This week’s column features a perennial state boys’ basketball power off to a fast start, a former boys’ basketball state champion and top football prospect playing his final collegiate game, and a former boys’ basketball standout who returned home to face the Timberwolves in an NBA game.
St. Paul Johnson off to a fast start
Defending St. Paul City Conference boys’ basketball champion Johnson got off to a fast start in their season opener, defeating visiting Lakeville South 83-60 before a capacity crowd.
PIERRE CONWELL, a 6’-3’ forward, led the way with 26 points, including a powerful two-hand dunk. Junior forward JUSTIS MURPHY, who stands at 6’-6”, added 16 points and two blocked shots, while 6’-1” junior point guard JALEN MOBLEY chipped in 16. The Governors placed fourth in last year’s Class 3A state tournament.
Hageman plays final collegiate game
RA’SHADE HAGEMAN recently played his final home game for the University of Minnesota football team.
Hageman, who came to the U of M as one of the nation’s top tight end prospects during the fall of 2009 before switching positions to defensive end, had three tackles during a 20-7 loss to arch rival Wisconsin last Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.
During the spring of 2009, his senior year, Hageman, scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Washburn past Mankato West to the Class 3A state boys’ basketball title.
Today, the 6’-8”, 300-pound Hageman is among the top defensive ends in the Big Ten projected to be drafted in the second-round NFL draft pick.
Anderson returns
Former Minneapolis Edison (freshman and sophomore seasons) and DeLaSalle (junior and senior seasons) boys’ basketball superstar ALAN ANDERSON, now a members of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, returned to Twin Cities to help his team compete against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Anderson, a 6’-6” guard, scored 11 points in about 20 minutes in a 111-81 loss.
After earning Metro Player of the Year honors as a high school senior in 2001, Anderson played for years at Michigan State, leading the Spartans to the Final Four in 2005. That season, as a senior, he averaged 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, earning All-Big Ten Conference Team honors.
Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com.
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