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Tartan-Hopkins boys basketball game called off in second half after fan fight

Tartan was leading Hopkins in the second half before police cleared the building following a fight between fans.

UM Gophers basketball team opened their season with a skills and scrimmage session Friday night. Andre Hollins headed for the rim in the dunk contest.
The featured matchup at the 14-team Breakdown Big Stage at Hopkins High was called off with Tartan leading Hopkins 60-50 with 9:13 left. The game might not count on either team's record, pending review. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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By Marcus Fuller

The Minnesota Star Tribune

A high school basketball event ended abruptly Saturday night after a fight broke out between fans.

The 14-team Breakdown Big Stage at Hopkins High in Minnetonka ended with Tartan leading Hopkins 60-50 with 9:13 remaining in the game.

According to a Star Tribune reporter at the game, the building was cleared by law enforcement after a fight broke out between people on the upper level of the Royals Athletic Center at Hopkins.

Police were present for crowd control. More officers were called to the scene following the incident Saturday night at Hopkins, said Jessica Case, communication specialist for the Minnetonka Police Department. The department is not yet aware of any arrests, but there is an active and open investigation.

It was the second scuffle during the Hopkins-Tartan game Saturday night. Students scattered prematurely during a heated exchange between a group of fans on the lower level during halftime.

Later in the second half, two supposed high school students were seen throwing punches on the upper level. They were eventually separated, but police forced fans to leave the gym immediately.

The game drew a standing-room only crowd, which included Gophers men’s basketball coach Niko Medved and his assistants Dave Thorson and Brian Cooley.

Seven teams that participated in the Breakdown’s Big Stage event are ranked in the latest Strib Varsity Minnesota Top 25, including No. 4 Maple Grove, which defeated No. 8 DeLaSalle 86-64. Hopkins is No. 2 and Tartan No. 7 in the rankings.

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In other top games, No. 3 Totino-Grace defeated No. 11 Apple Valley 78-52 and No. 14 Richfield defeated Champlin Park 95-70 behind Dre Collins’ 29 points.

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About the Author

Marcus Fuller

Reporter

Marcus Fuller is Strib Varsity's Insider reporter, providing high school beat coverage, features, analysis and recruiting updates. He's a former longtime Gophers and college sports writer for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

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