WAO uses tough defense and rebounding to beat Crookston Boys Basketball

The Warren-Alvarado-Oslo Pony Boys Basketball team used tough defense and solid rebounding to beat the Crookston Pirates 74-57 at the WAO High School gymnasium.

FIRST HALF –
Crookston’s Gunnar Groven scored the first points of the game on a nice bank shot for a 2-0 lead. WAO responded with nine straight points, with three points from Noah Sedlacek and two points apiece from Kyden Kotrba, Ethan Ellerbusch, and Noah Dvorak for a 9-2 lead. Crookston’s Reggie Winjum answered with five straight points before the Ponies scored nine straight points again. Kotrba had a three-pointer and two points apiece from Sedlacek, Sebastian Johnson, and Ellerbusch for an 18-7 lead halfway through the half. The Ponies slowly pulled away with a 12-5 run for a 30-12 lead with less than three minutes remaining. Crookston’s Carter Fee made a three-pointer, but the Ponies’ Johnson answered with a three of his own. The teams exchanged baskets, and Fee made a three-pointer to bring Crookston within a 37-20 deficit at halftime. Crookston struggled with turnovers in the first half, and the Ponies took advantage.

SECOND HALF –
WAO’s Sedlacek scored the first basket of the half before Crookston answered with a 10-0 run with a Nolan Cassavant basket, and four points apiece from Nolan Johnson and Winjum to get within a 39-30 deficit three minutes into the half. WAO’s Sedlacek stopped the run with a three-pointer to spark a 12-3 run for a 51-33 lead with 11 minutes left in the game. Crookston trailed 53-35 when Josh Hesby made a free throw and Winjum had a three-point play to get within a 53-39 deficit. Once again, the Ponies had a big-time Pirate momentum stopper with a Sebastian Johnson three-pointer. WAO slowly pulled away and built a 72-49 lead with three minutes left in the game after back-to-back baskets from Dvorak. Crookston’s Beau Smith made two free throws, Carter Fee made a three-pointer. WAO’s Rylan Fredrickson made a basket before Fee hit another three-pointer and Warren-Alvarado-Oslo won the game 74-57.

Crookston drops to 0-7 on the year and will host Park Rapids on Monday. Warren-Alvarado-Oslo improves to 5-6 on the year and will host #2 ranked Red Lake County on Friday.
J.V – WAO won 67-36 C Squad – WAO won 41-24

Kyden Kotrba

Nolan Cassavant

Ethan Ellerbusch

Reggie Winjum

Sidney Carlson

Beau Smith

Sebastian Johnson

Carter Fee

Kyden Kotrba

Nolan Cassavant

Ethan Ellerbusch

Reggie Winjum

Sidney Carlson

Beau Smith

Sebastian Johnson

Carter Fee

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