Minnesota power to make visit
By Steven Allspach sallspach@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Friday, December 19, 2008
There's no place like home -- almost -- for the holidays and that's why Vern Simmons is excited about returning to his college-playing home, Sioux City.
The 1983 Morningside graduate, now in his eighth season as boys basketball coach at St. Paul Johnson, isn't exactly turning cartwheels over who his team has to play, however.
Weather permitting, Simmons' Johnson team plays tonight at Bishop Heelan (7:30), Iowa's top-ranked and unbeaten Class 3A club, and Saturday afternoon at North (5 o'clock).
Johnson is scheduled to depart for Sioux City this morning.
It's not that Simmons isn't unfamiliar with what No. 1 is all about.
His team could very well be ranked No. 1 in Minnesota Class 3A by the time it arrives, weather permitting, in Sioux City this afternoon. Minnesota, like Iowa, has a four-class system with the 4A the largest in each case.
"I believe Minnesota's new rankings come out on Friday and after our win over Minneapolis Washburn we might get that No. 1,'' said Simmons, whose team defeated Washburn, then No. 1, 86-83 Tuesday night to improve 3-0. "We're looking to make it a fun weekend of basketball, play hard and use the experience to help us down the road.
"Our schedule's tough enough right now, but it'll get even tougher. We're going to a holiday tournament soon in Milwaukee to play two programs with great traditions, Lutheran and Washington.''
Washburn has also lost to Hopkins, Minnesota's No. 1-ranked 4A club, 91-82.
Johnson's Governors have also beaten Twin Cities area schools Woodbury (78-57) and Brooklyn Center (86-44).
Last year, Heelan went to Johnson for a tournament-type event, losing to the Governors (79-73) and Osseo (Minn.) 77-70.
In the Johnson game, 6-9 University of Iowa recruit Brennan Cougill pumped in 34 points for the Crusaders. In Heelan's 3-0 start Cougill is averaging exactly 25 points, 17.7 rebounds and has blocked 20 shots.
"I don't know what kind of game plan we'll have for Brennan,'' cracked Simmons, whose niece, Erica Denney, is a standout softball and basketball player at North and his wife, Tracey, is a West graduate. "We didn't have much of one last year, I know that.
"Maybe we can put something together on the trip down.''
Superb sophomore point guard Estan Tyler (6-1) quarterbacks Johnson, averaging right at 10 points a game.
Maxie Rosenbloom (6-3), Lamar Anderson (6-3), Mike Talley (6-2) and Dion Suggs-Young (5-11) are the other starters and all filled those roles at different times last season, but will rotate eight or nine players. Tyler and Rosenbloom, a junior, are considered surefire Division I recruits.
Simmons has directed Johnson to five straight 20-win seasons with state tourney berths in three of those campaigns.
"No. 1 and No. 1, isn't that something? And this will be a huge measuring stick game for us,'' said Betz, who'll be without Joel McCabe (ankle injury) and Dylan Shoemaker (broken hand). "We're playing a completely different style than we usually do around here.
"Vern's team is quick, they pressure you all over the floor and play ferocious run-and-jump defense.
"Looking back to last year we were a little shell-shocked going up there last year. We couldn't handle them outside with their pressure and we did a good jump inside.''
Shoemaker, a 6-2 senior, was injured in a Wednesday practice
The Crusader starting lineup will also include high-scoring Zach McCabe (18.7) and Tanner Ferguson (12.0), Ben Rickord and Sean Geary in place of Shoemaker. There'll be no preliminary game before tonight's contest according to Betz.
Heelan also hosts West in a Missouri River Activities Conference game Saturday night.
Vanderloo's Stars (2-1) play tonight at Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson.
"We're looking forward to playing Vern's team'' said the North coach. "It's great we were able to get them on our schedule this weekend.
"The people who set up the tournament up at Johnson last year asked about us getting in, but we didn't have an open date so this is going to be fun.
"I'll tell you, I'd just as soon play 20 ranked teams as opposed to none.''
North's lineup will include four double figure scorers, including Nick Tillo (18.7), Alex Walker (13.7), Damek Tomscha (11.0) and Kendall Wingert (10.7), if Tomscha, who has been ill all week, can play.
Stanford baseball recruit Dean McArdle will start at point guard and 5-8 junior guard Jamal Dennis will also play for the first time this season.
The 1983 Morningside graduate, now in his eighth season as boys basketball coach at St. Paul Johnson, isn't exactly turning cartwheels over who his team has to play, however.
Weather permitting, Simmons' Johnson team plays tonight at Bishop Heelan (7:30), Iowa's top-ranked and unbeaten Class 3A club, and Saturday afternoon at North (5 o'clock).
Johnson is scheduled to depart for Sioux City this morning.
It's not that Simmons isn't unfamiliar with what No. 1 is all about.
His team could very well be ranked No. 1 in Minnesota Class 3A by the time it arrives, weather permitting, in Sioux City this afternoon. Minnesota, like Iowa, has a four-class system with the 4A the largest in each case.
"I believe Minnesota's new rankings come out on Friday and after our win over Minneapolis Washburn we might get that No. 1,'' said Simmons, whose team defeated Washburn, then No. 1, 86-83 Tuesday night to improve 3-0. "We're looking to make it a fun weekend of basketball, play hard and use the experience to help us down the road.
"Our schedule's tough enough right now, but it'll get even tougher. We're going to a holiday tournament soon in Milwaukee to play two programs with great traditions, Lutheran and Washington.''
Washburn has also lost to Hopkins, Minnesota's No. 1-ranked 4A club, 91-82.
Johnson's Governors have also beaten Twin Cities area schools Woodbury (78-57) and Brooklyn Center (86-44).
Last year, Heelan went to Johnson for a tournament-type event, losing to the Governors (79-73) and Osseo (Minn.) 77-70.
In the Johnson game, 6-9 University of Iowa recruit Brennan Cougill pumped in 34 points for the Crusaders. In Heelan's 3-0 start Cougill is averaging exactly 25 points, 17.7 rebounds and has blocked 20 shots.
"I don't know what kind of game plan we'll have for Brennan,'' cracked Simmons, whose niece, Erica Denney, is a standout softball and basketball player at North and his wife, Tracey, is a West graduate. "We didn't have much of one last year, I know that.
"Maybe we can put something together on the trip down.''
Superb sophomore point guard Estan Tyler (6-1) quarterbacks Johnson, averaging right at 10 points a game.
Maxie Rosenbloom (6-3), Lamar Anderson (6-3), Mike Talley (6-2) and Dion Suggs-Young (5-11) are the other starters and all filled those roles at different times last season, but will rotate eight or nine players. Tyler and Rosenbloom, a junior, are considered surefire Division I recruits.
Simmons has directed Johnson to five straight 20-win seasons with state tourney berths in three of those campaigns.
"No. 1 and No. 1, isn't that something? And this will be a huge measuring stick game for us,'' said Betz, who'll be without Joel McCabe (ankle injury) and Dylan Shoemaker (broken hand). "We're playing a completely different style than we usually do around here.
"Vern's team is quick, they pressure you all over the floor and play ferocious run-and-jump defense.
"Looking back to last year we were a little shell-shocked going up there last year. We couldn't handle them outside with their pressure and we did a good jump inside.''
Shoemaker, a 6-2 senior, was injured in a Wednesday practice
The Crusader starting lineup will also include high-scoring Zach McCabe (18.7) and Tanner Ferguson (12.0), Ben Rickord and Sean Geary in place of Shoemaker. There'll be no preliminary game before tonight's contest according to Betz.
Heelan also hosts West in a Missouri River Activities Conference game Saturday night.
Vanderloo's Stars (2-1) play tonight at Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson.
"We're looking forward to playing Vern's team'' said the North coach. "It's great we were able to get them on our schedule this weekend.
"The people who set up the tournament up at Johnson last year asked about us getting in, but we didn't have an open date so this is going to be fun.
"I'll tell you, I'd just as soon play 20 ranked teams as opposed to none.''
North's lineup will include four double figure scorers, including Nick Tillo (18.7), Alex Walker (13.7), Damek Tomscha (11.0) and Kendall Wingert (10.7), if Tomscha, who has been ill all week, can play.
Stanford baseball recruit Dean McArdle will start at point guard and 5-8 junior guard Jamal Dennis will also play for the first time this season.
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