Class AAAA Title Contender Series: Hopkins

<p>The Hopkins Royals are always a contender.  This year is no different.  It’s a wide open Class AAAA field and the Royals have enough to make a run. </p> <p><strong>Key Wins in 19-20 (24-5)</strong>:  Armstrong, Minnehaha Academy, Minneapolis North, Champlin Park, Wayzata, Edina, Totino-Grace, Cooper</p> <p><strong>Oops:</strong> Park Center, Shakopee, DeLaSalle, Eden Prairie</p> <p><strong>Moving On</strong>: Nationally rated shooter [player_tooltip player_id="532358" first="Kerwin" last="Walton"] is now at North Carolina playing for Roy Williams.  Walton scored 27 a game and was an All State player in Minnesota.  Should of been on the Mr. Basketball Final Five and he has a state title to his name.  Guards [player_tooltip player_id="846140" first="Cornell" last="Richardson"], [player_tooltip player_id="846158" first="Sawyer" last="Shrake"], and [player_tooltip player_id="955831" first="Regan" last="Merritt"] all graduated while guard [player_tooltip player_id="532569" first="Andre" last="Gray"] transferred to Minneapolis North. </p> <p><strong>Returning Starters</strong>: The lone starter returning from Hopkins section games is 6-foot-7 forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="957132" first="Xavier" last="White"]</strong>.  White is a senior and a talent that I can see exploding into a lot of spring recruiting opportunity.  White had a solid junior year scoring 3-4 buckets a game but since that point he’s grown two inches, become more confident in his skills, and he’s become more aggressive in utilizing his explosive athletic ability.  </p> <p><strong>Reserves Playing a Bigger Role:  </strong>The Royals bench will become the Royals starters.  White will be joined by four others, all of whom having starting experience.  Guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="774738" first="Jaelen" last="Treml"]</strong> will likely be the best all around player on the team.  He’s coming off of a brilliant summer and Treml has started games for Hopkins before.  <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="774778" first="Tristan" last="Lee"]</strong> is a strong, aggressive defender that will join Treml in forming an outstanding defensive duo.  Lee has started games for Maranatha Christian Academy in the past.  Up front, high major offered <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="850704" first="Elvis" last="Nnaji"]</strong> is a junior that started games at center last winter.  Nnaji is a hard working low post player ready to take a big jump.  And then you senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="957153" first="Andrew" last="Chisley"]</strong>, a 6-foot-6 senior forward that opened last year as a starter.  Chisley is another player that had a great summer (Chisley and Treml played for Select, White played for Select and Gain Elite). </p> <p><strong>Potentials from the JV: </strong>Hopkins will need their JV to step into reserve roles instantly.  This team is not as deep as teams in the past.  They have size up front in 6-foot-9 senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="774852" first="Jack" last="Hernandez"]</strong> and 6-foot-6 junior big <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958696" first="Tim" last="Ryan"]</strong>.  Each of which could back up Nnaji and/or Chisley.  As far as guards go, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958658" first="Tyrell" last="Sappington"]</strong> is a name we have been hearing for about for some time and he’s now a junior.  <strong>Jarrett Brenlynd</strong> is a senior that could step into a key reserve role but you could say that about six different guys (Brenlund and Hernandez included) that will be seniors who played JV last year.  There is room for a couple of them, will it be Brenlynd and/or Hernandez? Others? None of them?  It will be something to watch.  </p> <p>&nbsp;</p>