The Stephen-Argyle Storm used a 16-0 first-half run and a 9-0 run late in the game to pull away for a 62-54 victory over the Crookston Pirate Boys Basketball team in a game played in Argyle.
FIRST HALF –
The game started as a free throw contest. The first seven points were from the free throw line. Crookston took a 4-3 lead when Reggie Winjum went in for a layup, landed awkwardly into the wall, and had to leave the game with an injury. Matt Contreras came in and made both free throws, and Crookston led 4-3 2:29 into the game. Crookston expanded the lead with a Hunter Nicholas basket. Crookston led 13-11 when Tyler Michaelson and Jack Everett made baskets for a 17-11 lead seven minutes into the game. Stephen-Argyle exploded for a 16-0 run. The run started with a Dylan Widner basket. After a steal, Caden Pagnac scored, and after another steal, Shay Setterholm scored to tie the game at 17. Blaine Smith added a three-pointer before Raydon Woinarowicz had a steal for a layup and added two free throws. A Pagnac basket capped the run for a 27-17 lead with 6:15 left in the half.
Crookston’s Nicholas finally stopped the Storm run with two free throws and Contreras added a basket. Two minutes later, Contreras made a three-pointer to get Crookston within a 29-24 deficit. Stephen-Argyle dominated the final three minutes as they ended on an 8-2 run with six points from Dylan Widner and two free throws from Pagnac for a 37-26 lead going into halftime.
SECOND HALF –
Crookston had a good start to the half as Nicholas made the first basket, and Contreras made another three-pointer to get within a 37-31 deficit. Stephen-Argyle led 41-33 when Contreras and Zachariah Ali scored two points apiece before the Storm’s Pagnac added to more for a 43-37 lead. Crookston’s Carter Fee answered with back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game at 43-43 with 11:42 remaining. As they did the entire game, Stephen-Argyle had an answer as they went on a 6-0 run with baskets from Pagnac, Anders Thompson, and Darby Benitt. Crookston’s Nicholas responded with four straight points to get Crookston within a 49-47 deficit. The teams exchanged basket,s and with 4:59 left in the game, Stephen-Argyle went on a 9-0 run while taking advantage of three Crookston turnovers. The run started with two free throws apiece from Smith and Pagnac, a three-pointer from Setterholm, and a Pagnac basket for a 60-49 lead with 1:18 to go. Stephen-Argyle held on for a 62-54 victory.
Crookston drops to 5-14 on the year and will host the top team in Section 8AA when the East Grand Forks Green Wave come to town on Tuesday. Stephen-Argyle has won five games in a row and 10-11 on the year and will host Fosston on Tuesday in Stephen.
J.V. – Stephen-Argyle won 64-32
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Crookston | 26 | 28 | 54 |
| Stephen-Argyle | 37 | 25 | 62 |
| For Crookston | Points | Rebounds | Steal/Assists |
| Hunter Nicholas | 16 | 11 | 1 steal/1 assist |
| Matthew Contreras | 15 | 3 | 5 assists/4 steals |
| Tyler Michaelson | 8 | 2 | 1 assist |
| Carter Fee | 6 | 2 | |
| Michael Deng | 3 | 1 | 3 steals/3 assists |
| Reggie Winjum | 2 | 1 | 1 steal |
| Jack Everett | 2 | 4 | 3 assists/2 steals |
| Zachariah Ali | 2 | 5 | 2 assists |
| For Stephen-Argyle | Points |
| Caden Pagnac | 24 |
| Blaine Smith | 11 |
| Raydon Woinarowicz | 8 |
| Dylan Widner | 8 |
| Shay Setterholm | 5 |
| Anders Thompson | 2 |
| Darby Benitt | 2 |
| Jake Carlson | 2 |
