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Trailing by 12 at halftime, No. 1 Hopkins rallies past Wayzata

By MIKE HENDRICKSON, Star Tribune, 03/09/17, 8:45PM CST

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Freshman Paige Bueckers scored 28 points to pace the Royals to an 81-74 victory.

paige

Freshman Paige Bueckers (1) drives down the court after making a steal late in the second half of Hopkins’ 81-74 victory over Wayzata in the Class 4A Region 6 girls’ basketball final at Minneapolis Washburn High School. Bueckers scored a game-high 27 poin

Hopkins girls’ basketball coach Brian Cosgriff’s message to his team at halftime was clear.

The undefeated Royals, who hadn’t trailed at the half all season, faced a 12-point deficit to Wayzata in the Class 4A, Section 6 championship. Cosgriff kept his message short.

“Let’s see what kind of team we are,’” Cosgriff recalled saying to his team Thursday.

The Royals (29-0) responded. Top-seeded Hopkins mounted a comeback and defeated Wayzata 81-74 at Minneapolis Roosevelt High School to win its sixth section title in seven years.

“We just thought, ‘We don’t want to lose,’ ” said freshman guard Paige Bueckers, who led the Royals with 28 points. “We wanted to go to state and finish our journey.”

Hopkins was down 37-22 midway through the first half and 41-29 at the start of the second, but took a 46-44 lead with 14:50 left in the game.
Leading 75-72 with 1:01 left, the Royals finished a 6-2 run behind two free throws each from DeAnna Winston, Bueckers and Raena Suggs.

“This was a complete team win,” Cosgriff said. “It was a good win for Hopkins basketball.”

The matchup was much closer than the last meeting between the teams on Feb. 16, when Hopkins won by 37 points. The Royals have not lost to Wayzata since Feb. 21, 2011.

Suggs added 22 points for the Royals. Hopkins had four players score in double digits.

Sydney Franks led Wayzata (22-7) with 22 points.

MIKE HENDRICKSON

chakolis

Dlayla Chakolis steps over Kalie Theisen on her way to the basket in Hopkins’ 81-74 victory over Wayzata in the Class 4A Region 6 girls’ basketball final at Minneapolis Roosevelt High School. Chakolis scored 14 points for the Royals. Photo by Mark Hvidste

First report

Trailing by 12 points at halftime, Hopkins rallied to defeat Wayzata 81-74 on Thursay at Roosevelt High School to win the Class 4A, Section 6 championship.

The Royals' comeback earned them their third section title in three years. Hopkins was down 37-22 midway through the first half and 41-29 at the start of the second half, but took a 46-44 lead with 14:50 left in the game.

Hopkins held a 75-72 lead with 1:01 left.The Royals closed it out on a 6-2 run behind two free throws each from DeAnna Winston, Paige Bueckers and Raena Suggs.

Hopkins has not lost to Wayzata since Feb. 21, 2011. The Royals won their last matchup against the Trojans by 37 points on Feb. 16.

Bueckers, a freshman, scored 28 points to pace the Royals. Suggs added 18 points. Overall, the Royals had four players reach double digits in scoring.

Check back later for more on the game.

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