David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Taylor Hopeful Saunders Keeps Job

Posted on March 10, 2019March 10, 2019 by David Shama

In a telephone interview with Sports Headliners, Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor made his feelings known about interim head coach Ryan Saunders.

Is the 32-year-old who took over for Tom Thibodeau in early January a strong candidate to have the job on a permanent basis after this season ends? “Certainly,” answered Taylor.

So there’s a good chance Saunders becomes the head coach this spring?

“I think that’s fair,” Taylor said. “He is sure the leading candidate at this point because we haven’t talked to anybody (else). I am not sure (if others will be interviewed); we’ll see how that ends up at the end of the year, but I certainly want to give him every opportunity we can.”

Saunders’ record as interim coach is 12-14 going into tonight’s home game against the Knicks. While the record is under .500 and the team is a long shot to make the playoffs, Taylor takes an understanding view toward Saunders.

Injuries have characterized this season for the Wolves, and Taylor pointed out since Saunders has been directing the team there has yet to be a game when his five preferred starters were all available. Even now elite defender and forward Robert Covington isn’t recovered from a knee injury and last night the team’s Western Conference All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns couldn’t finish the game because of a knee problem.

The team’s struggles include a leaky defense. In each of the last six games Minnesota has given up 120 points or more, with opponents four times scoring 130 or more. Taylor believes an offseason and training camp with more teaching time would allow Saunders to achieve better defensive results next season.

“I think that Ryan has been working…to change (improve) the defense but I am realistic in that he probably needs…a summer program to change things,” Taylor said. “I talked to him about it.”

Taylor describes himself as “encouraged” by Saunders’ job performance. Things that have made an impression on the owner include play calls, ball movement, pace of play and communications.

Saunders’ father Flip, who died in 2015, is the winningest coach in Wolves franchise history. The communications skills of both father and son are evident to Taylor. “I just think that’s very important,” Taylor said. “He (Ryan) is open to ideas and trying things. I already see that in our talks…similar with Flip.

“Before a game started I used to talk to Flip about what are you going to do against this team? Flip had a plan and he could share it with you.”

Ryan is the youngest head coach in the NBA in 40 years. He refers to the owner as “Mr. Taylor.” Yet Saunders seems to have the respect of his players and certainly that of the owner. Much of that has to do with 10 years of NBA experience previously as an assistant coach, and growing up as the son of a successful and intense basketball father.

“He’s just got a great basketball mind,” Taylor said of Ryan. “He learned a lot from his dad.”

Taylor was fond of Flip and has known Ryan for a long time. The personal feelings of Taylor are evident toward Saunders who has never been a head coach before.

“…I am hopeful that it all works out for Ryan because I like him as a person particularly, and I want all our people (in the organization) to be successful,” Taylor said.

Worth Noting

Towns scored 40 points and had 16 rebounds in the team’s win over the Wizards last night. It was his 43rd double-double of the season and his third 40-plus point performance, all of which have come in the last five games. “Certainly, I am just really pleased with Karl and what he has done,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s Minnesota Lynx, who have won four WNBA championships, will be without Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen this season. Their departures, the owner said, mean “people have to be a little patient” as the club reorganizes.

The boys’ state hockey tournament never disappoints for entertainment and storylines. The energy of players was typified by Eden Prairie, a group that played three overtimes before winning on Thursday, and in the Class 2A title game Saturday night lost in overtime to Edina.

The Class 1A Friday overtime game with top-seeded Mahtomedi and Greenway was a classic metro versus small town matchup. “I don’t think it gets that loud (crowd noise) for a Wild game,” an observer told Sports Headliners.

Greenway won Friday, but lost the Class 1A title matchup to St. Cloud Cathedral, the first time a St. Cloud school has won a state tournament hockey title. To win that championship in a seemingly ever-improving Class 1A was impressive.

Pat McKenzie, coach of the Saint John’s men’s basketball team that advanced to the Division III NCAA Tournament earlier this month, speaks to the CORES lunch group Thursday at the Bloomington Event Center, 1114 American Blvd. For reservations and other information, contact Jim Dotseth by tomorrow, dotsethj@comcast.net.

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Fleck High on Gophers Offensive Line

Posted on March 8, 2019March 8, 2019 by David Shama

Enjoy a Friday notes column with information on football, basketball, hockey, media and wrestling newsmakers.

Third-year Golden Gophers football coach P.J. Fleck expects his offensive line to be among the better ones in the Big Ten next fall. Offensive line performance has often been an issue in the program’s recent past and Minnesota hasn’t had a center, guard or tackle chosen in the NFL Draft for 13 years.

The enthusiastic Fleck said the Gophers, who begin spring practice next Tuesday, could have “incredible line play in the making.” Minnesota has several offensive linemen with starting experience returning from a 7-6 team that closed the year winning two of its last three regular season games, and then won a bowl game by the largest margin in program history.

Fleck believes a top offensive line is “the name of the game” in the Big Ten Conference. He knows programs that win at a high level consistently have offensive lines that excel and produce top players.

“It’s a very, very physical conference,” Fleck said. “It’s a long season. It’s nine conference games. …It is a battle every single week, especially up front. If you can have bigger, stronger, more athletic, smarter (linemen), and you continue to develop that every single year, I think you’re going to have a lot of success.”

Fleck’s returnees include Connor Olson, a starting guard who could move to center and replace Jared Weyler who was a senior last fall. Fleck said it’s also not clear yet whether Blaise Andries, another starter last season, will end up at tackle or guard.

Fleck couldn’t talk about his offensive line without quickly discussing a tight end roster that is loaded with big bodies who are counted on to complement the blocking of the center, guards and tackles. The tight end group includes 6-foot-4 Jake Paulson, a starter last season, who has bulked up from 245 pounds to 270.

Minnesota has eight returning starters on offense and the competition at some positions will be intense. The running back roster, for example, will be one of the better such units in the country with returnees Shannon Brooks, Mohamed Ibrahim, Rodney Smith and Bryce Williams. Fleck said the foursome have already accounted for “6,500 yards and 52 touchdowns” during their careers at Minnesota.

“I would call that a lot of productivity coming back in the running back position,” the coach added.

Minnesota’s first practice open to the public will be March 15 starting at 4:45 p.m. The location has yet to be announced.

In Lindsay Whalen’s first season as Gopher women’s basketball coach, home attendance has increased from an average of 3,130 in 2017-18 to 5,738 in 2018-19. The regular season finale last Sunday against Michigan State had announced attendance of 7,707 and was the third largest home crowd of the season.

This has been a historical week in Minnesota for female play-by-play announcers on television, with Marney Gellner doing the Twins’ spring training game from Fort Myers Sunday, and Sloane Martin describing games Wednesday at the boys’ state high school hockey tournament in St. Paul. Never before in Minnesota have women done TV play-by-play for the Twins and the boys’ hockey tournament.

The Pioneer Press chose John Mayasich as the No. 1 all-time Minnesota prep hockey player in its recent series listing the 75 best ever. He had a great prep career at Eveleth High School and was a four-time All-American for the Gophers in 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1955. The newspaper named South St. Paul’s Phil Housley No. 2.

Best guess to win the “sweepstakes” to get Rochester John Marshall basketball superstar Matthew Hurt is Duke and its legendary coach Mike Krzyzweski, who in past years has landed Minnesotans Gary Trent Jr., and brothers Tre and Tyus Jones.

The Gophers’ chances? Slim to none, according to those who have followed the recruiting of Hurt.

Coach Richard Pitino’s Minnesota men’s basketball team closes its regular season at No. 24 Maryland tonight, after upsetting No. 11 ranked Purdue Tuesday at Williams Arena. A Minnesota win will be the first time since 1993 (excluding vacated seasons) that a Gopher team has won back-to-back games against ranked opponents.

Among those in attendance at Tuesday’s game was 1952-53 All-American Gopher guard Charley Mencel. He also played for the NBA Minneapolis Lakers, and is among the Gopher greats whose jerseys are displayed in the Williams Arena rafters.

At No. 1 Gable Steveson, the Apple Valley freshman with a 27-0 record, is Minnesota’s highest seeded wrestler as the Gophers go into Saturday and Sunday’s Big Ten Championships at Williams Arena, but others, of course, will be counted on to contribute. “We have 10 guys who can go out and score points,” coach Brandon Eggum said.

Shortstops can be the best athletes on their teams, so maybe the Twins don’t face a logjam for eventual playing time with incumbent Jorge Polanco and valued minor league prospects Nick Gordon, Royce Lewis, and Wander Javier.

It wouldn’t be surprising if a Fortune 500 CEO is hired to replace retiring Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany in June of 2020.

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Gophers Fans to Like Pitino Predictions

Posted on March 6, 2019March 6, 2019 by David Shama

Golden Gophers basketball coach Richard Pitino made a couple of predictions after last night’s upset win over Purdue that Minnesotans will like.

The sixth-year coach believes the late season victory over No. 11 ranked Purdue should propel his team to an NCAA Tournament invitation. During a jubilant on-court postgame celebration at Williams Arena, he also told the crowd the jersey of senior forward and rebounder extraordinaire Jordan Murphy will one day hang in the building’s rafters with those of the program’s other greatest players.

“That jersey will be up there in no time,” Pitino said while speaking on a microphone to the fans.

The 73-69 win over Purdue was one of the most entertaining and important victories of the Pitino era. With “background noise” from critics about Pitino’s coaching future, the Gophers added to a resume that also includes impressive victories against the likes of Iowa, Washington and Wisconsin. They may have clinched a tournament invite in Dinkytown last evening.

Minnesota is 19-11 overall, 8-10 in Big Ten games. The Gophers finish the regular season Friday night at Maryland, and then join their other league rivals at the Big Ten Conference Tournament in Chicago next week. Minnesota’s NCAA Tourney chances look a lot less precarious after last night, with national bracketologists likely to forecast in coming days that the Gophers will be part of the 68-team field announced on Selection Sunday, March 17.

Pitino, whose career record in Big Ten regular season games is 40 wins and 69 losses, told the crowd he “can’t wait to be in the tournament.” If the “Big Dance” is Pitino’s destination for the second time in three years, he can begin writing thank you notes to Murphy and junior guard Amir Coffey.

Coach Richard Pitino & Jordan Murphy (photo courtesy of Minnesota Athletic Communications)

Murphy ranks second all-time in career rebounds in the Big Ten (1,262), behind Ohio State’s Jerry Lucas (1,411). Earlier this week he was fifth nationally in rebounds per game with a Big Ten-best 11.7. He was second in the NCAA with 19 double-doubles and holds the Gopher career record with 65.

Murphy, a San Antonio native, was going to attend VCU but a coaching change had him reconsidering his options in the spring of 2015. The former Texas All-State player chose Minnesota and Pitino knew he had a potentially important player.

“I thought he’d have a good career,” Pitino told Sports Headliners before the game. “I didn’t think statistically he would do (all) this.”

Murphy has been an impact performer from his first season when he averaged 11.6 points and eight rebounds. A determined attitude has characterized his play from day one. “His mentality was phenomenal. He was ready to go right away,” Pitino said.

Last night Murphy moved into sixth place all-time on the Minnesota career scoring list. His low-post production is a signature part of his game that has led to his points total. Durability is also a big reason for his record setting play. “I don’t think he’s ever missed a practice,” Pitino said about his power forward who has played in every game during his career.

Murphy added another double-double last night with 13 points and 14 rebounds, while Coffey showed again why he is Minnesota’s leading scorer, most versatile player and a possible NBA draft choice later this year. The junior has joined Murphy as one of the Big Ten’s best players and last night his new found aggressive play resulted in 32 points and eight rebounds.

His passionate style, including slashing to the basket, helped earn him 18 free throw attempts. He and other Gophers took turns defending star Purdue guard and scorer Carsen Edwards, who made only seven of 31 field goal attempts.

On Senior Night emotions were high even during a pregame ceremony to honor Murphy, Dupree McBrayer, Matz Stockman and Brock Stull. Those emotions built from there during a game that Minnesota received help from all of its seniors including a not to be forgotten performance by Stockman, the 7-foot center who had been averaging 9.6 minutes per game and 2.7 points.

McBrayer had 10 points, and while Stull had only four points in 22 minutes, his all-around play in the guard rotation was solid. Stockman had the game of his Gopher life, including coming up with a steal that had him in the open court before being fouled. That was part of his impact on defense but even more impressive were seven blocked shots. He had a tension-busting dunk in the game, too, and finished with seven points in 24 minutes of heroic work in the absence of key reserve and center Eric Curry who as of this week is out for the season with a foot injury.

The student section teased Stockman with chants of “MVP! MVP!” The 24-year-old journeyman, who started his college career at Louisville after growing up in Norway, was also honored with the Gophers’ Heart of the Game award.

Who would have thought the team’s four senior players would all contribute so much to the win? “Their seniors played great,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said.

A roaring and sometimes adoring crowd played a role in the win, too. It was Williams Arena magic reborn—and maybe influenced the officiating. The Gophers had 36 free throw attempts and made 27. The Boilermakers had 18 attempts and made good on just nine. “You get more calls when you’re at home,” Painter said with minimal emotion.

The emotion was mostly on Minnesota’s side last night.

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