TAYTUM RHOADES

Minnehaha Academy • basketball

After Minnehaha Academy's 72-63 victory over Caledonia in the Class 2A state championship game, Rhoades, a senior point guard, sat at the interview table in the postgame news conference, her chin leaning on her hand.

She wasn't bored. All the while, as she listened to her coach and teammate Mia Curtis answer questions, Rhoades had a satisfied grin, as if she couldn't stop thinking about what had just transpired: Despite playing almost the entire second half with four fouls, Rhoades had played the game of her life, finishing with 29 points, five assists and four steals.

Even bigger, her relentless style and confident ball-handling helped the Redhawks rally from a six-point deficit to win, despite losing Curtis, normally the team's leading scorer, to fouls in the second half.

It was the culmination of a terrific three-game tournament for Rhoades, who had 27 points in the semifinals and 15 in the quarterfinals. Now, it was time to Rhoades to reflect.

"It started in the summer, 9 a.m. practices, two, three times a week," she said. "We grinded all season. We had unfinished business. It's amazing, unlike anything I've ever dreamed of."

DRAKE DOBBS

Eden Prairie • basketball

While the entire Eagles team was at the top of its game in Eden Prairie's 62-45 Class 4A, Section 2 championship game victory over Prior Lake on Friday night, it was Dobbs, a 6-foot junior guard, who stood tallest. He finished with a game-high 29 points on a combination of three-pointers and fearless drives to the basket.

MAYA NNAJI

Hopkins • basketball

With the Royals' best player, Paige Bueckers, playing with a nasty stomach flu, Nnaji, a 6-3 freshman post, picked up the slack in their 74-45 Class 4A championship-game victory over Stillwater. She led the team with 18 points and 10 rebounds, and had 42 points and 23 rebounds in three tournament games.

TYLER TINUCCI

South Washington • adapted floor hockey

The South Washington Thunderbolts advanced to the cognitively impaired division championship game of the adapted floor hockey state tournament before losing to St. Cloud. Tinucci, a sophomore forward, led the charge with a deft scoring touch. In three games, Tinucci scored eight goals and had five assists.

FRANKIE VASCELLARO

Holy Angels • basketball

The 6-foot sophomore guard led the Stars to a third-place finish in Class 3A of the girls' basketball state tournament. She was the bracket's leading scorer with 82 points in three games, including a 35-point effort in a two-point loss to DeLaSalle in the semifinals. She also had a combined 27 rebounds.

JIM PAULSEN

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