Girls rally past Lightning for the second year in a row

Noah Fogel, Staff Reporter
Mar 18, 2016

  • The HHS girls basketball bench cheers for the team after a free throw.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Ashley Bates, senior, goes in for a layup in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Nia Hollie and Ashley Bates, seniors, hug after the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Paige Bueckers, eighth grade, shoots a free throw in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Ashley Bates, senior, shoots a free throw in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Dominique Hart-McNeeley, senior, dives for the ball after a turn over in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Dee Dee Winston, junior, yells to her teammates while dribbling the ball down the court in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Coach Brian Cosgriff, motions to the team for a play in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • K’Aezha Wubben, Augsburg College, Basketball- First year on Varsity: Freshman year, 2012. Favorite memory: Going to State senior year with her best friends to play in her last high school championship game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Reana Suggs, sophomore, shoots a three pointer in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Ashley Bates, senior, dribbles the ball down the court in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • The HHS girls basketball team cheers for their teammates after a shot in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
    '

  • Nia Hollie, senior, shoots a three pointer in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Reana Suggs, sophomore,plays defense in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Dee Dee Winston, junior, keeps the ball away from the defender in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Dee Dee Winston, junior, sets up a play in the offensive end during the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Nia Hollie, senior, goes in for a layup in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
    '

  • The HHS girls basketball team pumps up for the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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  • Ashley Bates, senior, gets interviewed by 45 T.V. after the Royals beat Eastview in the semifinal state game.

    Ruby Krietzman
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Once again the Royals’ veterans deliver. Nia Hollie, senior, dominated the scoring column with 28 points, and also contributed on the glass with 5 rebounds. Ashley Bates, senior, also shined as she netted 23 points and some great defensive plays in Thursday’s game against the Eastview Lightning.

The Eastview Lightning were a very aggressive team with some talented scorers. They out rebounded the Royals in the first half and picked apart our lackadaisical defense. But Coach Cosgriff rallied his girls and took a commanding 39-30 lead at the half.

In the second half the Royals came out strong with their resilient full court press. The Lightning were confused and got careless with the ball, and the Royals took advantage. The turnovers created were converted to points at the free throw line.

Then some great play from underclassmen Paige Bueckers and Reana Suggs continued to stretch the Royal’s lead. The final score of the game was 85-67 in favor of Hopkins. Their next matchup against a physical Minnetonka team in the state championship will be a game you don’t want to miss.

The Skippers were leading the Lake Conference for a majority of the regular season and even defeated the Royals earlier in the year. Led by the Lizzie Odegard who averages 14.5 points per game the Skippers will be looking to knock off the defending champs.

The game will be at Williams Arena at 8 pm on Saturday.