Hopkins has seemed nearly unstoppable this season. Can No. 3-4A Wayzata do the improbable and defeat the top-ranked team in Class 4A?
When the teams met on Jan. 21 for their first Lake Conference matchup of the season, Wayzata had a three-point lead at halftime before Hopkins pulled away late to notch an 87-77 victory. The Trojans (19-3, 6-2) will look to replicate the formula for success they had early in the last meeting, and find an extra jolt to come away with a win on Friday.
Six-foot-4 senior forward Annika Stewart (18.2 ppg) has been dominant for the Trojans. She had 22 points in the January loss to the Royals. Sophomore guard Mara Braun (15 ppg) is also a factor.
Hopkins, the defending state champion in Class 4A, has stayed unblemished this season while averaging more than 85 points per game. The Royals (20-0, 8-0) have scored less than 70 points in a game just once this season, which came in a 69-34 victory over Buffalo last Friday.
Talent is plentiful at Hopkins. Connecticut commit Paige Bueckers (21 ppg) is the team's leading scorer, but Maya Nnaji (18.6 ppg) and Taylor Woodson(15 ppg) are also threats when they have the ball.