Hopkins tops Farmington in the game of the week
It was textbook Hopkins basketball – and quintessential Paige Bueckers – and it was a whole lot of fun to watch. Unless you were wearing orange, of course. It was also the biggest game of the high school season to…
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Continue ReadingIt was textbook Hopkins basketball – and quintessential Paige Bueckers – and it was a whole lot of fun to watch. Unless you were wearing orange, of course. It was also the biggest game of the high school season to date and there’s no doubt that the best team won. The final score was Hopkins 77 over Farmington 52. Here’ a recap of the action, some standout individuals and a few lessons learned.
THE OPENING STANZA
The game started with a bang as Farmington senior Molly Mogensen scored on a layup just 15 seconds in, causing the raucous Tigers’ student section to erupt in volcanic celebration. The glee was short-lived, however, as Hopkins countered less than 15 seconds later when freshman Taylor Woodson cashed in on an and-1 to give the Royals the lead. That was quickly followed by an Amaya Battle pull-up jumper and a Bueckers drive and scoop.
A few minutes later Farmington went on a 6-0 spurt of its own as Mogensen made a pair of free throws and a transition basket, followed quickly by a Sophie Hart score that gave Farmington an 18-17 lead nine minutes into the game. After a little back and forth, the contest was once again even at 26 at the 6-minute mark. That’s when everything changed.
PLAY(S) OF THE GAME
The way the first 10-12 minutes of this game went is the way a lot of Hopkins games go. The teams feel each other out for a while as the opponent tries to shake the jitters and the Royals get warmed up for the main event. Then Hopkins turns up the defensive pressure and the opponent begins making errors. Then comes the big blue run.
On Friday night it began at the 5:45 mark with a Bueckers basket. That was followed quickly with a three-pointer from Battle at 5:00, a Woodson put-back at 4:00, a Maya Nnaji score at 3:20 and another Battle triple at 2:42. Three minutes. Twelve points. A dozen-point margin. By halftime the score read 40-30 and the die had been cast.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
As if there was any doubt. This was Paige Bueckers at her best. Sometimes it’s flashy. Sometimes its surgical, and that’s what it was on this night as Paige picked the Farmington defense apart one possession at a time. Most of her baskets were scored at or near the rim as she demonstrated her superior body control, incredible court vision and uncanny ability to paralyze opponents. Paige finished with 14 field goals, not one of them a three.
After the first-half spurt, the second stanza opened with a Bueckers layup and a three by KK Adams in the first 45 seconds. That stretched the lead to 15. Bueckers scored again at the 12:55 mark before scoring another field goal and another field goal and a pair of free throws – eight straight Hopkins points for the best 18-year-old on the planet in three minutes. The margin was 19. Bueckers finished with a season-high 31.
BATTLE OF THE BIGS
You’d be hard-pressed to find two better bigs than Hopkins sophomore Maya Nnaji and Farmington junior Sophie Hart. Both stand 6’4. Both made their mark at the Team USA tryouts last spring. Both are collecting power-conference offers. It was a battle, for sure, but Nnaji gets the edge this time around. Maya finished her opportunities, rebounded hard and lived up to her billing as the #1 player in the class of 2022. She finished with 17 points while Hart had 12.
EMERGING STARS
Taylor Woodson of Hopkins is a freshman. Nunu Agara of Hopkins is a freshman. Can there possibly be a a better pair of 9th graders on any team in America? Doubtful. Both were outstanding Friday night as the 2023 co-number 1s showed off their athleticism, superior skills and vast potential once again.
VALUE OF EXPERIENCE
Hopkins has been playing in and winning big games forever. They’re accustomed to the big stage, used to teams gunning for them every night, completely comfortable with huge crowds, bright lights and high expectations. That experience showed on Friday night. Bueckers was terrific, of course, but so was her fellow senior Adams, a top-30 prospect who has been in the trenches with Paige for years. Adams cashed in from beyond the arc with three triples while delivering the kind of defensive pressure that often forces Royals’ opponents to cry, ‘Uncle!’ Battle, the #2 prospect in the class of 2022, is only a sophomore but this is her fourth season of varsity basketball. It showed.
WHAT WE LEARNED
Farmington’s rise to relevance has been nothing short of remarkable. From three wins just four years ago to potential state-tournament team, the Tigers are legitimate contenders. As last night revealed, however, they have a long, long way to go to catch up to Hopkins. Coach Brian Cosgriff’s Royals are now 6-0 on the young season. They have scored victories by margins of 38, 44, 35, 60, 42 and now 25 points. Yes, Hopkins has more talent than anyone. They also put in more work, do more scouting and preparation, and train harder than any other team all year long. The results are amazing.
Paige Bueckers photo courtesy of USA Basketball