PIRATE GIRLS BASKETBALL BUILDS BIG LEAD TO BEAT HERMANTOWN

The Crookston Pirate Girl’s Basketball team started the game on a 17-2 run and was able to hold off a scrappy Hermantown Hawk team as the Pirates escaped with a hard-fought 56-46 victory at the Crookston High School gymnasium.

FIRST HALF –
Crookston used solid defense while forcing several turnovers and was efficient on the offensive end while jumping to a 17-2 lead when Hermantown called a timeout with 10:16 left in the half.  In the run, Crookston was led by Halle Winjum’s eight points, Emma Gunderson added five, and Abby Borowicz and Naomi Johnson added two each for the lead. After the time out, Crookston’s Boll added a free throw for an 18-2 lead.  Hermantown, who played in Thief River Falls on Friday night, started to settle in, and Lauryn Biondi made back-to-back baskets to bring the Hawks within an 18-6 deficit while forcing Crookston to call a timeout.  After the time-out, Halle Winjum converted a three-point play, and the teams exchanged baskets for the next five minutes, and the Pirates led 25-14 with 2:31 left in the half.
Crookston finished the half strong, with Winjum banking a three-pointer from the top of the key, Chloe Boll scored three straight points before Hermantown’s Liv Birkeland made a free throw with nine seconds left.  Crookston took a 31-15 lead into halftime.

SECOND HALF –
Winjum scored the first points of the second half for a 33-15 lead before Hermantown picked up the offensive pace, and Lauryn Biondi made a three-pointer, followed with a steal for a basket, and Liv Birkeland followed with a basket for a 7-0 run to get within a 33-22 deficit three minutes into the half.  Crookston stopped the run with a beautiful pass from in the paint from Winjum to Borowicz.  The teams exchanged baskets over the next several minutes, and Crookston led 44-30 with eight minutes remaining.  Hermantown scored four straight points before Libby Salentine made a free throw for a 45-34 Pirate lead. Hermantown chipped away at the deficit and got within a 48-40 score with two minutes remaining.  Crookston responded with a nice backdoor cut by Emma Gunderson, who received a pass from Winjum to take a 52-40 lead. Hermantown scored four straight points to get within a 52-44 deficit with 59 seconds left in the game.   The Hawks started fouling, and it worked as Crookston missed the front end of the bonus the first two times before Libby Salentine grabbed a missed free throw and was fouled on the putback. She made both free throws.  A few seconds later, Libby was fouled again and made one free throw for a 55-44 lead.  Hermantown wasn’t able to score, and Winjum was fouled and made one of two with 27 seconds left for a 56-44 lead.  Hermantown added a basket with 15 seconds left, and Crookston held off the Hermantown rally to pick up a 56-46 victory.

Crookston improves to 8-5 on the year and will travel to Thief River Falls for a big Section 8AA game on Monday, and you can hear the game on KROX Radio. Hermantown drops to 2-12 on the year.

FOR PIRATES COACH DARIN ZIMMERMAN’S COMMENTS, CLICK BELOW

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