Splash City Basketball Podcast

It has been a wild, whiplash-inducing stretch for professional basketball in Minnesota, and we are breaking it all down in this jam-packed episode.  First, host Steve Hartman welcomes Derek Long (aka "Croonch" on social media) to process a stunning wave of Minnesota Timberwolves offseason moves. They unpack the emotional fallout of the blockbuster trade sending fan-favorite Naz Reid to C...

Fresh off an incredible 25-4 debut season that brought packed stands back to the St. Paul community, St. Paul Central Head Coach Cam Jones joins the podcast.  As the reigning St. Paul City Conference Coach of the Year, Jones pulls back the curtain on what made last season's team so special and what he learned to help prepare this year's team with summer workouts starting.  We trace his r...

What is it actually like to be a die-hard fan when your team is on the precipice of ending a championship drought? On this episode of the Splash City Basketball Podcast , host Steve Hartman shifts the focus to the bleachers and the concourses, bringing on New York native and ultimate Knicks fan Nick Jezerian to deliver the definitive fan perspective on the 2026 NBA Finals.  Nick opens up about the...

Every gym has them: the guy who stretches for 20 minutes just to outrun everyone, the player in the head-to-toe matching NBA gear who can't hit a layup, and the teammates who mumble about a foul all the way down to the other side of the court.  In this episode of the Splash City Basketball Podcast, Steve Hartman welcomes his pick-up hoop friends Nick and Matt to break down the archetypes, rul...

It’s time to reset, reflect, and talk through some heavy feelings after the Minnesota Timberwolves’ season came crashing down in decisive fashion against the San Antonio Spurs. On this episode of the Splash City Basketball Podcast , host Steve Hartman is joined by Derek Long from the Sideline Vibes podcast to deliver a comprehensive postmortem on the Wolves' playoff run.  We kick things off w...

The momentum of this series shifted in a single moment during the 2nd quarter, but it took a vintage performance from the closer to finish the job. Host Steve Hartman breaks down a chaotic Game 4 that saw the Timberwolves grit out a win to tie the series 2-2. Inside the Episode: The Wemby Fallout: Victor Wembanyama’s early exit changed the geometry of the game. Steve discusses why the Spurs remain...

It was a "back to the drawing board" night in San Antonio as the Timberwolves were blitzed 133-95 in a Game 2 to forget. Host Steve Hartman is joined by former Eagan head coach and founder of the McKenzie Shooting Academy, Kevin McKenzie, to break down the wreckage.  We dive into the (1:21) Spurs' swarming defensive traps that forced 22 turnovers, the impact of Jaden McDaniels'...

In this episode of the Splash City Basketball Podcast , host Steve Hartman sits down with Dan Radke , founder of the Radke Basketball Academy , to break down a wild week in Timberwolves basketball. The guys dive deep into the Wolves’ gritty Game 6 victory over the Denver Nuggets, highlighting the defensive masterclass from Jaden McDaniels and the "legacy" impact of Rudy Gobert.  The conv...

In this episode of the Splash City Basketball Podcast, Steve Hartman covers everything from AAU, a look back at the 90s and early 2000s for inspiration and the college basketball transfer portal Featured Interview: Andrew Wiener & West Central United Our main segment features a deep dive into youth basketball with Andrew Wiener , Director of the West Central United AAU program based in Alexand...

The Minnesota Timberwolves secured a dominant 112-96 victory over the Denver Nuggets to take a commanding 3-1 series lead . But as the old saying goes, "to whom much is given, much is required"—and the Wolves paid a heavy price at the Target Center. Steve is joined by friend and fellow Wolves fanatic Jon Schley to break it all down.  The Injury Report: We break down the devastating loss...

The Minnesota Timberwolves didn't just take a 2-1 series lead in Game 3—they physically dictated the terms of the matchup. In this episode of the Splash City Basketball Podcast, we break down the 113-96 victory over the Denver Nuggets through a tactical coaching lens. Joining the show is Derek Long (AKA Croonch), host of the SideLine Vibes Podcast and a fellow coach who breathes the game. We...

In this episode of the Splash City Basketball Podcast, host Steve Hartman breaks down the Minnesota Timberwolves' gritty 119-114 victory over the Denver Nuggets to tie the series at 1-1. We dive deep into a "Plus-Minus" analysis of the performance, highlighting the tactical shifts and individual efforts that allowed the Wolves to reclaim momentum as the series heads back to Target C...

The Minnesota Timberwolves fell into a familiar trap in Game 1, showing flashes of brilliance followed by a lack of mental toughness and maturity. Host Steve Hartman breaks down why holding Denver to 116 points should have been a winning formula and how the Wolves let the game slip away through a "sticky" offense and constant complaining to the officials. In this episode, we dive deep in...

The NBA’s newest rivalry reaches its "WrestleMania" moment as the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets prepare for their third playoff meeting in four years. Host Steve Hartman is joined by Andrew Dukowitz (Zone Coverage, Hitting the Hardwood ) to break down every angle of this high-stakes first-round series. With the playoff history between these two teams currently tied at one ser...

Steve Hartman returns to the Splash City Basketball Podcast to break down the Minnesota Timberwolves' 2025–26 regular season. After finishing with a record of 49-33—the exact same record as the previous season—the Wolves are heading to the "Mile High City" to face the Denver Nuggets for the third time in four years. In this episode, Steve explores whether the team is plateauing or s...

Michigan is back on top! In this live post-game reaction, host Steve Hartman breaks down the Wolverines' 69-63 victory over UConn to claim the 2026 National Championship. It was a gritty, defensive battle that saw Michigan overcome poor shooting with size, physicality, and clutch late-game execution. We dive into how Dusty May led Michigan to their first title since 1989 and secured the Big T...

Will the Big Ten drought finally end? On this episode of the Splash City Basketball Podcast , host Steve Hartman breaks down a lopsided Final Four weekend that has set the stage for a historic Monday night in Indianapolis. Steve dives into why UConn is the modern dynasty of the sport and how their "European-style" movement system left Illinois gassed in the semi-finals. Then, we look at...

In this episode, Steve Hartman and guest Matt Askegaard dive into the changing identity of basketball at both the high school and collegiate levels. They explore the resurgence of "Bully Ball" —a physical style of play focused on rim protection and glass dominance that is currently defining top-tier teams like UConn , Michigan , and Arizona . Key topics include: The Underclassmen Takeove...

In this immediate reaction episode, host Steve Hartman breaks down a weekend of absolute disbelief in the final Elite 8 game. After a refreshing spring break Steve returned just in time to witness one of the most stunning collapses in NCAA Tournament history as UConn erased a 19-point deficit to knock off top-seeded Duke . Inside the Episode: The Duke Meltdown: Steve reacts to the closing seconds...

In this jam-packed episode, Steven Hartman dives deep into the changing landscape of college basketball before shifting gears to preview the upcoming Minnesota State Boys Basketball Tournament. The Death of the Cinderella? Steven examines whether NIL and the transfer portal have killed the "mid-major" magic in March Madness or if the rise of power conference teams has simply raised the b...

Host Steve Hartman takes the Splash City Basketball Podcast on the road for a live broadcast from Back Channel Brewing on the shores of Lake Minnetonka. It’s opening day of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, and the madness is already in full swing as the crew reacts in real-time to a massive 12-5 upset with High Point taking down Wisconsin. In this episode, Steve is joined by a rotating cast of guests—inc...

In this episode, Steve Hartman is joined by Andrew Dukowitz from Zone Coverage to discuss a historic weekend at Williams Arena as the Gopher Women host the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament for the first time in 20 years. We break down their opening matchup against Green Bay , the health of key players like Sophie Hart and Mara Braun , and why their "impeccable" defense make...

The Splash City Basketball Podcast is gearing up for the Big Dance! In this special Selection Sunday segment, we are joined by Dave Richman , head coach of the 14-seeded North Dakota State Bison . While this interview was recorded before the brackets were unveiled—revealing a first-round matchup against 3-seed Michigan State in Buffalo—Coach Richman dives deep into the "competitive character&...

In this live stream episode ff the Splash City Basketball Podcast, host Steve Hartman is joined by longtime friend and bracket enthusiast Eric Quackenbush to dissect the newly revealed tournament field. Fresh off the selection show, the duo breaks down each region to identify the "Group of Death," potential Cinderellas, and the impact of recent injuries on top-tier contenders. Key segmen...

The Minnesota Youth Athletic Services Grade State basketball tournament marks the end of the winter season for thousands of players across Minnesota. But while the players finally get a break, the work for local board members never stops. In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on the logistical "mountain" behind youth sports—from gym-space wars to the emotional intensity of tryo...