On paper, it had the makings of being a great early season bout featuring two of the state’s top teams.
Defending Class 4A state champion Hopkins, up against Minnehaha Academy, which won the last three Class 2A state titles before opting to move up to Class 3A this season. Both teams are loaded with talent and they didn’t disappoint at Hopkins High School on Tuesday.
After rallying from a 10-point deficit in the second half, Hopkins, behind the play of Kerwin Walton and Jalen Treml, pushed past Jalen Suggs and his Minnehaha Academy team to win 92-85 in overtime.
It didn’t start how most people likely expected, with the first basket coming four minutes into the game, and countless fouls. Both teams were shooting bonus just eight minutes in, and heading into halftime the Redhawks held a 37-35 lead.
Hopkins, the defending Class 4A state champion, rallied in the second half Tuesday night to force overtime and take down Minnehaha Academy 92-85 at Hopkins High School.
It wasn’t a pretty first half. It took more than four minutes for the first basket to be made, and 19 fouls later, the Redhawks, ranked No. 1 in Class 3A by Minnesota Basketball News, had a razor-slim 37-35 lead at halftime.
Minnehaha Academy (3-2, 0-0), which won the last three Class 2A state titles before moving up to Class 3A this season, went on a quick 14-6 run in the second half that helped build a 51-41 lead, the largest of the game. The Royals (4-2, 0-0) didn’t waver, however, and got back into the contest with made free throws, and Kerwin Walton, who scored 27 of his 29 points in the second half for the No. 7-4A Royals.
After Redhawks senior Jalen Suggs, who finished with 41 points and 12 rebounds, missed a potential game-winner from 30 feet out before time expired in the second half, the game went into overtime tied at 80. Just a minute in, Suggs fouled out and Hopkins outscored the Redhawks 12-5 in the final four minutes to secure the win.
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