Crookston Boys Basketball holds on to beat Win-E-Mac

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.

Michael Deng

Zachariah Ali

Matt Contreras

Jack Everett

Hunter Nicholas

Tyler Michaelson

Rylan Lubarski

Michael Deng

Zachariah Ali

Matt Contreras

Jack Everett

Hunter Nicholas

Tyler Michaelson

Rylan Lubarski

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