East Grand Forks handles Crookston Girls Basketball

East Grand Forks started early and never let up the gas as the Green Wave defeated the Crookston Pirates 75-29 in a Section 8AA Girl’s Basketball game in Crookston. The number 29 has been a thorn in the side of the Pirates, as they scored 29 last night in a loss to Perham, 78-29, so losing by big numbers to a couple of the top teams in Section 8AA.

FIRST HALF
Scoring didn’t come easily for the Pirates to start the game, scoring six points in the first 12 minutes, and trailed 22-6 with six minutes to go in the half.
Tatem Votava, the leading scorer for the Green Wave, scored the 1,000th point in her career in the fifth game of the year last year and is making a run for 2,000 points! Votava, the six-footer for East Grand Forks, was doing everything. She opened the game with a three-pointer and added two more long bombs along with three other baskets and a couple of free throws to have 17 points at halftime and a bushel of rebounds as well. Hayden Berg also found the mark with two long threes in the first half. Jerzey Pererewicz had four quick buckets in the first half as well. “We knew they liked to drive the lane or baseline and kick it back out,” said Crookston head coach, Jaydin Hams in his sixth game at the helm, “they run that very well and we didn’t pick up players and left them open for some easy layups.”  East Grand Forks went on a 10-0 run to open it up in the first six minutes. Crookston couldn’t get anything to drop and was having a tough time on the Green Wave full-court press. “We knew that was coming as well,” said coach Hams, “they run it very well and have the experience to cause us problems.”
While the Pirates were slowly chipping away, getting it to 24-10, trailing with five minutes left in the half, and then East Grand Forks went on a 19-2 run to end the halfrtable lead at halftime, and had a comfo 41-12. “They played well and are a well-coached team,” said Coach Hams, “Chloe (Boll) got into a little foul trouble and wasn’t as aggressive late in the half and she only score one point (which came with 2:40 to go). They are a much taller team then we are and although we did a fairly good job at rebounding, we missed a lot of shots down low and that was because of East Grand Forks tenacious defense.”

SECOND HALF
Votava was a load in the second half as well for East Grand Forks adding 10 points with another three. She’s one of those near six-foot players that can dominate inside, but she likes to play the perimeter too and when open, she fires it. Crookston tried their best to get something together and managed an eight-point run, while the Green Wave had 10 and led 56-20 after a Halle Nicholas three-point shot. The Wave kept rolling with Votava hitting another three, and East Grand Forks led 65-25 with 9:30 left in the game.
The Pirates put on a little run late in the game with Chloe Boll getting active again, scoring a couple of end-to-end rushes where she grabbed a rebound and went the distance to score and get in double figures with 14 points.  The Green Wave just kept rolling and were missing a lot of shots, and the Pirates picked up a lot of rebounds, two apiece by Chloe Boll, Madi Bruggeman, and freshman Bryanna Kopecky, and the freshman missed a chance getting on the scoreboard, missing two free throws. “I like watching those younger players, and I’m trying to get them into every game we play,” said Coach Hams. East Grand Forks finished off with a 10-4 run to win 75-29. “They are a solid team,” said Hams about the Green Wave, “they run the full court press well, and they trap very well and make it tough to get the ball across midcourt, and we struggled with that. I thought Madi (Bruggeman) played tough, getting several rebounds by playing physical inside as well as making some outside shots. We have learned a lot about ourselves in the two games. We’ll keep getting better and get ready for Roseau on Tuesday, and then some time off for the Christmas break.” 

Crookston is now 1-5 so far this season and will play Roseau, who are 4-0 on the year, at home on Tuesday with a 6:00 PM start. The game will be on both KROX RADIO and KROX TV starting at 5:30 PM. East Grand Forks improves to 3-1 on the season, and they will travel to Fergus Falls for a game on Tuesday before the holiday break.

Grace Boll

Brooklyn Waldal

Chloe Boll

Halle Nicholas

Chloe boll

Madi Bruggeman

Grace Boll

Brooklyn Waldal

Chloe Boll

Halle Nicholas

Chloe boll

Madi Bruggeman

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