sports

TRF USES 23-4 RUN TO BEAT CROOKSTON BOYS BASKETBALL

February 5, 2021

The Thief River Falls Prowler Boys basketball team used a 23-4 run that spanned the two halves to sail to a 60-36 victory over the Crookston Pirates in a Section 8AA matchup in Crookston.

FIRST HALF –
Maybe it was the 30 degree below zero wind chill in Crookston, but the teams started the game slow and both teams struggled to score. Crookston scored the first points of the game on a Jacob Miller three-pointer. TRF answered with a Jack Manning basket and a Dylan Hahn three-point play for a 5-3 lead. Crookston regained the lead with another Miller three-pointer, only to have the Prowlers answer with seven straight points (four from Brevyn Lingen) for a 12-6 lead. Crookston’s Easton Tangquist stopped the run with a basket with 10:30 left in the half. “We were a little more methodical with the number of kids we have right now,” said Pirate Coach Greg Garmen. “Jacob hit some shots early and that was nice. Defensively we played well and we were happy with the start.” Unfortunately for Crookston, the offense went ice cold the rest of the half, and Thief River Falls went on a 15-4 run to take a 27-12 lead at halftime. “That run was unfortunate. We struggle to score. We don’t have kids who can drive by somebody, and we don’t have a natural post. The kids are trying and trying to get better.”

SECOND HALF
Thief River Falls continued their run by scoring the first eight points of the second half for a 23-4 run over 15 minutes of playing time. Jack Manning got the Prowlers going with several baskets in the first minutes of the half and they led 35-12. “That was a tough start to the half,” said Coach Garmen. “They have the size advantage and they used it well.” Carter Bruggeman stopped the Prowler run with a basket with 14:22 left in the game and the teams exchanged baskets for a few minutes. Thief River Falls led 54-24 with less than six minutes left in the game when Crookston started to finally heat up on the offensive end and Miller and Jack Garmen had back-to-back three-pointers. Garmen added a basket and a free throw to cap a 9-0 run to get within a 54-33 deficit with three minutes left. Both teams went to the bench in the final minutes and Thief River Falls won 60-36. “It was a tough one tonight and the kids are a little dejected,” said Coach Garmen. “We have to keep working on our skills and try to get better each day.”

Crookston drops to 1-6 on the year and will travel to Pelican Rapids on Monday at 6:00 p.m. You can hear the game on KROX Radio. Thief River Falls improves to 5-3 on the year.

The video of the game is at the bottom of this page.