Nick Jorgensen’s stat line didn’t stand out. But there was no bigger basket in Hopkins’ 71-57 victory over Owatonna than the one the Royals’ junior center made midway through the second half.

Hopkins’ lead had dwindled to six, 56-50, and momentum was clearly on the side of Owatonna.

Unfazed by the raucous Owatonna supporters, Jorgensen found himself open for a three-pointer and nailed it. It was his only shot of the game and provided Hopkins with the boost it needed.

“He’s been able to hit that shot for us all season,” Hopkins forward Joe Coleman said of Jorgensen. “At that time, it was much appreciated.”

A coach meets a hero

It’s  not just players who get wide-eyed by the surroundings during the state tournament. Coaches are allowed a moment of awe, too.

Cretin-Derham Hall coach Jerry Kline Jr., who played forward for the Raiders during their most recent state championship in 1993, interrupted talking to the media to lean over and shake hands with someone he’d long admired.

“I’m sorry, I just have to shake this guy’s hand,” Kline said as he reached out to Timberwolves assistant coach Bill Laimbeer, who was walking up the stairs next to the Cretin-Derham Hall locker room. “This is great. That’s someone I’ve admired for a long time.”

Getting his feet wet

Grand Rapids eighth-grader Alex Illikainen learned what it’s going to take to be considered among the state’s best in the future. The center went head-to- head against Waconia senior power forward Shelby Moats in the first half of their matchup.

“He is so strong,” the 6-7 Illikainen said about the 6-8 Vanderbilt recruit, who finished with 12 points, 10 in the first half, and 13 rebounds. “He was even better than I expected.”

Illikainen, who also finished with a double-double (12 points and 14 rebounds), wasn’t intimidated by the more physically mature Moats.

“He did a good job keeping me out of the paint,” said Illikainen, who had eight of his points in the second half.

Family tree grows

Ben and Keanu Glover helped close a generational gap by getting Columbia Heights to its first state basketball tournament in 81 years.

They also have made a personal connection off the court, discovering through genealogical research that they are distant cousins. Their great-great-grandfathers were brothers.

Keanu, who transferred to Columbia Heights from Armstrong for his senior year, recognized the white patch of hair on Ben’s head from photographs of his own grandfather. That is a birthmark for many males in Ben’s family.

So Keanu began asking questions and doing research. He found the families share roots in Chicago and Mississippi. “That’s tripped out,” Keanu said.