The Crookston Pirate Boys Basketball team built a nine-point lead late in the game and held on to beat the Win-E-Mac Patriots 79-77 at the Crookston High School gymnasium.
FIRST HALF –
The first half started as a back-and-forth battle as Win-E-Mac jumped out to a 4-2 lead before Crookston answered with a 7-0 run with a Michael Deng free throw and back-to-back three-pointers from Tyler Michaelson and Hunter Nicholas for a 9-4 Pirate lead less than three minutes into the game. Crookston led 13-8 when Win-E-Mac scored five straight points with a Hayden Johnson three-pointer and a basket from Jayden Haugen to tie the game at 13-13. The teams were tied at 15, 18, 20, and 22. Win-E-Mac scored the next basket before Crookston went on another 7-0 run with a Nicholas basket, a three-pointer by Rylan Lubarski, and a Michaelson basket for a 29-24 lead. Win-E-Mac answered with five points to tie the game at 29-29 with with over three minutes remaining in the half. The teams exchanged baskets, and with the game tied at 31, Carter Fee grabbed an offensive rebound and made a three-pointer. The Patriots’ Hamre answered with a three-pointer to tie the game at 34. Crookston’s Fee responded with another three-pointer and added a free throw on the next possession for a 38-34 lead. Win-E-Mac scored the last basket of the half and Crookston took a 38-36 lead into halftime.
SECOND HALF –
Win-E-Mac’s Johnson started the half with a three-pointer before Crookston responded with a 9-0 run. The run started with a Michaelson three-pointer and Nicholas followed with an offensive rebound and basket, Michael Deng and Nicholas ended the run with baskets for a 47-41 lead less than three minutes into the half. The Patriots’ Joe Courneya made a three-pointer, and after a Crookston basket, he made a basket, and Hamre added another basket, and Crookston’s lead was 49-48. The game would remain close, and the Pirates had a 60-58 lead halfway through the half. Crookston’s Deng made a free throw and Matthew Contreras added two free throws for a 63-58 lead. After a Patriot basket, Contreras made a three-pointer, and Jack Everett followed with a basket for a 68-60 lead. Crookston had a 74-65 lead after another Contreras three-pointer with 3:40 to go. Win-E-Mac’s Courneya hit a three-pointer, Jayden Haugen made a free throw, and Johnson rattled home a three to cap a 7-0 run to get within a 74-72 deficit with 39 seconds left in the game. Crookston’s Nicholas had a huge three-point play before the Patriots answered with a basket. Crookston’s Zachariah Ali made a basket for a 79-74 lead. Win-E-Mac’s Hamre made a three-pointer with nine seconds left, but Crookston held on for a 79-77 victory.
Crookston improves to 6-16 on the year and will travel to Roseau on Thursday, a game you can hear on KROX Radio. Win-E-Mac drops to 8-16 on the year.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Win-E-Mac | 36 | 41 | 77 |
| Crookston | 38 | 41 | 79 |
| For Crookston | Points | Rebounds | Steal/Assists |
| Hunter Nicholas | 24 | 11 | 2 Blocks/ 2 steals |
| Tyler Michaelson | 14 | 3 | 2 Assists |
| Matt Contreras | 14 | 5 | 4 assists/3 steals |
| Carter Fee | 10 | 5 | |
| Rylan Lubarski | 9 | 4 | 3 assists/3 steals |
| Michael Deng | 4 | 4 | 2 Assists |
| Zachariah Ali | 2 | 1 block/1 assist | |
| Jack Everett | 2 | 3 | 5 assists |
| For Win-E-Mac | Points |
| Braylon Hamre | 22 |
| Joe Courneya | 20 |
| Hayden Johnson | 17 |
| Jayden Haugen | 9 |
| Kolten Shcow | 4 |
| Charles Carlson | 3 |
| Ryan Bergh | 2 |
