The Southwest recreational basketball playoffs took place last weekend, and HHS representatives took center stage.

Southwest recreational basketball is operated by Minnetonka’s community education department and contains teams from cities around the West Metro including Hopkins, Wayzata, Edina, and Minnetonka. Teams are eligible from grades 9-12 and the teams are formed by the players themselves.

HHS was represented by multiple teams in each grade level. The ninth, tenth, and twelfth grade each yielded two teams in their respective A brackets, and the eleventh grade had a whopping five clubs challenge for first place.

Many of the teams fared well in postseason play. One Hopkins team took second place in the twelfth grade bracket, and Hopkins swept the podium in the eleventh grade bracket as well.

“I felt really happy with how we did, especially with what happened earlier in the season and the year before. Losing in the championship game last year and then starting off rough this year. We had a four seed this year so I was really hoping that we could go in and win it,” said Rhegan Holmes, junior. Holmes was a member of the team that took first place in the eleventh grade tourney.

Even in losing that same game, Mats Hansen, junior, was still happy with how his team did over the course of the regular season and postseason.

“I was a little bit sad that we lost, but I think we did a good job as a team and despite the loss, I think it was the best game we played all year,” Hansen said.

One aspect that many kids prefer in the Southwest league as compared to the school-sanctioned basketball teams is that it isn’t purely competition.

“Our team was just a bunch of our friends, so we always try to go out and have fun, but at the same time our goal is always to win,” said Walter Retish, sophomore.

However, at the end of the day, win or loss, the athletes who participate in Southwest basketball like the sense of friendship and community that is created throughout the season.

“You get to just play basketball and it doesn’t have to be at the same level as JV or varsity basketball. It’s still competitive, but it’s also fun,” Retish said.