3/10/2008 3:12:00 PM Tigers turn away Royals' state bid
Hopkins senior guard Hanna Muegge is hands-off as Minneapolis South’s Tyisha Smith loses her balance with the ball at the 2008 girls’ section 6-4A tournament final Thursday night in Osseo. The Tigers went on to win the game 51-42. Photo: Mark Trockman
By Ty Rushmeyer
There are many aspects and intricacies to the game of basketball. But one simple fact rings true nearly every time: if a team can't shoot, it can't win.
Unfortunately for the Hopkins girls' basketball team this is precisely what happened Thursday, March 6 as the top-seeded Royals (26-3) fell to the No. 2-seeded Minneapolis South Tigers (23-1) 51-42 in the Section 6-4A finals at Osseo High School.
A second half in which Hopkins shot 3-22 (13.6 percent) from the field, 0-10 from beyond the arc and scored just 13 points was simply too much to overcome.
The Royals' head coach Brian Cosgriff said his team executed the game plan but was unable to hit the open looks.
"I thought our kids carried out the game plan to a "T" but we just didn't shoot the ball well and when you get in games like that you need to shoot the ball better," he said. "I thought we were in good shape the entire time. We just didn't make any shots and when that happens against a good team like South you'll probably end up getting beat."
The Tigers applied full-court pressure for much of the game but the Royals were effective in breaking in, particularly in the first half as they managed to shoot 10-22 (45.5 percent) from the field and were down 30-29 at halftime.
South slowly began to pull away in the second half as Hopkins' shots continued to rattle out. The Tigers held a 46-38 advantage at the midway point and the score would remain that way until 2:47 when the Royals' Stephanie Sension hit a shot followed by a Caitlin Rowland make to bring the score to 46-42 with 2:17 remaining.
But South was clutch from the line in the game's final moment hitting 5-6 (83.3 percent) to seal the deal.
For the game, the Tigers' Tayler Hill had 25 points. The Royals had three players with 10 points apiece in Sension, Kara Elofson and Jenna Lillemore.
Cosgriff said this year's Hopkins team was one of the best he has ever coached and the three seniors, Sension, Hanna Muegge and Rowland will be missed.
"This has been one of most enjoyable seasons I have had at Hopkins. The kids have worked their tails off, they have done everything I've asked," he said. "It's been a year in progress and this is one of the best teams I've ever had and that includes all those state tournament teams."
