Hopkins coach Brian Cosgriff is not going to be happy with me for saying this. No, not "Happy birthday, Cos." I think he's OK with that. But this: The 4A girls state tournament just became something of a formality, as Cos' girls clobbered what, aside from 2 recent losses to Hopkins, looks like the 2nd best team in the state of Minnesota. That would be the Wayzata Trojans. But, 2nd best or not, they won't be playing in the state tournament after a 77-60 shellacking at the hands of the Royals in the Section 6AAAA final Thursday night. Wayzata finishes 25-3, 25-0 against the rest of the world, 0-3 against Hopkins.
Hopkins set the tone early with a strong, quick, aggressive defense; a voracious defense. Wayzata would try to back it out to get some space and time to reset their offense, but Hopkins' defenders would follow the Wayzata ball handlers right out to the timeline, and never give them that space or time. And Wayzata was not quick enough with the dribble, not quick enough with the pass, not skillful enough with the ball to escape that defense. The result was 17 Wayzata turnovers in the 1st half alone. The points on turnovers in the 1st half, 13-2 Hopkins, accounting for most of Hopkins 39-27 lead.
Wayzata did a better job of moving the ball in the 2nd half with just 7 turnovers good for--wait, what?--zero Hopkins points off turnovers in the 2nd half. Oddly, Wayzata turned it over 4 times in the 1st 6 minutes, but got within 47-40 at 11:34. But Paige Bueckers hit 3 quick buckets and 8th graders Taylor Woodson and Sunday Agara a bucket each and suddenly it was 60-46. Wayzata had given Hopkins their best shot and they were 2 points further behind than at the half. This was at 7:44. Wayzata did not make another run.
Bueckers was awesome but her 25 points on 9-of-20 shooting are the least of it. She did hit 2 dagger 3s after Wayzata made its run, and she was unstoppable cutting to the rim. But it was her 8 steals that were most impressive. On a couple of them she seemingly covered half the court (OK, the short way, side to side) to swipe passes that she saw coming before the Wayzata receiver did. To those 8 steals, she also added 7 rebounds and 5 assists, while committing just one turnover and that one came just after a steal of her own. Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma was sitting behind the Hopkins bench. He didn't see anything in Bueckers not to love.
Dlayla Chakolis was also unstoppable with 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting. She scored mostly on cuts to the basket. She makes up for her 5-7 size inside with a quick release, almost like a touch-catch-and-shoot. She is one of Minnesota's best rebounders but had just 3 today but also added 3 steals, an assist and just one turnover.
If Hopkins looks unbeatable today, I can barely even imagine next year. They lose Chakolis and that is not an insignificant thing. But Bueckers is back. And, then, you've 6-3 9th grade Maya Nnaji, already big and strong and uses her size and strength and plays within herself. She gave one of Minnesota's top inside players, Kallie Theisen, everything she could handle inside, though Theisen managed to score 18 points, but they were 18 tough points. Nnaji finished with 6 points on 2-of-5 shooting with 7 boards and 2 blocks including 2 "BRs," that is, a block and a rebound, one of them against Theisen.
9th grade guard Maya Battle guarded Wayzata senior Mimi Schrader, one of the state's best point guards, most of the way and gave her fits. She had 4 points on 2-of-4 shooting, 3 boards, 2 steals and one turnover.
The 8th graders were equally impressive. Taylor Woodson is a strong, poised 5-11 forward. While Battle focused on the D, Woodson is looking to score and made 2 especially great plays. One was a steal-and-assist, the other a defensive rebound that she took coast-to-coast for a 2-and-1. Agara is another 5-11 8th grader who looks to be a little more of a defense-and-rebound type of player, also very very strong for her age. Together these 5 returning players at 6-3, 6-0, 5-11, 5-11, 5-10 are going to look like a D1 team with good size but tremendous strength.
Hopkins has won 6 state titles under coach Cos. This could be their 5th straight state championship game. But, this team looks like Cos' best, and next year's could be even better.
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