Friday, January 9, 2009

#1 Tacks On Another Win



Henry Sibley’s Chris Halvorsen couldn’t protect the ball as he tried to pass while being pressured by Hopkins’ Trent Lockett. Photo by Jim Gehrz, Star Tribune

The Royals and their stellar lineup took this battle, but signs point to a March rematch in 4A. Lots of numbers came to mind before Hopkins played at Henry Sibley in a Friday night nonconference matchup of the top boys' basketball teams in Minnesota:

1: Hopkins' ranking in Class 4A;
2: Henry Sibley's ranking;
6: NCAA Division I signees in the starting lineups;
17-1: Teams' combined record. However, some other numbers hold more importance:
77-66: The final score in Hopkins' victory over the Warriors.
78: Days until the 4A state championship game is played at Target Center, when we could see a rematch.
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Friday's game had all the trappings of a lose-and-go-home postseason scenario. The 3,000-seat gym in Mendota Heights was packed to the rafters, ticket sales were stopped 45 minutes before tipoff, and about 500 fans who arrived after that were turned away. The intensity was feverish long before tipoff; the Henry Sibley student section booed the Hopkins players when they walked into the gym during the junior varsity game, 90 minutes before varsity tipoff.

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