The longest running summer Minnesota high school tournament (over 25 years) wrapped up their event Sunday night with Hopkins winning their fifth straight title and eighth overall in the MN Basketball News Sweet 16 Tournament. This tournament is different in that it has all four classes intermingled. It gives teams that would never match up and opportunity to do so. It is a measuring stick to see what is possible and how much improvement is needed to reach the top flight.
As has been the case in the last ten years two AAAA teams clashed in the finals. This time they were familiar Lake Conference and section 6AAAA foes Hopkins and Wayzata. Only one will play deep into March. Today both were in the final game of the summer. In what is sure to be a preview of that section final in March the Royals used their speed and quickness to tie down Wayzata. The Trojans coughed up the ball 30 times (once every 10.4 touches) which led to a Hopkins 70-51 shot advantage. As with real estate it was location, location, location on shots for the Royals which explains their 53% shoot. Hopkins alone had 20 lay up opportunities with another 28 attempts within six feet of the basket. Wayzata was no stranger to lay up attempts, when they got past the initial pressure (they had 17 lay up chances). But they only had 16 attempts with six feet and when they did they only converted four. Hopkins ended up with seven blocks which might not tie into the narrative that they are undersized compared to Wayzata. Wayzata does have them in inches, but probably it is a wash with explosiveness off the floor. One area Wayzata clearly had an advantage in was at the free throw line with 33 attempts to 22 for Hopkins (the same total the Trojans made).
The last time a non-AAAA team made the finals was in 2008 when New Prague, then a AAA team, reached the finals losing to Bloomington Kennedy 47-40. The last time a small school got to the final game was in 2006 when Cedar Mountain-Comfrey lost to Champlin Park in the final game 70-60. Who did CMC beat to get to the final? Hopkins in perhaps the biggest upset in Sweet 16 history.
This is Hopkins Sweet 16 Coach Tara Starks’ fifth straight title.
This year’s tournament format was a bit different. The main St. Ben’s floor was not used due to the increase cost of rental. That meant there were two rounds of boys with two rounds of girls twice on both dates in the fieldhouse. I spent my Saturday on court 3 covering the Stillwater action court. Future Gopher Sara Scalia produced three strong performances and got to the 31 club once. Saturday the Ponies had two double digit wins, but Sunday fell to Wayzata in the semifinal. The final was closer than the game felt. Wayzata jumped out to a 22-5 first quarter lead and there was no real doubt after that. The rest of the way it was 52-46 for Wayzata. When Stillwater pressed in the second half it seemed to energize the team and got them back in the offensive flow as they had a hard time in the half court against the Wayzata length. Two Trojans ended up in the 31 Club that game: Jenna Johnson and Kallie Theisen.
If you wanted drama and tight action in this tournament you had to go to the consolation rounds. In the initial round of 16 the best contest involved New Ulm over Minneota 50-48. The Vikings ended up taking 9th overall with a win over Lac Qui Parle Valley in another conference/section rivalry. Minneota dodged Willmar in the lead up game 42-40 while LQPV edged Pelican Rapids 55-53. Three A teams finished 9, 10 and 12 for the best finish of other classes. Minnehaha ended up fourth as the best finish for any class outside of AAAA. The best AAA finish was Waseca in 6th. There were two double overtime games with LQPV beating Maranatha 77-74, and Prior Lake beating New Ulm 70-67.
| Team | Points | PP100 | Top Scorer |
| Stillwater | 55 | 86.2 | Sara Scalia 18 |
| Pelican Rapids | 33 | 52.3 | Adrianna Torres 11 |
| Prior Lake | 59 | 82.2 | McKenna Hofschild 15 |
| Eden Valley-Watkins | 51 | 68.0 | Olivia Kuechle 18 |
| Stillwater | 72 | 112.5 | Liza Karlen 18 |
| Stewartville | 42 | 65.6 | Two with 10 |
| Hopkins | 68 | 107.7 | Paige Bueckers 19 |
| New Ulm | 36 | 54.5 | Joey Batt 22 |
| Wayzata | 74 | 106.8 | Jenna Johnson 22 |
| Stillwater | 51 | 68.0 | Sara Scalia 18 |
| Hopkins | 84 | 103.7 | Paige Bueckers 31 |
| Wayzata | 59 | 74.7 | Jenna Johnson 16 |
TRENCH PLAYER
SATURDAY
GAME 1: Sara Scalia with 18 points, 150 pp100, and 29 score in the 31 Club
GAME 2: McKenna Hofschild with 15 points, 93.8 pp100, and 26 score in the 31 Club
GAME 3: Liza Karlen with 18 points, 150 pp100, and 27 score in the 31 Club
GAME 4: Paige Bueckers with 19 points, 172.7 pp100 and 43 score in the 31 Club
SUNDAY
GAME 5: Jenna Johnson with 22 points, 146.7 pp100 and 33 score in the 31 Club
GAME 6: Paige Bueckers with 31 points, 155.0 pp100 and 41 score in the 31 Club
PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT: Paige Bueckers….twice a member of the 41 Club and the only player that was over 150 pp100 twice including a best 172.7. Bueckers is the only player in Sweet 16 history to be twice named Trench Player of the title game.