Wayzata at Hopkins
7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17

Hopkins lost its first two league games this season but has surged back by winning three consecutive in conference play, including a 85-78 victory over No. 15-4A Edina last Friday.

To defeat Wayzata and have a serious shot at securing at least part of the conference title, the Royals may need a repeat performance from Ball State commit Ishmael El-Amin (21.3 ppg), who scored a game-high 24 points in the 81-55 loss to Trojans on Jan. 13. Blaise Beauchamp added 12 points and could be another key player for Hopkins on Friday.

Wayzata was 15-0 before falling to the Hornets 56-54 on Jan. 31, a loss that opened the league title chase. Jacob Beeninga (12.4 ppg) scored a game-high 20 points in the defeat and will be a focal point of the Royals defense after being one of four Trojans to finish with 10 or more points in the win over Hopkins. 

This go-round may come down to which team executes its game plan the best.

Wayzata must pack the lane to limit Hopkins' second-chance opportunities and to keep El-Amin from slashing through the interior.

The Royals' defense must pressure the Trojans, who like to spread the ball around. Hopkins can also feed off the energy from the lively home section at the Lindbergh Center to disrupt Wayzata.