Eastview, Hopkins Eyeing Title Game In Girls Basketball State Tournament
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Girls State High School Basketball Tournament starts Tuesday at Target Center and the University of Minnesota.
And in the biggest class, the top two seeds have set themselves apart. Which has their coaches preaching a very similar message today, saying all the things coaches are supposed to say.
"I don't think Hopkins looks past anybody, I don't think Eastview does," Eastview coach Melissa Guebert said.
"I'm thinking Hopkins (versus) Mayo," Hopkins coach Brian Cosgriff said. "Rochester Mayo is probably the toughest draw we could've gotten in the first round."
But that doesn't stop us from talking about what everyone's thinking. Cosgriff and Guebert have built the top two programs in the state's biggest class. They've won the last four state titles -- Eastview last year, Hopkins the three before that.
They've been ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the state the last two months, and are the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in this week's state tournament.
Eastview's only loss this year was to Hopkins. Hopkins' only loss this year was to Eastview.
Will there be a tiebreaker? That's the big question. And though the coaches won't say it, it's probably what everyone wants to see.
"I'm not trying to be naive and say that we don't hear that," Guebert said. "But we're really week by week, day by day, game by game kind of people. And so we're looking at Andover. That's our first opponent, we're getting prepared for them, and they wouldn't be in the state tournament if they're not a really good team. And so if we're looking past anybody, we're going to be in big trouble."
"Eastview is a very good ball club," Cosgriff said. "Very well-coached. Melissa's a great coach, just done an unbelievable job there. Her daughter is amazing. I think she's one of the best players in the state if not the best player. And, at this point, I'm not worrying about them at all. I'm just worried about Rochester Mayo."