Hopkins hammers Forest Lake

Hopkins jumped on Forest Lake fast and hard forcing five quick turnovers and prompting the Royal fan base to chant "This Game's Over" with an 11-0 lead. It was actually the second time the kids went with this chant as they used at the 24-minute mark of warm-ups as well.

Forest Lake had numerous problems simply starting their offense putting Hopkins on a continual fast break and running with Hopkins is not a formula a team wants to use. Joe Coleman first scored on an alley-oop dunk attempt over the top of the Forest Lake 1-3-1 Zone and then Joe scored with a put-back. After a short break he came back on the floor to get a dunk off a steal and then he hit a three to boot. Add in a corner jumper from D.J. Peterson plus a Siyani Chambers trey and the Royals went up 17-6.

Forest Lake eventually settled down and gave Hopkins a couple minutes of problems with their zone defense closing the gap to 17-12. The highlight play was a Zach Riedeman behind the back pass to Tyler Rosenberger for a transition lay-in. With Ranger momentum growing Joe Coleman hit his second three-pointer of the game quieting much of Forest Lake excitement. Then Marvin Singleton took over inside scoring on five possessions building the lead to 30-14.

With Minnesota assistant coach Vince Taylor looking on Coleman finished his first half with a third dunk, a score inside, and the Royals jogged to their locker room with a 39-18 lead. Joe had built up 16 first half points.

The second half became an extension of the first with the Rangers building on there 18 first half turnovers. Riedeman alone had ten turnovers in the first 18 minutes to go with 15 points but every time he made a play the Rangers would turn things back over. Second half miscues resulted in Joe Coleman and D.J. Peterson dunks plus Coleman caught his second backdoor alley-oop of the game.

The final score was Hopkins winning 75-51after a second half was basically everybody going through the motions. There was the usual opposing chants at the Hopkins team from the monstrous Ranger crowd but after Coleman's first half three-pointer the game was never really in doubt. The Rangers couldn't stop his athletic ability or the physical presence of Marvin Singleton.

Coleman finished the game making 11 of 17 field goals and two of his four three-pointers (and the shot was made with great lift complete with a nice release) for 24 points. He also grabbed a dozen rebounds and recorded two steals. Singleton made six of ten shots for 15 points to go with seven rebounds. D.J. Peterson performed admirably totaling 13 points, five rebounds, and four assists but he struggled from the field making four of 11 attempts.

Hopkins out-rebounded the Rangers 44-24 and they forced 26 turnovers.