In the early days, the forwards were the designated shooters, working the baseline, looking for a pass from the high post for an easy “pot shot” underneath the basket. They were probably the best athletes on their team, but not the biggest. Big kids at that time (pre-1930s) were more likely to play the guard spot, where they were defensive specialists. They guarded people.
The forward came to share the scoring load with the center after the advent of the low post in the 1940s, and after the 1950s one of the forwards came to be a second post on the floor, if in fact one had a pair of “bigs” to deploy in that way. The strong side forward continued to be a key scorer for most teams.
Today, the small forward, or shooting or scoring forward (or, simply, the “3”), is pretty much interchangeable with the big guard or shooting guard (the “2”). Both handle the ball almost like a point guard, put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, and they can shoot it.
High School Resume’
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Post-High School Highlights
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1. Sam Jacobson, Park 1994
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Scored 2,461 career points, #3 at the time. Mr. Basketball in 1994.
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Scored 13 ppg in 4 years at MN, and 18 as a senior. Then scored 4 ppg in 68 NBA games.
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2. Isaiah Dahlman, Braham 2006
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Led the Bombers to 3-peat state titles and led 2 tournaments in scoring. Finished with a then-record 3,366 career points.
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Played college ball at Michigan State.
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3. Harold Gillen, Stillwater 1914
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Led Stillwater to the state title.
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Earned all-America honors for MN’s 1917 Big 10 champs.
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4. Dave Tschimperle, Hopkins 1953
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Led his team to 2 state titles, and led state tournament in scoring twice. 2ndplayer to make all-tournament 3 times.
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Played college ball at Hamline.
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5. Joel McDonald, Chisholm 1991
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Won Class A state title. Broke 33-year-old record with 3,292 career points, was Mr. Basketball.
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Set NCC record with 526 points in a season at St. Cloud State.
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6. Amir Coffey, Hoplins 2016
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Coffey scored 19 ppg, led his team to state title as a senior.
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Helped MN Gophers go from 8 wins to 23 wins his 1styear.
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7. Tom Nordland, Minneapolis Roosevelt 1957
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Led his team to 2 state titles, leading all tournament scorers in 1957 with 84 points.
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Played college ball at Cal Poly.
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8. Mathew Hurt, Rochester John Marshall 2019
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Scored 39 ppg as a junior.
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Headed to Minnesota.
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9. Joe Coleman 2011, Hopkins
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Coleman led his team to 3 state titles. Won Mr. Basketball
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Began his college career at Minnesota.
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10. Martin Norton, Minneapolis Central 1921
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Led his team to 3rd place in national tournament in 1920, and to 1921 state title. Set scoring and FT records that stood for 80 years.
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Played football for the Green Bay Packers.
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11. Don “Swede” Carlson, Minneapolis Edison 1938
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Carlson helped his team to the 1937 state title.
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Played for MN. Coach Dave McMillan said Carlson was the best defender he ever coached.
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12. Darius Lane, Totino-Grace 1998
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Led the 1998 state tournament in scoring with 88 points.
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Played college ball at Seton Hall, scoring 15 ppg in 3 years.
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13. Johnny Dick, Buhl 1936
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Led Buhl to 2 state tournaments, and was considered to be 1 of the best players ever to play in the state tournament.
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Played college ball at MN.
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14. Dick Garmaker, Hibbing 1950
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All-District.
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All-America at MN, scored 13 ppg in 6 NBA seasons.
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15. Bob Bruggers, Danube 1962
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Led his team to 2 state tournaments and finished with 2,364 points, #2 at the time.
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Played football at MN and in the NFL.
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16. Bennie Lichtenegger, Gaylord 1926
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Led his team to the 1st true Cinderella state title, leading all scorers with 34 points.
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Played college ball at Gustavus.
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17 (tie). LeRoy Gardner 1965 and Ray “Black” Rasey 1922, both St. Paul Central
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Gardner led his team to the state tournament, and led the St. Paul City Conference in scoring. Rasey led City Conference in scoring.
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Gardner was the first black Minnesotan to win a scholarship to the U. Rasey also played at the U and was called the best player the U had ever had at that time.
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18. Jabbar Washington, Minneapolis North 1997
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Helped his team to 3 straight state titles.
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Scored about 8 ppg at 3 colleges including Portland State.
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19. Devean George, Benilde-St. Margaret’s 1995
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Played ball at Augsburg, then scored 6 ppg in 11 NBA seasons.
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20. Greg Downing, Duluth Central 1979
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Led his team to 2 state tournaments and to a state title. Co-Mr. Basketball in 1979.
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Played college ball at Nebraska.
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21. Alan Anderson, DeLaSalle
2001
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Sored 21 ppg as a senior and was named Metro Player of the Year.
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Played at Michigan State, scoring 10 ppg over 4 years, then scored 9 ppg in 4 NBA seasons.
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22. Tony Jaros, Minneapolis Edison 1940
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Jaros broke most Minneapolis scoring records as a senior in 1940.
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Jaros was selected to the Gophers all-time team in 1999, and also played for the Lakers.
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23. Zeke Nnaji, Hopkins 2019
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Scored 20 ppg with 5 boards and 2 assists as a junior.
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24. Anders Broman, Lakeview Christian 2013
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Led his team to 2 state tournaments, and was the 1st MN player ever to score 5,000 points.
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Played 2 years at South Dakota State, then transferred to Winthrop where he joined brother Bjorn.
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25. Aaron Middendorf, Caledonia 1997
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Scored 48 points in Class AA final win over DeLaSalle. Mr. Basketball finalist.
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Scored 8 ppg over 4 years at Northern Iowa.
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26. Dusty Rychart, Grand Rapids 1997
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Led his team to 1997 state tournament, scoring 29 ppg.
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Scored 11 ppg in 4 years at MN, then played 11 years of pro ball in Australia.
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27. Dave Ruliffson, Minneapolis
Washburn 1941
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Led his team to the state tournament, where he led all scorers with 41 points.
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Played ball at the U of MN.
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28. John Klarich, Buhl 1942
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Led his team to repeat state titles in 1941 and 1942.
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29. Tom Mulso, Sherburn 1970
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Scored 83 points in 3 games for 1970 state champs. 81 FGA is still a tournament record. Scored 1,192 career points.
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Played college ball at Augustana.
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30. Cory Johnson, Duluth East 2006
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Led his team to Class AAA runner-up in 2006, and finished with 2,960 career points, #4 at the time. Mr. Basketball finalist.
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Played 2 years at Iowa State and 2 more at Valpo. Played pro ball in Europe.
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31 (tie). Louis Nordly 1915, Carl Nordly 1919, Oliver Nordly 1922, Red Wing
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All 3 played in the state tournament. Louis helped win the 1915 state title, Oliver in 1920 and 1922.
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Carl and Oliver played college ball at Carleton. Both went on the coach in college, Carl at MN and Oliver at Northern Iowa.
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32 (tie). Michael Hurt, Rochester John Marshall, and Steffon Mitchell, Shakopee, both 2016
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Hurt is 6-6. Mitchell, 6-7, scored 26 ppg as a junior.
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Hurt committed to the U of M, Mitchell to NDSU.
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33. Shane Schilling, Minnetonka 1999
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Led his team to 2 state finals and the 1998 state title.
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Played at the U of MN.
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34. Goanar Mar,
2017
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Scored 13 ppg and won 3 straight Class AAA titles. Great defender.
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Will play college ball at George Mason.
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35. Carl Lidberg, Red Wing 1921
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Led Wingers to 1920 state title and 1921 tournament, leading all scorers in 1920 with 45 points.
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Played college ball at Carleton and the U of MN.
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36 (tie). Kenny Exel 1938 and Larry Exel 1956, both Minneapolis Roosevelt
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Larry helped his team to the 1956 state title.
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Kenny was MN Gophers captain in 1947.
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37. Larry Overskei, Alexander Ramsey 1965
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Played at MN, captain as a senior in 1970.
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38. David Zellman, Lewiston-Altura 2002
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Led his team to Class AA runner-up and led all tournament scorers with 74 points.
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Led Winona State to the NCAA D2 title as a senior in 2006. 3 times all-conference.
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39. (tie). Ozzie Cowles, Browns Valley and Joe Hutton, Excelsior, both 1919
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Starred together (along with Carl Nordly #43T above) at Carleton.
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40. Harold Schoening, Appleton 1927
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Led all scorers in the 1927 state tournament with 35 points.
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Earned all-Big 10 honors at MN.
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41. Chester Hendrickson, Madison 1922
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Led all scorers 73 points (18 ppg), a near-record 72 percent of his team’s points. Also starred in Chicago.
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42. Tyler Wahl, Lakeville North 2019
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Scored 18 ppg with 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks as a junior.
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43. Arvesta Kelly, Jr., Cretin-Derham Hall 1993
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Led Cretin to 3 straight AA title games and 2 state titles. Just the 3rd boy ever to earn all-tournament honors 3 times. Mr. Basketball finalist.
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44. Jim Akason, Halstad 1952
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Took 3rd place in the 1952 state tourney, and finished as the #1 scorer in history to that time.
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Played college ball at NDSU.
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45. Don Olson, Mankato 1945
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Led the Scarlets to runner-up in 1945 state tournament.
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Led Mankato State to 2ndplace in 1948 NAIA national tournament.
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46. Travis Busch, Mounds View 2005
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Mr. Basketball. Led his team to the state tournament.
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Played college ball at MN, Cal Poly and Colorado State.
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47. Tim Hanson, Prior Lake 1984
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MN Mr. Basketball 1984.
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Played at MN.
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48 (tie). Mike Forrest 1963 and Mike Johnson 2000, both Cloquet
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Forrest led Cloquet to 2nd place in single-class tournament, Johnson to 4th place in AAA, leading all scorers with 97 points.
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Johnson played college ball at North Dakota. Forrest was injured in a car accident before beginning his college career.
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49. Virgil Miller, Hopkins 1948
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Led his team to a state tournament.
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Played college ball at MN.
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50. Erik Crawford, Tartan 2001
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Helped his team to 2000 state title, then scored 82 points for 4th place Tartan in 2001.
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Scored 1,108 points at Northern Iowa.
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51. Bryan Grohnke, Edina 1964
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Led his team to 3rd place in the state, leading all tournament scorers with 29 ppg.
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Played a little bit at MN.
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52. John Beyer, Luverne 1966
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Helped his team to the 1964 state title.
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Played college ball at MN.
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53 (tie). Artie Tverra, Minneapolis South 1927 and Don Griffin, Minneapolis North 1933
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Tverra led his team to the state title, Griffin led his to 2nd place.
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Both starred in senior men’s AAU ball.
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54. Cole Olstad, Plainview-Elgin-Millville 2011
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Scored 3,055 career points, and led his team to 3rdplace in 2009 and 2010 state tournaments.
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Played college ball at Concordia (St. Paul).
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55. Rockne Johnson, Duluth East 1975
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Led his team to the tournament. Mr. Basketball finalist.
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Played college ball at Oregon State and UMD. Dad of #24 Cory Johnson.
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56. Tommy Connor, Virginia 1937
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Led his team to state runner-up.
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Starred at Hamline.
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57. Omar Larson, Granite Falls 1953
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Scored 1,401 career points and was considered the 1st great jump shooter in MN HS.
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58. Kurt Knoff, East Grand Forks 1971
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Led his team to 3rd place in the 1st Class A tournament, scoring 75 points in 3 games including 39 in the 3rdplace game.
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Earned all-America football honors at Kansas.
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59. Lloyd Thorgaard, Minneapolis Washburn 1949
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Led Hamline to the 1951 NAIA national championship. Finished with 1,669 career points and was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers.
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60. Dave Dahlke, Chaska 1982
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Scored 1,477 career points and led his team to 2 state tournaments. Mr. Basketball finalist.
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Played college ball at U of MN and Drake.
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61. Courtney Brown, East Ridge 2019
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Scored 24 ppg as a junior.
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62. Jay Kiedrowski, Edina 1967
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Helped his team to 2 straight state titles.
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63 (tie). Jeremiah 2015, David 2008, Stephen 2006, Matt 2003, Daniel 2004, Isaiah 2013, Joshua 2009, and Andy 2001 Hanson, Maranatha
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8 brothers played for Maranatha from 1999-2015, scoring 13,390 points as their team went 403-67.
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64. Doug Bolstorff, Grand Rapids
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Played at MN, then 3 NBA games.
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65. Dennis Fitzpatrick, St. Thomas, and Lew Rickert, Duluth East both 1969
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Fitz won all-state honors as a senior.
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Rickert played 1 year at MN. Fitz helped St. Thomas to 4 MIAC titles. Member St. Thomas Hall of Fame. Played pro ball in Portugal.
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66. Kory Deadrick, Esko 2014
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Twice all-state tournament, led his team to Class AA title in 2014.
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Played at St. Thomas and St. Scholastica.
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67. Ted Strugar, Totino-Grace 1978
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Scored 1,863 career points. Mr. Basketball finalist.
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Played college ball at Idaho.
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68 (tie). Larry Ogden, White Bear Lake and Doug Carter, Mpls. North, both 1985
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Ogden’s team beat Mpls. North in both the 1984 and 1985 finals. Both teams came into both finals unbeaten.
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Ogden played 2 years at Mankato State.
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69. Dick Furey, St. Paul Humboldt 1943
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Led St. Paul City Conference in FT shooting.
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Played at St. Thomas, where he is a member of the Hall of Fame.
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70. Joe Keenan, Mankato Loyola 1967
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Scored 1,417 career points.
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Scored 1,890 career points at St. Mary’s (Winona, MN).
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71. Nick Jacobson, Roseville 1999
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Scored 2,315 career points.
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Played ball at Northern Iowa.
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72 (tie). Lester Juhnke, Waseca 1918; Gordy Malmer, Albert Lea 1919
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Led Waseca and Albert Lea to state titles, leading tournament scorers with 14 and 16 ppg, respectively.
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73. Wendell “Buzzy” Gray, Cass Lake 1934
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Led his team to the state tournament.
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Starred at Hamline.
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74. Jefferson Mason, Robbinsdale Cooper 2006
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Led Cooper to runner-up in Class AAAA.
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Played at Northern Colorado, then led Mankato State in scoring and rebounding and was NSIC defensive PoY.
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75. Jeff Voit, Rocori 1988
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Led Rocori to the Class AA state title, scoring 21 points in the final.
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76. Velko Rajacich, Buhl 1936
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Helped his team to 2 state tournaments.
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Played at St. Cloud State where he is a Hall of Famer.
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77. Don Eliason, St. Paul Harding 1938
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Helped Hamline to the 1942 NAIA national title, then played 1 game in the NBA.
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78. Dick McWaters, Red Wing 1941
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Helped his team to runner-up in the state tournament.
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Lettered at MN in 1948.
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79. Jericho Sims, Cristo Rey 2017
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Young, raw, athletic 6-8 small forward, son of former Gopher Charles Sims.
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Playing his college ball at Texas.
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80 (tie). Clarence Burton 1959 , Al Frost 1963, and Greg Boone 1976, all Minneapolis Central
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Burton was regarded as the best black player of the 1950s. Boone was a Mr. Basketball finalist.
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Boone is a member of the Augsburg Hall of Fame. Frost scored 1,704 points at Hamline.
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81. Rodney Hargest, Minneapolis Marshall-U 1977
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Helped his team to state title in 1976 and 5th place in 1977.
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Played but only briefly for the MN Gophers.
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82 (tie). Darren Dearing, DeLaSalle 1992 and Riley Dearing, Minnetonka 2013
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Both were Mr. Basketball finalists.
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Dad played at Virginia, son playing at Wisconsin.
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83. Vic Moore, Montgomery 1968
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Scored 1,755 career points, #9 at the time.
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Played college ball at St. John’s.
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84 (tie). Lee Hopfenspirger, Morgan 1956 and Dave Schneider, Appleton 1952
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Hopfenspirger scored 1,171 career points. Schneider led Appleton to state tournament, and scored 1,105 career points.
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Both helped Joe Hutton and Hamline to his final MIAC titles in 1956 and 1960, respectively.
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85 (tie). Victor Johnson, 1936 and Dick Laurence, 1945, both Bemidji
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Johnson helped his team to the state title, while Laurence led his team to the consolation title.
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Johnson lettered at MN in 1940, Laurence played at Bemidji State where he is a Hall of Famer.
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86. Alex Hanks, St. Cloud Tech 2010
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Helped his team to 2ndplace in Class AAAA, setting a tournament record of 47 FT attempts.
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Played college ball at Mankato State.
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87 (tie). Chester Thompson, Buffalo 1931; Earl Pennington, Mankato 1932
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Thompson led Buffalo to 2nd place in 1931; Pennington led the Scarlets to 2 4th place finishes at state. Made a game-winner from half-court in 1931.
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Thompson played at Gustavus, where he is a HoFer. Pennington played 4 years at Mankato State.
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88. Maxie Rosenbloom, St. Paul Johnson 2010
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Helped Johnson to state title; Pi Press metro player of the year.
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Played 4 years at Bemidji State, scored 12 ppg as senior.
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89. Arvid “Swede” Hagberg, Buffalo Lake 1925
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Led MIAC in scoring at Gustavus and is a member of their HoF.
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90. Carl Matel, Duluth Cathedral 1935ish
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Considered to be the best player ever to come out of Cathedral.
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Played college ball at St. Mary’s.
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91. JaVonni Bickham, Minnehaha 2018
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Scored 16 ppg with 8 boards and 2 assists as a senior.
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Headed to Denver U.
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92 (tie). Neil Fedson, Lyle 1949 and Roger Lueck, Wellcome 1954
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Fedson scored 1,303 career pts, #2 at the time. Lueck finished as the #1 scorer in MN history at the time. with 1,731 points.
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93. Matt Turk, Aurora 1923
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Led Aurora to the state title with a tournament-best 45 points, yet was left off the all-tournament team.
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94. Steve Nett, Winona Cotter 1978
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Led his team to a Class A state title.
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95 (tie). Gerhard “Shorty” Hiebert, Mountain Lake 1915, and Carroll “Shorty” Malvey, Moorhead 1930
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Hiebert led 1915 tournament in scoring, in fact, scored all 18 Mountain Lake points in the final. Malvey helped Moorhead to 3 straight state finals including tiles in 1928 and 1929.
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Malvey helped Concordia to win the 1931 MIAC title.
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96. Nick Pepelnjak, Virginia 1937
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Helped Virginia to 2nd in the 1937 state tournament, then led the 1938 tournament in scoring.
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97. Albert Tousley, St. Paul Humboldt 1917
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Led Humboldt to the state tournament, led the St. Paul City Conference in scoring.
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98 (tie). Jay Rasmussen, Morristown 1960 and Mike Peroutka, Morristown, Faribault Bethlehem 1970
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Rasmussen scored 1,861 career points. Peroutka scored 2,038 career points and was MVP of 1970 state Catholic tournament.
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Rasmussen played football at U of MN. Peroutka played college ball at Mankato State.
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99. John Kundla, Minneapolis Central 1934
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Never started for his high school team.
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Top scorer for MN Gophers 1937 Big 10 champs.
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100. Kevin Treanor, Coon Rapids 1983
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Mr. Basketball finalist.
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Score 1.6 ppg over 4 years at Western Illinois.
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