Damian Johnson has taken the success he had coaching at North St. Paul and added to it at Benilde-St. Margaret’s.
Brennan Schachtner, Special to the Star Tribune
Damian Johnson has taken the success he had coaching at North St. Paul and added to it at Benilde-St. Margaret’s.
basketball across minnesota

Former Gophers standout rising quickly through coaching ranks

March 9, 2023
Basketball Across Minnesota: Damian Johnson has led a turnaround at Benilde-St. Margaret's after a successful stint at North St. Paul. One thing you should know: There's a sure way to get into this coach's doghouse.
White Bear Lake’s players and fans celebrated after the team won a place in the state tournament for the first time since 2000.

Roundup: Andover's boys basketball team qualifies for state with flourish

March 16, 2023
The Huskies scored 106 points in defeating Cambridge-Isanti in a Class 3A section final.
Hayden Tibbits of Wayzata, Boden Kapke of Holy Family, Nasir Whitlock of DeLaSalle, Nolan Winter of Lakeville North, and Daniel Freitag of Bloomington

25 standouts: 2022-23 Star Tribune all-metro boys basketball teams

March 21, 2023
The players have a range of skills — scorers, rebounders, distributors. They range in size from 5-10 to 6-11 and school size from 2A to 4A.
Nasir Whitlock of DeLaSalle is Player of the Year as part of the All-Metro boys basketball team in St. Louis Park, Minn., on {wdat). This is for the b

Tenacious, focused: DeLaSalle's Whitlock is boys basketball Metro Player of the Year

March 21, 2023
Nasir Whitlock put up big numbers on and off the court for DeLaSalle: 27.7 points per game, 52 in a single game and a 3.87 GPA. You can see him play in the state boys basketball tournament this week.
Park Center’s CJ O’Hara drove for a layup and two of his 22 points Friday against Osseo.

Park Center dispatches Osseo, wins return trip to state in boys basketball

March 17, 2023
Park Center, the Class 4A defending champion, has won four section titles in five years.
DeLaSalle's Nasir Whitlock drives the lane through St. Thomas Academy defender Michael Kirchner (3).

For 12th season in a row, DeLaSalle makes state in boys basketball

March 16, 2023
The Islanders defeated St. Thomas Academy, completing a dominant run through the section.
Park Center’s JJ Ware found room against Osseo in the section final Friday, a victory that vaulted the Pirates into the state tournament as the No.

Park Center snags 4A's top seed for the boys basketball state tournament

March 18, 2023
Totino-Grace was No. 1 in Class 3A, Holy Family in Class 2A and Russell-Tyler-Ruthton in Class 1A.
High Schools
March 20, 2023
Top row, from left: Lakeville North boys player Jack Robison and girls player Haley Bryant. Bottom row, from left: Minnehaha Academy girls player Addi

Tripling up on angles from the boys basketball state tournament

Boys-girls doubles abound, champs from big classes are back, new winners in 2A and 1A are guaranteed.
High Schools
March 22, 2023
White Bear Lake coach Greg Burke watches the opening minutes of the game. Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

When worlds collide: Coach faces school he works at in 4A quarterfinal

Greg Burke, dean of students at Wayzata, knew something was up at a Monday staff meeting when the school's activities director wouldn't sit near him.
High Schools
March 21, 2023
Alexandria’s Mason Witt put up a shot against Mankato East’s Giles Lancaster during Alexandria’s 62-57 win.

Alexandria turns away Mankato East, reaches 3A boys basketball semifinals

Mankato East rallied within three points with 30 seconds left but stopped there.
High Schools
March 21, 2023
Isaiah Johnson dunked after an alley-oop pass from Totino-Grace teammate Chace Watley in the first half.

Totino-Grace rolls from start against St. Francis in 3A boys basketball quarterfinal

The Eagles scored the game's first 12 points and made 72% of their shots.
High Schools
March 21, 2023
Isaiah Hagen worked his way past a defender during his 35-point game against Hermantown.

Orono hangs on vs. Hermantown in Class 3A boys basketball quarterfinals

Orono led by 16 points in the second half but by only three with 13.9 seconds remaining.
High Schools
March 22, 2023
Nasir Whitlock of DeLaSalle took the high road on a drive against Stewartville in the first half Tuesday, March 21, 2023 during a Class 3A boys' baske

DeLaSalle overcomes slow start, beats Stewartville to reach 3A semis

The Islanders made 15 of 20 free throws as they overcame a quarterfinal challenge.
High Schools
March 21, 2023
Wayzata's Hayden Tibbits (1) lays the ball up around the reach of Wyatt Hawks (34) in the first half. Tibbits led the field with 17 points in the Troj

One big burst vaults Wayzata over White Bear Lake, into 4A semifinals

The Trojans made a 16-point run in the first half and sent the Bears into the consolation round.
High Schools
March 21, 2023
The Andover boys basketball team arrives on the court dressed in characters for a pep talk before they take on Park Center in the Class 4A basketball

Park Center controls 4A boys quarterfinal, routs Andover

The Pirates wielded their height advantage and showed off their balance in the victory, taking an 18-point halftime lead and having six players score in double figures.
High Schools
March 21, 2023
Eastview's Chet Kloss, left, and Elias Batala celebrate their 72-68 win over Minnetonka.

Adams breaks tie in final minutes, Eastview beats Minnetonka in 4A

The score was tied with 1:54 to play, but Eastview rode a boost from Myles Adams, who hadn't been much of an offensive factor, to victory.
High Schools
March 21, 2023
Lakeville North's Hudson Vaith (22) finds plenty of open space under the basket and lays the ball up for two points. Vaith finished with 13 points for

Guards lift Lakeville North over Buffalo in 4A boys basketball quarterfinals

Hudson Vaith and Matt Drake, not the Panthers' marquee names, made a difference.
High Schools
March 21, 2023
Albany’s Tysen Gerads (22) scored 19 points in the Huskies’ quarterfinal victory over Pequot Lakes.

Albany makes inside-outside game work against Pequot Lakes

A victory in the 2A quarterfinals featured Sam Hondl in the lane and Tysen Gerads from afar.
High Schools
March 21, 2023
Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton’s Owen Leach worked the lane Tuesday against Plainview-Elgin-Millville during their state quarterfinal game.

Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton tops third seed Plainview-Elgin-Millville

Owen Leach's free throws secured the victory that his 28 points made possible.
High Schools
March 21, 2023
Jerome Williams headed to the basket during his 26-point game for Minnehaha Academy against Maple River.

Minnehaha Academy keeps Maple River just out of range

The Eagles cut the deficit to two, but the Redhawks held on and avenged a regular-season loss.