Hopkins boys' basketball coach Ken Novak Jr. entered the season with 689 career victories, 11 short of becoming the fourth boys' coach in state history to reach 700.

The Royals are 9-2 and play at St. Cloud Tech on Tuesday and face St. Paul Central on Saturday. If Hopkins wins both, Novak will join Bob McDonald of Chisholm, Bob Brink of Rocori and Ziggy Kauls of Mounds View in the 700 Club.

Just how successful has Novak been? Coming into this season, Novak, in his 31st year as a head coach, is averaging 23 victories a season. McDonald, in his 57th season at Chisholm, has 987 victories or just over 17 a season.

BOYS' BASKETBALL

Saturday: East Metro Showcase at St. Paul Johnson. A yearly gathering pitting metro against Wisconsin teams (except in the final game). Schedule: Columbia Heights vs. Milwaukee Lutheran, 10:30 a.m.; St. Thomas Academy vs. Wisconsin Dells, 12:15 p.m.; St. Paul Johnson vs. Lodi, 2 p.m.; Eden Prairie vs. Mukwonago, 3:45 p.m.; St. Paul Central vs. Hopkins, 5:30 p.m.

GIRLS' BASKETBALL

Tuesday: Farmington at New Prague (No. 6, 3A), 7:30 p.m. New Prague tries for the third time to get coach Ron Gunderson - the only coach in team history - his 600th career victory.

Friday: New London-Spicer (No. 9, 2A) at Waconia, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday: Maranatha (No. 3, 1A) at Mountain Iron-Buhl (No. 1, 1A), 2:30 p.m. The two-time defending Class 1A champion Mustangs head north for a rematch of the 2012 championship game. ... DeLaSalle (No. 2, 3A) at Benilde-St. Margaret's (No. 9, 3A), 6 p.m.

BOYS' HOCKEY Wednesday: Eagan (No. 5, 2A) vs. Jefferson (No. 12, 2A) at Bloomington Ice Gardens, 7:45 p.m.

Saturday: Breck (No. 3, 1A) at St. Thomas Academy (No. 1, 1A). The Cadets were the last team to beat the Mustangs, 2-1 in the Schwan Cup's Gold Division semifinals.

GIRLS' HOCKEY

Tuesday: New Prague (No. 6, 1A) at Red Wing (No. 2, 1A), 7 p.m.

Friday: Edina (No. 5, 2A) at Eden Prairie (No. 4, 2A), 7p.m.

Saturday: Hopkins (No. 12, 2A) at Minnetonka (No. 1, 2A), 3 p.m. How tough is Minnetonka's schedule? This will be the Skippers' eighth game in a row against ranked teams.

JIM PAULSEN