Girls Basketball 2025: Hopkins finds its way back into the winners circle

Redemption and validation were the themes that propelled the Hopkins girls basketball team in their season finale. While the Royals were playing in the Class AAAA championship for the fourth consecutive season, they only had one title in the previous three appearances to show for it. 

So, when the No. 3-seeded Royals faced top-seeded Maple Grove for the Class AAAA championship on Saturday, March 15 at Williams Arena, it was a chance to exorcise those lingering memories. Also, it was an opportunity to prove that their victory over the top-ranked Crimson over the holiday break wasn’t a fluke. 

Both were checked off the to-do list with an affirmative stroke. 

Sophomore forward Erma Walker emerged as a standout to watch for the next two seasons when she scored 28 points on 13 of 15 shooting and pulled down eight rebounds to power the Royals to an 81-67 victory over Maple Grove. She wasn’t alone in the Royals’ overwhelming display of pressure defense and fast-paced offense. 

Sophomore guard Jaliyah Diggs had 15 points and was a dazzling playmaker with seven assists. Senior guards Lauren Harris and Maliyah White had 11 points each while senior wing Lauren Willesheim to send the Royals (27-5) to their state-record ninth state championship. 

Since winning the Class AAAA title in 2022, Hopkins had been in a tie with Rochester Lourdes for most girls basketball state championships. The title is also the fourth consecutive for the Lake Conference. The Royals started the streak in 2022 and St. Michael-Albertville followed with a victory over Hopkins in 2023. Last season, Minnetonka topped the Royals. 

Maple Grove (28-3) is joining the Lake Conference next school year. 

Early in the second half, the Crimson put together an 8-0 run to tie the score at 42-all. After trading baskets, the Royals found the separation they were seeking with a suffocating 23-5 run that created a 67-51 lead with 4:35 remaining in regulation time. 

Maple Grove senior guard Jordan Ode scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Senior guard Addie Hanna added 14 points and two assists. The Crimson were playing in a basketball championship game for the first time.