Most Valuable Player is how Nia Coffey ended her high school career. The Hopkins star finished her All-American tour by earning the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-American game MVP on Saturday in her last appearance in a high school game.

Coffey scored 12 points in the showcase played in New Orleans on the same court of the NCAA women’s basketball Final Four. The 6-foot-1 forward impressed not only her teammates, opponents, and coaches, but her 40-inch vertical attracted a lot of attention from fans.

“I’m not going to lie I was really surprised. Probably my defense [earned it],” Coffey said. “[MVP] sounds really cool. It was a cool experience.”

As she was for three-time defending Class 4A champion Hopkins so many times throughout her career, she was among leaders in rebounds, blocks and assists. Complete stats from the game weren’t immediately available.

Northwestern-bound Coffey also played in the renowned McDonald’s All-American Game in Chicago, last week, against Braham’s Rebekah Dahlman. Coffey had six rebounds, two points, two blocks, two assists in the nationally televised game. Dahlman had five points, three assists, one steal.

Coffey and Minneapolis South’s Tayler Hill (2009) are the only Minnesota girls’ basketball standouts to play in both All-American games.

JASON GONZALEZ