Ashley Bates doesn’t focus on the size of her opponent.
The junior guard scored a season-high 26 points and hauled in 10 rebounds to lead Hopkins over Lake Conference rival Minnetonka 70-55 on Friday night at the Hopkins Lindbergh Center.
“I just focus on scoring,” Bates said after the win. “I focus on the basket.”
The 5-foot-8 Bates scored the bulk of her 26 points in the paint, driving against the Minnetonka forwards, most of whom are 6-feet or taller.
Hopkins coach Brian Cosgriff said that his team does what it needs to do to win.
“We came out with energy,” Cosgriff said. “That’s what you have to do when you play a team of (Minnetonka’s) caliber. You have to be ready to play.”
Hopkins (16-1, 3-0) is ranked No.1 in Class 4A by the Minnesota Basketball News.
Bates and the rest of her teammates were certainly ready to play. They used a high-pressure defense and relentless defensive speed that frustrated the fourth ranked Skippers (15-4, 2-1) all game.
“We play very fast in practice,” Bates said. “We run a lot.”
Bates wasn’t the only member of the Royals crashing the boards. Senior guard Viria Livingston finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while fellow senior guard T.T. Starks grabbed eight rebounds.
Livingston, a diminutive 5-7, says that going up against taller players doesn’t change how she goes after the ball.
“(Defenders) seem little to me,” Livingston said with a laugh. “I just get the rebound like I’m 6-feet tall.”
Livingston has been a member of the Hopkins varsity team since her freshman season. She says the trademark infectious energy the Royals have on the court can be traced to their bench.
“Without them, we wouldn’t have as much energy,” Livingston said.
Bates says that the energy is essential to the Royals as a team.
“We try to hype each other up so we all play well,” Bates said.
Bates is averaging a team-leading 14.2 points per game, and has been rated as the No. 41 point guard in the class of 2016 by ESPN.
Viria Livingston had 14 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in Hopkins' victory. Photo by Mark Hvidsten
First Report
Junior guard Ashley Bates scored a game-high 26 points and added 10 rebounds to lead Hopkins over Minnetonka 70-55 in a Lake Conference matchup on Friday night at the Hopkins Lindbergh Center.
Bates attacked the Minnetonka basket relentlessly, usually making her shots after driving into the Minnetonka defense and absorbing contact.
Senior guard Viria Livingston scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Royals (16-1, 3-0), ranked No. 1 in Class 4A according to the Minnesota Basketball News.
Junior guard Nia Hollie added 14 points for the Royals, and senior guard T.T. Starks chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds.
Junior forward Courtney Fredrickson led the No. 4-4A Skippers (15-3, 2-1) with 18 points.
