Last Thursday, the Minnesota basketball community lost one of its loyal supporters when Tony Geer passed away at the age of 50.
Geer wrote about and broadcast basketball for his website communityhoops.com, which covered the local and national basketball scene.
In my three years as an examiner, he was a familiar presence at press row, covering events such as the Minnesota State High School Boys and Girls Basketball Tournaments and the Timberwolves Shootout at Target Center. He was also present at the Breakdown Girls Tip-Off Classic in December at Hopkins High School.
He covered basketball on almost every level, high school, college, the pros and even AAU. We also crossed paths one Thursday night at the Howard Pulley Summer League at the Salvation Army Gym in St. Paul.
Geer not only covered basketball for his website, he worked with me on a PARK-TV 16 cablecast in 2009, which was a Section 6AAAA quarterfinal game between Hopkins and St. Louis Park. Given the disparity of records, it was more a conversation with two guys talking basketball and that kept a one-sided game interesting.
Last November, gee gave me one of my big breaks as a part-time broadcaster by booking me on the webcasting of the State Girls Volleyball Tournament. It was my first paid gig as a webcaster and memorable calling the action from the Xcel Energy Center.
This March will likely be different at Press Row come Tournament Time without Geer and his extensive basketball knowledge. My condolences go out to his family and friends on his passing and may he rest in peace.
Comments