Quantcast
skip navigation

Hopkins escapes in overtime against Minnehaha Academy

By Ben Grundhauser, SportsEngine, 12/24/19, 5:30PM CST

Share

Kerwin Walton scored 27 of his 29 points in the game’s final 18 minutes to help the Royals hold off the Redhawks.

Hopkins' Kerwin Walton (12) runs into Minnehaha Academy defender Kaden Johnson (2). Walton  tallied 29 points and 11 rebounds in the Royals' 92-85 overtime win on Tuesday night. Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

Hopkins' Kerwin Walton (12) runs into Minnehaha Academy defender Kaden Johnson (2). Walton tallied 29 points and 11 rebounds in the Royals' 92-85 overtime win on Tuesday night. Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

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' Jaelen Treml pulls up and shoots from the top of the key. Treml led the Royals' offense early in the game, scoring 16 of his 23 points in the first half. Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

Hopkins' Jaelen Treml pulls up and shoots from the top of the key. Treml led the Royals' offense early in the game, scoring 16 of his 23 points in the first half. Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

First Report

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. 

Minnehaha Academy's Jalen Suggs shoots the ball over the head of Hopkins' defender Sawyer Shrake. Suggs led all scoring with 41 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out of the game early in overtime. Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

Minnehaha Academy's Jalen Suggs shoots the ball over the head of Hopkins' defender Sawyer Shrake. Suggs led all scoring with 41 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out of the game early in overtime. Photo by Cheryl A. Myers, SportsEngine

The MN Basketball Hub poll is for entertainment purposes only. 

Basketball Hub Headlines

Feed for https://www.startribune.com/sports/index.rss2