Hopkins, DeLaSalle, Braham, Minneapolis North Crowned Champions
March 2016

Teams representing Minneapolis and suburbs won three of four classification titles at the annual Minnesota State Hegh School Basketball Tournament.

Hopkins, DeLaSalle, and Minneapolis North were crowned champions in the 4A, 3A, and 1A categories. Teams representing St. Paul and adjacent suburbs were shut out from championship consideration, proving that St. Paul is indeed the hockey capital of Minnesota. (North St. Paul did make the 4A tournament but was eliminated by Hopkins, 74-42, in the first round.)

After eliminating North St. Paul, Hopkins won a surprisingly easy victory over 29-1 Apple Valley by the score of 84 to 60. Lakeville North, however, posed to be a more resilient opponet and took the Royals (30-1) to the wire in the championship game, won by Hopkins, 64-55. Hopkins thus averged its loss to Lakeville North, 84-82, in the 2014 finals.

After trailing by as much as five points, 42-37, in the 2016 final, Hopkins stormed back with a 15-0 run led by Xavier Johnson, Vinnie Shahid, and Amir Coffey to take the lead for good at 52 to 42.

In the 3A final, DeLaSalle romped to its amazing fifth championship since 2012 with a 79 to 65 win over Fergus Falls. A three-point basket by Jake Western gave Fergus Falls a 3-2 lead, but it was to be the Otters’ only lead of the contest. The Islanders led, 37-25, at the half, and attempts by the Otters to catch up proved futile. DeLaSalle’s Gabe Kalscheur led all scorers with 27 points. Previous finals victims to the Islanders were Minneapolis Washburn (2012), Austin (twice), and St.Paul Johnson (2015).

The only non-Minneapolis winner was Braham, conqueror of Jackson County Central in a dizzying 96-90 shootout in the 2A final. The Bombers boamed away from all angles of the floor in winning the school’s fourth championship game, the last occurring in 2006. In the 1A title game, Minneapolis North had little trouble in disposing of Goodhue, 68-45.

Championship round scores:

IIII-A
Osseo 85, Eden Prairie 73
Lakeville North 60, Maple Grove 49
Hopkins 74, North St. Paul 42
Apple Valley 77, Blaine 57
Hopkins 84, Apple Valley 60
Lakeville North 60, Osseo 56
Hopkins 64, Lakeville North 55

III-A
Monticello 60, Chisago Lakes 55
Fergus Falls 70, Waseca 63
DeLaSalle 65, Fridley 52
Red Wing 73, Simley 51
Fergus Falls 58, Red Wing 55
DeLaSalle 59, Monticello 45
DeLaSalle 79, Fergus Falls 65

II-A
Annandale 52, Esko 40
St. Croix Lutheran 86, Dilworth G-F 51
Jackson County Central 79, Caledonia 74
Braham 67, Maple River 58
Jackson County Central 63, Annandale 46
Braham 86, St, Croix Lutheran 77
Braham 96, Jackson County Central 90

I-A
Central Minnesota Christian 50, Mt.Iron-Buhl 32
Minneapolis North 80, St. Clair 27
Goodhue 54, Lake Park-Audubon 29
Red Lake 66, Browerville Eagle Valley 52
Goodhue 41, Central Minnesota Christian 38
Minneapolis North 82, Red Lake 61
Minneapolis North 68, Goodhue 45

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