Clean-up at Woodbury

Connor McKeen committed to play college football at Minnesota State, but the senior wide receiver wasn't about to throw away his final year of basketball.

He made that clear to the team right away.

"Ever since he signed with them it's been, 'Hey, I know I'm going to play football in college, but I want to win as many basketball games as I can, and I'm going to do anything I can to do that,'" Woodbury basketball coach Scott Swansson.

McKeen has stuck to his word.

The 6-3 workhorse is averaging 14 points per game. He's getting to the basket and the free-throw line. He's playing outstanding defensive and working the glass on each end. McKeen is mentally and physically solidifying a talented group of basketball players.

Swansson and the Woodbury Royals thank him.

"Other guys see him do that dirty work and they want to end up doing the same thing, so he's set a great example," said Swansson, whose in his 12th year as head coach and 28th season in the program.

"I've never had so much fun playing basketball," he said. "I'm having a blast this year with the guys. Everybody's having a good time, and we're finding success."

After four consecutive sub-.500 seasons, Woodbury has slowly and quietly crawled into the Suburban East Conference's top spot. It's not all McKeen. Three Royals are averaging double figures, including the Suggs brothers.

Renard Suggs, a junior, is averaging 14.4 points per game and tallied 33 against Roseville a couple weeks ago. Renard made seven of 11 three-point shots.

When other teams key on him, no problem. Older brother Rickey Suggs, a senior, is averaging 12.2 points per game. Senior Ryan Fritze is averaging nearly 10 points per game.

Most Woodbury score sheets not only reflect victories, but most likely three or four players carrying the scoring load together.

Woodbury scored 89 points against conference rival Roseville. The Royals beat Cretin-Derham Hall by 19 points and also took down Edina. Against Class 4A fourth-ranked Lakeville North, Woodbury had the lead for much of the game but fell for only its second loss of the season.

It was a tough loss, but a good indicator for their coach.

"They weren't happy about it. It wasn't just 'OK, that was good enough,'" Swansson said of the Lakeville North game. "In the past it might have been good enough."

Swansson said he believes this team -- a group of more experienced, older student-athletes -- has more of a winning attitude. McKeen, a member of those previous squads, agreed.

"We had talent. We didn't use it to our potential. We just kind of played to play last year," he said. "This year, we've got seven seniors, and we all have experience and we realize what we can accomplish and that's why we're off to such a hot start."