With the second half of the season well underway, perennial powerhouse Hopkins has hit its stride after a dim start to the season.

"I feel good about these guys," Hopkins coach Ken Novak Jr. said. "We were reeling after Amir (Coffey) went down. We were losing a lot in a row, and I don't think anybody thought we had a chance. We still don't know if we have a chance. We're still not that good of a team."

John Warren (24 points) and Xavier Johnson (season-high 25 points) combined for 49 of Hopkins 97 points in Friday night's 97-79 handling of Lake Conference foe Minnetonka, as the Royals pushed their winning streak to nine.

The sixth-ranked Royals also got 19 points from Vinnie Shahid. Ishmael El-Amin chipped-in 13 points off the bench.

"We're playing together, and we're doing what we have to do so far," Novak Jr. said. "But this whole second (half) now could be a whole different ballgame, and my kids better realize it. They better not get too full of themselves."

Warren has pushed his game into overdrive the past few weeks. The 6-foot 5 senior has averaged 20.1 points per game over Hopkins' 9-game winning streak.

But despite his numbers, sharing the ball has been the key for Hopkins' success this season, and Warren said that aspect of the Royals' game just shows off their scoring versatility.

"We move the ball and whoever gets an open shot can take it," Warren said. "We like passing it. We like penetration and (kick-out passes) ... Xavier (Johnson) hit a lot of shots tonight, and that's what we need."

After scoring 18 of his 24 points with four 3-pointers in the first half, Warren let Johnson do the damage in the second half. Johnson, a junior guard, posted 20 of his season-high 25 points in the final period, as Hopkins outscored Minnetonka 55-38 to close the door on a Skippers' upset.

The 97 points was a season-high for the Royals, who are one of the hottest teams in Minnesota hoops.

"With our kids, anybody can take their shot,," Novak Jr. said. "Anybody can do something with (the ball), but they all have to be smart with it."

Junior Xavier Johnson and senior John Warren scored 25 and 24 points, respectively, as Hopkins ran away from Minnetonka in the second half Friday night, winning the Lake Conference showdown at Minnetonka High School 97-79.

Warren scored 18 points in the first half on the back of four 3-pointers, but the Royals only led 42-41 after the opening frame. Johnson exploded in the second half, with 20 points as the Royals outscored the Skippers 55-38.

Hopkins, ranked No. 6 in Class 4A by the Minnesota Basketball News, improved to 13-4 overall and 4-0 in Lake Conference play.

Minnetonka junior Amar Miller scored a game-high 30 points for the No. 10 Skippers, who fell to 14-4 on the season with the loss and 2-2 in Lake Conference action.

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