5 players foul out as Wadena-DC holds off Crookston Pirate Boys Basketball

The Crookston Pirate Boys Basketball team had four players foul out and were missing one starter, while the Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines hit free throws in the final minutes to win 67-60 in a Section 8AA matchup at the Wadena-Deer Creek High School gymnasium.

FIRST HALF –
WDC took a 6-1 lead behind a pair of Raleigh Parker three-pointers. Four minutes had passed before Crookston’s Winjum had the first Pirate basket with a three-pointer, and Gunnar Groven added a free throw before Winjum made another three-pointer for an 8-6 Pirate lead with 12:51 remaining in the half.
WDC bounced back with baskets from Leo Petrowski and Hunter Sewer for a 10-8 Wolverine lead. Crookston answered with another run as Fee made a pull-up jumper, Nolan Johnson stole the ball and fired a pass down the full length of the quarter to a streaking Winjum, who laid it in for two more points for a 12-10 lead. The game was tied at 12 before WDC took an 18-14 lead with seven minutes left in the half. Crookston’s Beau Smith rattled home a three-pointer from the left wing. The teams exchanged points before Crookston’s Nolan Cassvant and Winjum had back-to-back baskets to tie the game at 23. WDC’s Parker made a three-pointer before Cassavant banked home a three-pointer from the top of the key to tie the game at 26. WDC finished the half with a 30-29 lead at halftime.

SECOND HALF –
Crookston started the second half with a three-pointer and a basket from Fee for a 34-30 lead 40 seconds into the half. WDC answered with five points before Winjum made a basket, and Crookston led 36-35. The Wolverines made two free throws before the Pirates’ Johnson made one free throw, and the game was tied at 37. WDC built a 44-39 lead before Winjum had a steal and a layup, and Fee added a basket to get within a 44-43 deficit with 8:15 left in the game.
The teams played even over the next five minutes until Winjum made a basket to get his team within a 56-52 deficit with 3:38 remaining. Things turned against the Pirates the rest of the way. Four Pirate players fouled out of the game, including a couple on bad calls, and WDC made their free throws in the final minutes and won 67-60.

Crookston drops to 0-5 on the year and will be off until January 5 when they host East Grand Forks. Wadena-Deer Creek improves to 2-2 on the year.
J.V. – Crookston won 56-55 in OT C Squad – Crookston won 51-40

	1st	2nd	Final
Crookston	29	31	60
Wadena-DC	30	37	67

For Crookston	Points	Rebounds	Misc.
Reggie Winjum	23	9	3 steals/3 assists
Carter Fee	10	4	2 assists/2 steals
Beau Smith	9
Jacob Halverson	6		1 steal/1 assist
Nolan Cassavant	5	7	2 assists/1 steal
Gunnar Groven	4	3	2 steals/2 assists
Nolan Johnson	3	4	1 assist/1 steal/1 block