There is nothing better than the state’s best clashing for supremacy during the regular season’s final week in undoubtedly the No. 1 conference.
Perennial power Hopkins, No. 1 in the girls basketball Metro Top 10, hosts No. 3 St. Michael-Albertville and No. 2 Minnetonka in final Lake Conference heavyweight matchups Tuesday and Friday.
The Royals are coming off an 89-62 victory over No. 6 Wayzata in which senior Liv McGill (29 points) and sophomore Tatum Woodson (21 points) combined for 50 points. McGill, a 5-7 guard, is headed to Florida.
Minnetonka just defeated No. 4 Maple Grove by 13 points and edged No. 8 Eden Prairie by two points. Junior standout Aaliyah Crump scored 31 points in the 67-54 victory over Maple Grove, while Gophers recruit Tori McKinney scored 25 in a 62-60 win over Eden Prairie.
St. Michael-Albertville has gotten healthy just in time to also travel to Wayzata, after the Hopkins game, for its regular-season finale. Providence Academy rounds out the top five.
Wayzata climbs to No. 6, followed by No. 7 Lakeville North, No. 8 Eden Prairie, No. 9 Andover and No. 10 Benilde-St. Margaret’s.
This week’s marquee matchup
Minnetonka at Hopkins, 7 p.m., Friday
An outstanding way to close the regular season, the state’s best going head-to-head. Hopkins handled Minnetonka 79-62 in the first matchup, opening up a 20-point lead in the first half. Expect coach Brian Cosgriff’s squad to be better prepared for the second go-round.
