Paige Bueckers leads Hopkins to state with Wolves stars courtside
Hopkins star Paige Bueckers is the No. 1 girls basketball player in the country and will play in the McDonald's All-American Game in April.
MINNEAPOLIS - Paige Bueckers and the Hopkins girls' basketball team got the thrill of a lifetime in a couple different ways Thursday night.
The No. 1-ranked Royals, behind 33 points from Bueckers, beat Wayzata 86-76 to advance to yet another state tournament. Hopkins will be looking to win its third Class 4A state championship in four seasons, led by the No. 1 recruit in the country in Bueckers.
It was a packed house Thursday night at the Lindbergh Center, including some NBA players that watched Bueckers take over from their courtside seats. Minnesota Timberwolves stars Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angleo Russell, Josh Okogie and James Johnson were among the thousands in attendance.
Bueckers and the Royals improved to 28-0 on the season, and they’ve won 60 straight games. She was named a McDonald’s All-American and will play in the showcase in early April in Houston, Texas. Bueckers will play for Geno Auriemma at UConn next season.
After the game, Towns posted on Twitter, "She's different.... sheeshhhh," while Russell said he needed a Buecker's jersey.
Bueckers also broke barriers earlier this year, becoming the first girls basketball player ever to be featured on the cover of SLAM Magazine. For now, next goal is completing an undefeated season and state championship.