With Johnson and Central playing for St. Paul City Conference bragging rights in boys’ basketball (at the time of this publication), here are some boys’ basketball pictures from this season and one from the past, along with the following descriptions:
1. QUASHINGM SMITH-PUGH (with ball) of St. Paul Johnson drives around Roseville’s LOGAN BROWN. Smith-Pugh averages 20 points per game for the Governors.
2. DION BRADLEY (St. Paul Highland Park) is averaging 27 points per game for the Scots. The junior guard is among the metro’s top scorers.
3. RASHAD VAUGHN (Robbinsdale Cooper), one of the top-ranked juniors in the nation according to ESPN, shoots over Hopkins guard PHILLIP STRIBLING. He’s averaging 29 points per game for the Hawks.
4. MARKUS TAYLOR-KNIGHT (St. Paul Central) is averaging 15 points per game for the Minutemen.
5. Former Minneapolis South and current Ohio State University standout TAYLER HILL is shown here playing in the Inner City All Star Classic in 2009. Hill, who scored 47 points in leading South to the 4A state crown as a senior and was named Miss Basketball that spring, was MVP of the game, which will celebrate its 20th Anniversary in June. The game features the top senior boys’ and girls’ players of color in the metro area.
6. REID TRAVIS (DeLaSalle) is not pictured but has to be mentioned. The junior has emerged as one of the state’s most dominant inside players, averaging 30 points a game for the top-ranked Islanders.
Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com.
[nggallery id=24]
Support Black local news
Help amplify Black voices by donating to the MSR. Your contribution enables critical coverage of issues affecting the community and empowers authentic storytelling.