CROOKSTON GIRLS BASKETBALL HOLDS ON TO BEAT WADENA-DEER CREEK

The Crookston Pirate Girl’s Basketball team came from behind with a 8-0 run midway through the second half and held on the rest of the way to beat the Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines 50-48 in a Section 8AA matchup in Wadena.

FIRST HALF –
Crookston had a slow start and got behind 6-2 in the first four minutes of the game, with the only basket by Halle Winjum.  Crookston stopped the run with a Winjum pass to a wide-open Isabelle Smith in the corner, and she made a three-point shot to bring the Pirates within a 6-5 deficit.
The teams exchanged baskets for several minutes, and Crookston tied the game for the first time at 15-15 with less than eight minutes remaining after another Smith three-pointer.  Wadena-Deer Creek answered with back-to-back three-pointers, and with under five minutes to go, Crookston trailed 22-17.
It was all Pirates in the final four minutes of the half, as they ended on a 9-3 run.  The run was sparked by back-to-back baskets from Abby Borowicz, a Libby Salentine free throw, and a Chloe Boll pull-up jumper in the lane.  After a WDC basket, Crookston’s Salentine scored on a nice move in the paint, and the Wolverines ended the half with a basket before the buzzer, and Crookston took a 26-25 lead into halftime without their leading scorer Halle Winjum scoring one point in the half.

SECOND HALF –
Crookston started the second half with the ball, and Emma Gunderson converted a three-point play to give the Pirates a 29-25 lead.  Wadena-Deer Creek responded with a run and took a 37-34 lead with less than 11 minutes left in the game.  Crookston responded with their best play of the night over a three-minute span and went on an 8-0 run behind outstanding cutting and passing as they had four different players score (Boll, Gunderson, Salentine, and Winjum) for a 42-37 lead with eight minutes remaining.
Crookston kept the lead around two possessions and led 50-43 after a Salentine basket with 2:30 left in the game.  WDC made three of four free throws in the final minutes and added a basket to get within a 50-48 deficit with 33 seconds to go.  Crookston was fouled with 17 seconds remaining but missed the front end of the bonus, and the Wolverines had a chance to tie the game or possibly win it with a three-pointer or three-point play.
WDC called a timeout and ran a play with a drive down the lane, and the layup attempt was too strong because of solid Pirate defense, but the Wolverines grabbed the rebound and flipped a shot at the basket that missed, and there was a scramble for the ball as the buzzer sounded as Crookston held on for a 50-48 victory.

Crookston improves to 12-6 on the season and will host Hawley in another Section 8AA game at 3:30 p.m. in the Crookston High School gymnasium.  KROX will have the game on the radio and the video stream.
Wadena-Deer Creek drops to 10-9 on the year.

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