Throughout this 2011-12 basketball season, the Minnesota State High School League is celebrating 100 years of state basketball tournaments. The first boys' state tourney was held in 1913.
Each week until the state tournaments begin, the League is announcing a different category of "state tournament bests." These lists have been compiled with the assistance of a committee of basketball historians and experts from around Minnesota.
We kick off the series with an alphabetical listing of the top five coaches in the history of the boys' state basketball tournament…
TOP FIVE BOYS' BASKETBALL COACHES
 | Jack Evens – Bloomington Jefferson
State appearances: 1975, 1976, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990
State championships: 1976, 1982, 1986, 1987
Evens, Jefferson's coach for 26 years before retiring, ranks among the top 10 coaches in state boys' basketball history with a career record of 554-193. His teams included future NBA players Steve Lingenfelter and Kevin Lynch. He was elected to the Minnesota Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1994. Jefferson's current head coach is Jeff Evens, son of Jack.
|
Jim Hastings – Duluth Central
State appearances: 1961, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1977, 1979, 1985, 1986
State championships: 1961, 1971, 1979
Hastings was the head at Duluth Central for 31 years and finished with a career record of 541-236. He was a finalist for National Basketball Coach of the Year in 1979. On the day Hastings retired, Minnesota's governor proclaimed it "Jim Hastings Day," which was a first for a high school coach in the state. |  |
 | Russell S. "Butsie" Maetzold – Hopkins
State appearances: 1942, 1948, 1951, 1952, 1953
State championships: 1952, 1953
Maetzold compiled a remarkable career record of 508-62, with the best winning percentage (91 percent) in state history. In 1952-53, Hopkins became the third team in Minnesota history to win back-to-back state titles. Maetzold also played on two state championship teams at Red Wing in 1920 and 1922. He also coached the Hopkins football team to a record of 88-6-5 over 18 years. |
Bob McDonald – Chisholm
State appearances: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1981, 1982, 1991, 1992, 1995, 2008, 2009, 2011
State championships: 1973, 1975, 1991
McDonald, the dean of active coaches, has been the head coach at Chisholm (where he graduated in 1951) since 1961 and began the 2011-12 season with a career record of 970-387. His teams are famous for playing with discipline and dressing with style. His six children became all-state basketball players and went on to coaching careers themselves. |  |
 | Ken Novak, Jr. -- Blaine, Hopkins
State appearances: Blaine 1987; Hopkins 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011
State championships: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011
Novak has guided the Hopkins basketball program into one that is recognized nationally, as evidenced by his status in 2010-11 as the ESPN RISE National Coach of the Year. The Royals have six state titles in 10 years, including the last three in a row. He was the head coach at Blaine for seven years before taking over at Hopkins in 1990. Novak played at Hopkins, where his coach was his father, Ken Novak, Sr. |
OTHER NOTABLE COACHES (Years designate first and latest state appearance)
Harvey Roels, Chisholm, 1930-40
Six state appearances, one championship
Duane Baglien, Fergus Falls/Edina, 1957-68
Five state appearances, three championships
Del Schiffler, Melrose/Woodbury, 1972-87
Six state appearances, two championships
Larry McKenzie, Minneapolis Patrick Henry, 1999-2003
Five state appearances, four championships
Ove Berven, Austin, 1941-63
14 state appearances, two championships
Bun Fortier, Bemidji, 1950-69
14 state appearances
Bob Brink, Rocori, 1979-2012
12 state appearances, one championship
Ray Parkins, Duluth Central/Minneapolis Edison, 1922-37
Six state appearances, one championship
Glenn Hanna, Moorhead, 1926-34
Seven state appearances, two championships
Tom Vix, Rushford-Peterson, 1989-2010
11 state appearances, two championships
Dave Thorson, DeLaSalle, 1997-2012
Nine state appearances, three championships
Ziggy Kauls, Mounds View, 1971-2012
12 state appearances, two championships
Robin Ingram, Minneapolis North, 1990-99
Six state appearances, three championships
|
Other "Bests"
Girls:
Top Coaches
Top Players
Top Teams
Top Shots
Top Finishes
Top Games
Boys:
Top Coaches
Top Players
Top Teams
Top Shots
Top Finishes
Top Games
|