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 relentless journey from volunteer AAU circles to the collegiate ranks at Bethel University, and how those foundational experiences shaped his high-level, detail-oriented approach at Central.

Inside the Episode:

• The Power of Trust: How long-term player relationships and having a "floor general" like Eli Moseman fueled a championship run.
• The College Blueprint: The lessons Jones learned coaching at Bethel and how those defined his coaching staff roles at the high school level.
• Offseason Reality Checks: Navigating year two with a young roster, moving past a historic 11-senior class, and why "comparison is the thief of joy" when measuring program success.
• Brutal Recruiting Truths: What college coaches are actually looking for on the circuit, and the body language habits that will get a player crossed off a recruiting list instantly.
• Lightning Round: The toughest road environments in the St. Paul City Conference (shoutout to Johnson and Highland), a surprising take on the LA vs. Twin Cities food scene, and the ultimate non-negotiable of his program: "dying to yourself" for the team.

Host Steve Hartman also kicks off the show with a look at the latest headlines: the newly confirmed Gophers/St. Thomas home-and-home series, the Lynx’s dominant run and star rookie Olivia Miles, and the Knicks finally snapping their 53-year title drought.

Connect with the Show & Guest:

• Follow the Pod on Socials: @SplashCityPodcast on Instagram, Bluesky and Facebook
• Website: SplashCityBasketball.com
• Read Steve’s Latest Blog: Check out the Gophers vs. St. Thomas breakdown at HittingTheHardwood.com
• Follow Coach Cam Jones: @coach_camjones

If you love the breakdown, make sure to hit that subscribe button, leave us a 5-star review, and share the show with a fellow hoops fan. Your support makes it all possible!

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube.

Follow Splash City Basketball Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky.

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 emotional rollercoaster of traveling down to San Antonio with his teenage son, confronting past sports trauma from road arenas, deciding whether to boldly wear his Knicks gear, and discovering that an incredible third of the crowd was packed with fellow New York faithful. From fans singing in the hallways to high-fiving in the Uber lines, Nick describes the surreal feeling of watching a high-stakes away game turn completely into a home environment.

The guys also contrast that hostile road victory with the legendary, localized DNA of Madison Square Garden. Nick looks back at the legendary playoff comebacks he’s witnessed at the Mecca —where not a single soul leaves their seat early —and describes the pure basketball culture of a city that lives and breathes the sport.

Finally, they pivot to the fan relationship with Karl-Anthony Towns, tracing how a city built on grit and attitude transformed a complicated regular season connection into full-blown love for a potential Finals MVP frontrunner.

It’s an episode dedicated to the traveling fan, arena camaraderie, and the beautiful, raucous reality of New York basketball peaking at the perfect time!

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Follow Splash City Basketball Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky.

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, rules, and unspoken dynamics of pickup basketball. They swap stories about growing up playing on driveway hoops, debate whether "straight up" or "win by two" is superior, and share the ultimate pickup compliment: the "one more" extra swing pass.

Whether you're a mid-range assassin or a fundamental rebounder, this episode is for anyone who lives for the pick-up run to keep the competitive spirit alive.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube.

Follow Splash City Basketball Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky.