A grueling stretch of schedule caught up to Hopkins.
The Class 4A defending state champion Royals (16-1) remain No. 1 in the girls basketball Metro Top 10 despite an 87-80 loss Saturday to No. 9 Providence Academy. It was the 11th straight win for the Lions (12-2). It also was Hopkins' first loss to a Minnesota team since falling to Chaska 67-62 in the semifinals of the Class 4A state tournament April 7, 2021.
The setback came less than 24 hours after the Royals won 75-66 at No. 4 St. Michael-Albertville in a Lake Conference matchup. The Royals also won 57-50 against No. 3 Wayzata (14-3) and 86-60 against Minnetonka (12-6) in conference play over a demanding five-game stretch.
Freshman phenom Maddyn Greenway scored a season-high 41 points for the Lions against Hopkins. Three of her teammates scored in double figures.
Hopkins was led by senior guard Nunu Agara, who scored 37 points; she's committed to Stanford for college. Hopkins' second-leading scorer, Taylor Woodson (15.2 points per game), didn't play because of injury; she's committed to Michigan.
This week's marquee matchup
Benilde-St. Margaret's at Chaska, 7 p.m. Thursday
The focus turns away from the Lake Conference with No. 2 Chaska (16-1) hosting No. 8 Benilde-St. Margaret's (13-4) with first place in the Metro West Conference at state. Chaska won the first meeting 92-83 this month when senior guard Kennedy Sanders, committed to Colorado, scored 42 points. The Hawks' lone setback came at Hopkins.
Girls basketball Metro Top 10
1. Hopkins (16-1)
2. Chaska (16-1)
3. Wayzata (14-3)
4. St. Michael-Albertville (15-2)
5. Maple Grove (14-3)
6. Eden Prairie (13-5)
7. East Ridge (17-3)
8. Benilde-St. Margaret's (3A) (13-4)
9. Providence Academy (2A) (12-2)
10. Becker (3A) (13-3)
