Paige Bueckers drops 3-word reaction as alma mater clinches ninth championship in Minnesota

Hopkins High School made history Saturday, winning its ninth girls basketball state championship with an 81-67 win over No. 1 Maple Grove in the Class 4A final at Williams Arena.

The Royals now hold the record for the most titles in Minnesota girls basketball history, surpassing the Rochester Lourdes’ eight.

UConn Huskies star and Hopkins alum Paige Bueckers summed it up in three words on Instagram:

“Another One… RTH”

Screenshot, via Instagram

Sophomore Erma Walker led the charge with 28 points on 13-for-15 shooting and eight rebounds. Jaliyah Diggs added 15 points and a game-high seven assists. Seniors Lauren Hillesheim, London Harris,and Maliyah White all scored in double figures, with White’s back-to-back 3s helping Hopkins pull away late.

Maple Grove, seeking its first state title, fought back from an early deficit to tie the game at 46 with 12:55 remaining.

Michigan State commit Jordan Ode led the Crimson with 26 points and 12 rebounds, but Hopkins' relentless defense held Maple Grove to just 1-for-7 from beyond the arc.

The Royals, meanwhile, shot 57% overall and 9-for-18 from deep.

This Hopkins squad wasn’t packed with stars like past championship teams. Injuries sidelined key players Tatum Woodson and Ava Cupito, and no one on the roster averaged more than 15 points per game.

But the Royals found a way, redeeming themselves after finishing runners-up the past two seasons.

Paige Bueckers hopes to lead the Huskies to their 12th national championship

Paige Bueckers (5) reacts after a play against the Creighton Bluejays - Source: Imagn

Paige Bueckers has been preparing for this moment her entire life. The UConn star is gearing up for March Madness, hoping to lead the Huskies to their 12th national championship.

Bueckers is expected to declare for the WNBA Draft. She could follow Caitlin Clark as the No. 1 overall pick, continuing the momentum Clark helped build for women’s college basketball.

According to The US Sun, earlier this month, Bueckers said:

“Obviously, very excited. This is what you prepare for your whole life, whole entire season. March is great. Playing during this time is great. We just want to continue to keep getting better and keep looking forward to the future.”

She has never lost a Big East game and kept that streak alive this season. In the Big East tournament final, she led UConn to a dominant win over Creighton, securing the program’s 30th straight title - the most in Division I history - and its 12th straight tournament victory.

UConn has won 11 national titles, though the last came in 2016. The Huskies were runners-up in 2022 and have reached the Final Four six times since 2016.

With a team growing in chemistry and a coaching staff that knows how to win championships, Paige Bueckers believes UConn has what it takes.