High School State Basketball

[DTro]

Why on Earth would you change what has worked the entire game? Switch to man and its game over.

What Hopkins essentially said is that we can't score on you so we just have to make sure we score last.

Smart? Maybe. Gutless? Absolutely

Shakopee was bound to lose that game, the tactic only has to work one time. Even if they had to do it 10 times.

For the supporters of this lame strategy, should they just have done this from the beginning of the game? If 3 minutes is ok, why not 40?

[muskiemanAD]

I think what Hopkins pulled was pretty lame but I also think it was pretty lame for Shakopee to stand around and not do a thing too. Sure if Hopkins wants they can due this for the whole game.....

[creepworm]

Thank god Hopkins didn't win. Someone needs to punch that weasel of a head coach right in his stupid smirking mouth.

[russ]

Someone needs to teach Hopkins how to lose with some grace. They Come shlumpin' up to get their medals, no acknowledgment of the congratulations, no thank you's, they're given the trophy and handle it like it means nothing, don't even look at it, just carry it like a dead cat. I know it's tough to lose but you gotta have some class when you lose. There was, however, one team member who appreciated the experience, which was nice to see.

[Toba]

Interesting to watch how people react when they win and when they lose. Some of the athletes still said thank you when they were given their second place medal and some took it off as if it meant nothing.

[Scott M]

Sorry, didn't see a lick of it as I was in Missouri snow goose hunting. Sure caused an uproar on Facebook though.

Basketball is a beautiful chess game. Position and playing smartly to your strengths can sometimes negate tremendous individual players with subpar teammates or freakish athleticism. Teams need to play to their strengths and attack their opponents weaknesses.

Fans might not like 4 corners, top of key weaves, or other stall tactics, but that's a strategy that can and has worked in the past. As someone said, the defense can break out of it and force the action if they feel vulnerable.

I didn't see the game; that would give me a better idea of the storyline that played out and how this OT change made a difference.

I actually like the idea of a shot clock but I don't see it coming for a lot of reasons.

[JosMN]

First of all I just want to say that that was one of the best HS championship games I have ever seen.

It all starts with how the coach acts, that's how your players are going to act. Hopkins is far from a team that I have any respect for. What their players and coaches did at the medal ceremony was highly disrespectful. They got beat, win with some graciousness for goodness sake. Most teams don't even get to be in the position they were in. Novaks interview at halftime was an interview of a whining baby, laughable. Calling out J.P. for driving to the hole and "getting" calls. The kid is an amazing basketball player, cocky yes, but show him a little respect for his abilities. Don't try calling him out that he's good cause he gets calls. The kid made so many clutch shots it wasn't even funny. Then in the second half Hopkins coach is yelling at the refs, "don't protect him!". Sorry, but your players see that, that's going to be their mentality also. F Hopkins, I'm so glad they lost.

[ozzie]

That was a great championship game and yes boo to Hopkins for showing how classless they are in defeat!!!! The coach had a chance to stop the players and give them a teachable moment on how to lose with grace and insted he let them look like babies...although not all the players took their medals off but a good portion of the team looked like fools!!

JP might be cocky but is it really being cocky when you back it up like that? My brother told me a story of JP coming late to the gym one day and getting alot of beef from a player on the other team and his comment was "Don't worry about me I will have more points by halftime then your ACT score!!" haha and of course he torched them.

It was a great tourny to watch and an awesome championship!!! Too bad the Gophs didn't land JP as watching that kid play for 4 years would be fun!!!

[Northlander]

Congrats to the ESKO Boys for their 1st ever State Title!!!!

[Xplorer]

Congrats to the ESKO Boys for their 1st ever State Title!!!!

X2 Look for another in 6-7 years

And the Esko girls are in the State semi's! Great year for Esko hoops!

[bigsam]

Yes, good luck to the Eskomos, but, I think the Kenyon-Wanamingo team is the one to beat!

GO KNIGHTS! WE BELIEVE!

[Dotch]

Um, well they were until NRHEG's Wagner girls who live across the field from us had their say. The girls are tremendous athletes and kids. The team has numerous good athletes and role players. They are well coached. We are very fortunate to have had the chance to witness them win the tournament not once but twice. A rare occurrence especially at this level. Looking forward to seeing what Carlie can do at my alma mater over the next several years.

And I must say this, the KW Knight girls exhibited a lot of moxy to come back like they did and their sportsmanship following the game was exemplary. No hiding, no taking their medals off or dragging the trophy back to the rest of the team like it was road kill. Most smiled as did the coaches and I could hear every one of them say "thank you" as their medals were awarded. How refreshing. They were proud of what they'd done as well they should be. My congratulations to them on their class and their season!

[bigsam]

Those Wagner girls were great today! And to think, the twins are only freshmen! Congrats to Panthers on an undefeated season and back-to-back state titles!

The K-W girls have a lot to look forward to in the future, too! It's cool to see the kids of the best players the two towns have had in the past all come together and create a little magic for us!

Do I dare say rematch in 2015?

[Dotch]

K-W sure looks like the odds on favorite to come back and win it all next year to me. They gave NRHEG arguably their 2 toughest tests of this season. Their length and outside shooting ability should carry them a long way. The Qvam gal really stood out as a bright spot. I noticed too even when they were down by 20, there was no sign of panic on their faces, they just kept pluggin'. They sure threw a scare into the Panthers in the last 5 minutes. We have a lot of livestock friends over in the K-W area. Would be great to see them win it all.

NRHEG will have to figure out their new identity w/o Carlie. Not saying they can't make it back to state, but it won't be as easy without the person who put the team on her back when she needed to. On the plus side, the twins are vastly improved, no question and there are some younger gals who may step up and help fill the void. At any rate it will be interesting to watch.

[dfv87]

On the Stall tactic done by Hopkins... it comes down to 2 coaches with NO FAITH in their own team being able to do what they need to win.

Hopkins is the better, more talented team IMO, and their coach said we have a better chance in 1 possession win it or tie scenario?????? Have faith that your kids can out play them for 3 minutes man.

Shakopee has no faith in his kids being able to play them any other way than zone????? you cannot even walk a kid out there to start a count? They are TIED in this scenario you are likely gonna lose or tie, he didn't want to play to win.

IMO it was a case of 2 coaches over thinking a moment that was meant to be played out by kids trying to win a state title. No lessons were taught other than both coaches showed no faith their boys could get it doen in the crunch time.

[Dotch]

Hmmmmmm....

http://www.kare11.com/story/sports/colle...-fired/7020293/

[bobberdown69]

Hopkins showed poor losers poor sportsmanship what does this show for there school poor coaching shot clock needs to be back what do they do when they move onto college they have shot clock

[DTro]

you cannot even walk a kid out there to start a count? They are TIED in this scenario you are likely gonna lose or tie, he didn't want to play to win.

I can see this, but what people who don't understand BB very well don't understand is that you just can't walk someone out to the ball. IF that happens Hopkins just passes over to the other corner. In order for Shakopee to force play they would've had to change their defense altogether which is exactly what Hopkins wanted.

A tale of 2 stubborn coaches.

One of them won coach of the year this season....

[dfv87]

Not to be "x/o's" with you Dtro then you stay in zone via box and 1 or a 1-3-1 or some thing to protect your middle and have a kid chase the ball to get to AT LEAST have to pass it or do something, this is HS and kids could panic or make a bad decision... you don't have to go to a full man to man per se... I get that Shakopee did not want to come out but my point was he was not giving his team a chance to win he was trying not to lose... and Hopkins well if you have all that talent you just would want to keep playing as you should be able to get it done if you are better... My point is the coaches were way too involved and not the kids.

As a x/o's decision I understood each coach, I just thought as a HS game it was 2 stubborn coaches stealing the moment from the kids trying to be smarter than the other coach stuff. IMO...