune columnist and WCCO Radio personality Sid Hartman will be 92 tomorrow, March 15.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill said his players are reading the book Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance written by former Gophers quarterback and Super Bowl winning coach Tony Dungy.

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Taylor Not Labeling Love Superstar

Posted on March 12, 2012March 12, 2012 by David Shama

Kevin Love, the Wolves’ fourth year All-Star forward, ranks fourth in NBA scoring average at 25.6 points per game and second in rebounding at 13.8, but team owner Glen Taylor isn’t ready to label him a superstar.

“No, I don’t think you want to give a person the title of a superstar until you put in a little more time and stuff like this,” Taylor said. “Star is appropriate. His scoring and rebounding is exceptional.”

Taylor’s view is players earn the superstar label by leading their teams in the playoffs. The Wolves have yet to make the playoffs in the 23-year-old Love’s first four NBA seasons, although Minnesota is a possibility this spring.

Taylor also believes potential superstars need supporting talent for them to reach their full potential. “The important thing is can I, David Kahn (general manager) and coach (Rick Adelman) surround him (Love) with players to elevate the player to that level?”

Love’s improvement has been dramatic. He averaged 11.1, 14 and 20.2 points per game his first three seasons. His rebounding averages were 9.1, 11.2 and 15.2.

Love has made a favorable reputation off the court, too, involving himself with community work including his coat drive for the needy. He’s a media favorite because of his intelligence, personality and temperament.

Earlier this season Love signed a four-year contract reportedly worth about $60 million. In Love’s last three games he’s scored 99 points and grabbed 49 rebounds.

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Worth Noting

Posted on March 9, 2012March 9, 2012 by David Shama

The Timberwolves rank No. 13 in the Sports Illustrated website power poll of NBA teams. That’s one spot better than Kevin McHale’s Rockets and two ahead of Kevin Garnett’s Celtics.

Wolvers general manager Dave Kahn doesn’t receive enough credit for his 2010 deal that brought guard Luke Ridnour to Minneapolis. Without the consistent shooting of Ridnour, the Wolves would have only Kevin Love to include among dependable shooters.

It was six years ago this week that Kirby Puckett passed away at age 44. He was a hero of Garnett’s.

Fox Sports North telecasts the Twins-Yankees game on Sunday, the third spring training telecast seen in Minneapolis-St. Paul this month.

The Twins received a no hit two inning start by Scott Baker on Tuesday against TampaBay. The 29-year-old right-hander has been with the Twins since 2005 and ranks No. 11 in career starts and wins.

Twins left-hander Brian Duensing, who has been a starter in the past, could be most valuable in spot duty out of the bullpen. He held left-handed hitters to a .217 batting average last season.

TV play-by-play announcer Dick Bremer said on a Fox telecast Tuesday the Twins, who suffered through an extraordinary year of regular season injuries in 2011, were the only team in major league baseball last year to break camp with no players on the disabled list.

Former Gophers football player Lewis Garrison continues to make a name in college basketball officiating. He will officiate the men’s Division II NCAA Regional Tournament in Denver this weekend. He’s also one of six officials selected to work the men’s Division III Final Four in Salem,Virginia later this month. Garrison officiated the men’s MIAC championship game between Gustavus and St. Thomas in late February.

At the request of Sports Headliners, Mr. Basketball chair Ken Lien provided his rankings of the best prep boys teams in 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A. His top 10 in big school 4A are Hopkins, Eastview, Lakeview North, Osseo, Apple Valley, Duluth East, Woodbury, Roseville, Eden Prairie and Chanhassen. Benilde-St. Margaret’s is No. 1 in 3A followed by Minneapolis Washburn, DeLaSalle, St. Paul Johnson, Waconia, Mankato East, Blake, Hill-Murray, Grand Rapids and Delano.

The top 10 in 2A are Braham, Perham, Redwood Valley, St. Peter, Pelican Rapids, Plainview-Elgin-Millville, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, St. Cloud Cathedral, Fairmont and Montevideo. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa is No. 1 in 1A followed by Southwest MN Christian, Prairie Seeds Academy, Fair School, Dawson-Boyd, Lakeview Christian, Ellsworth, Browerville, Battle Lake and Maranatha Christian.

Lien said Cooper High sophomore forward Rashad Vaughn has scholarship offers from Baylor, Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota and Texas. Hopkins wing Zach Stahl has an offer from Hawaii and Northeastern while Edina junior point guard Graham Woodward has been offered by Augustana (South Dakota).

Among names possibly on the University of Minnesota’s review list for athletic director are Darrin Nelson, former Vikings running back and senior associate athletic director at Stanford, and Suzanne Sanregret, athletic director at Michigan Tech and one of the few females in the country holding that position.

The Vikings Miller Lite Draft Party starts at 4 p.m. and continues through the conclusion of the NFL draft’s first round on Thursday, April 26 at Mall of America Field. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. More information is available on the Vikings website.

Mark Rosen’s new book, Best Seat in the House, will first be available on March 29 at the downtown Barnes & Noble store where the WCCO TV sportscaster will be signing books starting at noon.

Through games of March 5, former Gopher Phil Kessel was tied for third in NHL goals with 32. He was fifth in points with a career high 68. Other Gopher alumni with over 30 points in the NHL: Blake Wheeler, 54, Thomas Vanek, 47, Kyle Okposo, 33 and Nick Leddy, 31.

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